Look at the birds in the sky of Llobregat Delta
We are in the middle of the migratory season. In March the birds make the prenuptial migratory passage. What does this mean? Well, as you read, prenuptial means just before mating. Migratory birds continue on their way north, where they will breed. And those that come to spend the summer here to breed are already busy preparing their nests. Today we are going to meet the birds of the Llobregat Delta.
Great Crested Grebe with its young.
Birds going north to breed
The Llobregat Delta is a privileged place for the migratory passage of birds. Flamingos are perhaps still the ones that attract the most attention. They do not breed in the Llobregat Delta but they are easy to observe. Then we have a whole set of species that use the Delta as a service area on their route and continue to Northern Europe, where they will breed.
Among the birds that migrate north we can highlight the group of waders. They are so called because they are usually in the area of silt (mud) with a long beak that they use to hunt invertebrates. The waders that you can observe these days of passage are the archibebes, the sandpipers, the fighters or the avocets. All of them are beautiful and easy to observe in the natural areas of the Llobregat Delta.
Also many ducks begin their journey north. Teals, pintails and widgeons leave their winter quarters to travel north to breed. Then you will see how other smaller species such as gnatcatchers, weighing little more than 10 grams, are able to reach Siberia. It is one of the wonders of nature and migration.
Indeed, the days of March are a hustle and bustle of birds in the Llobregat Delta. Both for those who leave and for those who stay to breed. Difficult not to enjoy a wonder so close to MuchaMasia.
Birds of the Llobregat Delta that stay to breed
These days if you walk through the Llobregat Delta you will see that the birds are very busy. They are preparing their nests for the first clutches, which will coincide with the start of spring. One of the species that is the protagonist of the breeding is the Audouin’s Gull. It is an endangered gull that only lives in the Mediterranean. In the Llobregat Delta it has one of the most important breeding sites in the world. This gull, with its reddish beak, can be found along the river and on the beach.
Another bird that is very popular during the breeding season is the kentish plover. It is a very friendly bird that lives on the beaches. It usually runs along the seashore looking for small insects and lays its eggs in the sand. This is precisely where its greatest danger lies. The presence of humans or dogs can cause the failure of their breeding. If you see them, enjoy them from a distance and do not disturb them.
And also these days the storks breed, with their deafening noise to scare away enemies. And there is no lack of friendly mallard ducklings in any channel of the Llobregat Delta. Don’t be surprised to suddenly see a flock of 10 ducklings following mommy duck. If you walk along the river, enjoy the young of the white shelduck, the largest duck that lives in the Delta. And if you look in the trees, goldfinches, linnets, greenfinches, magpies continue with the hustle and bustle of feeding the little ones in the nests.
Literary recommendation on birds
And because birdwatching is not just about going with a bird guide to recognize them. Birds can also be read. We would like to recommend the book “Look at the Birds of the Sky” by the writer Stanislav Lubienski. Whether you are a birdwatcher or not, you will love reading this book.
Because birds are in art, in literature, in the movies and in our daily lives. And you only have to raise your head to realize the life that is in the sky.