Well, now back home after my first visit to the island. Unfortunately, my wifi in the cottage was very erratic and very slow so it was not possible to update while away.
It was good to meet Christina at La Gola on our last day, especially to learn that I had not been mistaken in believing I had seen Eleanora's Falcon, Christina telling me the first ones had come back in the week.
2 visits to s'Albufera, what a great place! A walk in the Boquer Valley, albeit on (very) windy Wednesday. A trip into the mountains on wet Tuesday, to Lluc. And a lot of time spent in Pollensa and the surrounding area, and Port de Pollensa. What a lovely island and my wife and I will definitely return.
A total of 75 birds were seen/heard and some of the highlights were Black Vulture, Great Reed Warbler, Little Bittern, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Black Kite, Audouin's Gull, Serin, Woodchat Strike, Booted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Whinchat, Cattle Egret, Cirl Bunting, Purple Swamphen, Black-winged Stilt, Red-knobbed Coot, Marbled Duck, Purple Heron, Kentish Plover, Osprey, Blue Rock Thrush, Spanish Wagtail, Black Redstart, Bonelli's Warbler. I just wish I'd been able to identify the bird calling outside my cottage most nights near Pollensa. It was more rapid and harsh than the recording I have of Scops Owl, but I'm at a loss as to what else it could be.
We will definitely return. My wife loved the fact that we had to walk quite long distances at s'Albufera and we both thought the place was magical. The fields and lanes near our cottage were very fruitful and the island was nothing like 70's package-holiday stereotypes.
