Natural Park Bird Breeding Success

17 chicks have hatched

You probably know that the Sierra Helada area – the giant rock between Benidorm and Albir – is now a natural park which encompasses both the land and sea in the surrounding area. Naturalists are cock-a-hoop with the success of the area because the egret – a bird which is quite rare in this location – has started to nest on Benidorm Island.

The egret which is part of the heron family, it's white with a long beak, long black legs and enormous yellow feet and is found nesting in only 4 areas in all Valencia - 'Albufera, el Hondo, Santa Pola and now Benidorm!

The egret colony was first noticed on 30th March and since then 17 chicks have hatched with another 37 eggs yet to reveal their contents. The naturalists hope that they will thrive and continue to augment the growing population of the bird which at the moment numbers less than 2000 pairs.

25 April 2007 Stephen White.