Where to Watch Birds in Northern and Eastern Spain

Spain has long been a favoured European destination for the travelling birder and will continue to be so. As a result, Michael Rebane (with Ernest Garcia) has rewritten his own very successful ‘Where to watch’ site guide, almost 10 years after it was originally published.

 

The format is almost identical to the first book, with an opening introduction and then the main body, which covers each autonomous region in alphabetical order, from Aragon to Valencia. At the start of each of these regional sections is a map that pin-points the location of each site. This is followed by a page or two of informative text. This layout means the book is quite user-friendly when trying to work out where to visit if you are thinking of touring the area.

 

 

Each site is given the usual format of description, species, timing and access, while a calendar highlighting the main species to be found during each season is a very useful addition. This is accompanied by at least one detailed map alongside access notes. There are also some excellent line drawings dotted throughout.

 

 

At the back of the book is a new section on the status of each species, which includes Spanish bird names, and the final few pages are taken up by an index key for finding specific species at each site. All in all, it is very well written and the format is good.

 

 

Any new edition begs the question of whether it improves on the previous one. And this book definitely does. For starters it boasts an extra 70 pages, which supply lots more information and detail. I have owned a copy of Rebane’s first edition since moving to Spain several years ago, but a lack of detailed maps and access information meant I often could not find what I was looking for. When the updated version landed on the doormat I immediately went to Valencia, the region I know best, and gave it a good grilling. I found the maps especially were a tremendous improvement on the original, which is something the authors acknowledge in their opening pages, and they have obviously researched this carefully.

 

 

Another benefit is the opening chapters – I found these had some extremely useful and interesting information, along with some equally helpful contact numbers and email addresses.

 

 

I also very much like the way the book covers regions such as Castilla La Mancha and Castilla y Leon. These two huge areas are incredibly rich in wildlife, but sometimes get overlooked by naturalists visiting Spain.

 

 

One small gripe is the addition of certain birds found at some of the sites, one example being Common Waxbill at El Marjel de Pego/Oliva. In five years of continued observation I have never seen one there, and actually the same goes for Great Crested Grebe! This is a very minor grievance, as we know species status can change over a fairly short period of time.

 

 

All in all this is an excellent second edition that has much improved on the first book, and is still at a price that makes it very good value for money. If you’re thinking of travelling to northern or eastern Spain it is definitely worth adding to your bookshelf.

Tech spec

• Where to Watch Birds in Northern and Eastern Spain by Michael Rebane and Ernest Garcia (Christopher Helm, London, 2008).

• 320 pages, with line drawings and maps

• ISBN 9780713683141. Pbk. £19.99.

Updated third edition (2017) now available from our bookshop

First published in Birdwatch 200:54 (February 2009)