[s.g.]

a few shots of dragonflys and a distant red kite.

steve.

[Mick Sway]

Hey Steve
Given the fact that your holiday was postponed from spring due to the unfortunate accident Di sustained, you managed to get some great shots of fabulous birds. Love Audouin's gull and eleonoras pics.
Wish i could persuade T that its worth going again.
Hope that you both enjoyed it , despite the heat.
Thanks for sharing.

[s.g.]

thanks mick,
a distant shot of marsh harrier carrying a moorhen? squacco add and juv and a kestrel.

steve.

[Peewit]

Originally Posted by s.g.

thanks mick,
a distant shot of marsh harrier carrying a moorhen? squacco add and juv and a kestrel.

steve.

Hi Steve

You never think of one bird wanting to eat another at all, but that is nature in the raw.

More fabulous photos, and I love hearing all about your adventures

Regards
Kathy
x

[stuartg]

A while ago I asked about guiding in Majorca on this site as I was going on a family holiday in July. I returned today and had some good birds but the highlight was the guided day organised by Steve (Estebannic on here) - I was driven and guided round the island by two of Steve's colleagues - Cristina and Jose Luis. It was a fantastic day with 8 species of raptor, including great views of Griffon + Black Vulture as well as Eleanora's Falcon. Very good views of Balearic Warbler, Thekla Lark, many S T Lark and Stone Curlew - I saw birds and got to places I would never I seen and got to without their help. They were also charming companions. I would recommend anyone on a family holiday like myself but who can get a day's birding to avail themselves of this great guiding. I was surprised that we saw a Woodchat Shrike not of the Balearic variety. Can I ask Mike or someone else on here about the status of Med Gull on Majorca? In my well out of date guide by Graham Hearl it is down as a rare migrant never recorded in July - I assume that it has increased like it has in UK as I saw an adult at P. Pollensa on 28.7.12

[Mike Montier]

Hi Stuart, Med gul is down in my guide as a rare winter visitor and scarce migrant. I have seen quite a few but nearly always in migration times so I can't help further with your sighting except that in 2009 none were seen in June, July, August or September which makes your record all the more interesting. I would submit it if you can, it may well be a first for that month. Good luck and thanks for telling us. Glad the guiding worked out well, the locals really are a great bunch and I have spent many great days out in the field with them

[s.g.]

sounds like a good day out stuart.
reed bunting i think part of a ringing project on the island.
dabchick showing its legs, not something you see very often.
spoonbill early one morning on salbufera.

steve.

[stuartg]

Thanks Mike - do you have the details of the person or organisation I should submit the record to please?
Stuart

[Mike Montier]

Ah, now there's a question! I will check because all my records have gone astray this year as I think I sent them to an old address. Hopefully someone else will be able to help. I always send them to GOB but I will get the up-to-date e-mail. I can also check if anyone else has seen a Med gull in the summer but I don't think they have. Mke

[Motmot]

July-August aren't the best months for Med gull but data from the GOB "Anuari ornitològic" show the species to be scarce but regular in Jul-Aug, at least around S'Albufera.

[stuartg]

Another thing I meant to mention re my recent visit to Mallorca was how fantastic it was to see how abundant Spotted Flycatcher is - they seem to be everywhere, in stark contrast to their declining status in UK. Have they increased in recent years? I realise they are a different ssp.

[Mike Montier]

Spotted flycatchers are everywhere which is great to see. It is impossible to walk even a few paces without seeing them. I was amazed at my last visit to see how dark the UK ones are, so different from the ones here. I think this year is no different to the last five years, they are abundant every year. It is the same in Mallorca with Stonechat and in winter Black Redstarts are all over the Island and in every town, garden and countryside. They really brighten up winter.

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Eduardo, I only looked up the Anuari for 2009 so I guess either more are being seen or more people are recording them! It is very hard birding in this heat, I went out today and all I saw was the shimmering outline of unidentifiable waders so sorry for the lack of bird news, it will all hot up soon when the autumn migration gets under way. Hoping for lots of Honey buzzard as it was quite a poor spring this year for raptors.

[Motmot]

Originally Posted by Mike Montier

Spotted flycatchers are everywhere which is great to see. It is impossible to walk even a few paces without seeing them. I was amazed at my last visit to see how dark the UK ones are, so different from the ones here. I think this year is no different to the last five years, they are abundant every year. It is the same in Mallorca with Stonechat and in winter Black Redstarts are all over the Island and in every town, garden and countryside. They really brighten up winter.

Unfortunately Balearic Spotteds (and Balearic Woodchats) seem to
be declining too. SAC samples and also some ringing data show what looks like bad news for these beautiful local subspecies.

[Mike Montier]

Thanks again Eduardo although that does not sound like good news. From going out on a daily basis it is hard to ascertain any decline, they seem to be seen here in similar numbers every year. Is any reason known for the decline? Certainly I knew it was a bad year for many migrants like Woodchat, I have hardly seen any this year and there are no Nightjar in my local patch where I nearly always see at least six. I hope this is not a continuing trend, that would be tragic.

[stuartg]

I am surprised that Spotted Flycatchers are reducing on Mallorca - I saw them in good numbers everywhere I went on the island and many young - very sad if they are reducing, we don't want a repeat of what's happened in UK - you were lucky to see any here Mike to compare plumage tone. I only saw one Woodchat Shrike last week, though as I have said it was not intensive birding, and this was not a Balearic ssp. It is twelve years since I last visited Mallorca - when my notes/memory tell me that it was easy to see the shrike and that whilst Spotted Fly was common it was not as numerous as this year - but obviously Eduardo has the scientific data. Thanks for info on Med Gull, I will put the rarity form away! They are presumably increasing in the same way they are in UK. I know what you mean about the heat Mike, I will never come in mid-summer again (no longer restricted by summer holidays) - it will be Spring/Autumn for me next time.
Stuart

[s.g.]

a few more,
l. r. plover
b. h. gull
common tern
y.l. gull

steve.

[s.g.]

cattle egrets from bishop 2 hide.

steve

[s.g.]

stone curlews and pochard.

steve.

[IDIC]

Hi

I can back up Stuartg's post about Steve's guided birding tours of Mallorca. My late Wife and I had a fantastic day out with him a few years ago. I had told Steve that we particularly wanted to see raptors and he delivered big time! We came to within a few feet (it seemed like) of flying Black Vultures. We were so spellbound that we forgot to take a photo.

I was in Alcudia back in May this year and saw loads of spotted flycatchers around the Hotels. They were easier to take photos of than hoopoes!

I was really pleased to find one of my garden buildings metal roof full of Swallows this morning (in UK). It seems that our returning pair have at last had a sucessful clutch and there were 14 all sun bathing. Wonderful.

[Mike Montier]

Thanks everyone for keeping this thread going through the lean times of high summer, much appreciated and some great photos too. Salobrar de Campos was quiet yesterday with little to report but it will no doubt improve soon, Mike

[s.g.]

redshank and spotted redshank on the salbufera.

steve.

[s.g.]

tawny pipits and woodchat shrikes.

steve.

[s.g.]

purple heron on the salbufera.

steve

[eagle33]

Hi can anyone tell me how i get to Deporadora a grid ref would also be helpful please thanks..