Mallorca 2017 (5 Viewers)

Spent this morning and early afternoon at Mortitx. Blue tits were there in abundance - all along the valley to the small reservoir. There were plenty of redstarts, 3 pied flys, 4+ whinchats, firecrests, serins & at least 4 wrynecks calling. Raptors included kestrel, 2 Eleanora's falcons, at least 6 black vultures and two Bonelli's eagles.

Spent the late afternoon at the Cami des Polls at the back of the Albufera. I walked from the power station end all the way to the far end. Bee eaters were calling from somewhere behind the trackside reeds, and occasionally came into view; a male reed bunting flew out of reeds and off across the pasture - given the location and date I presume it's likely to have been "witherbyi". My quest was for common waxbill, a Mallorca tick for me. Thanks to directions from Marcus and Luke Nash I found two birds by the bridge at the far end.

There was a good selection of dragonflies along the track: emperors and lesser emperor; scarlet dragonfly; red-veined darter; black-tailed and keeled skimmer. Best of all was a male southern migrant hawker (aeshna affinis) over the pool in the dyke at the power station end. Unfortunately my camera autofocus wouldn't lock onto the insect. A couple of years ago I put together a dragonfly list for the island (culled from various sources), and I couldn't find any records of this species, although given it's range and apparent expansion it would be surprising if it has not occurred here.

Stew

StewB said:

There was a good selection of dragonflies along the track: emperors and lesser emperor; scarlet dragonfly; red-veined darter; black-tailed and keeled skimmer. Best of all was a male southern migrant hawker (aeshna affinis) over the pool in the dyke at the power station end. Unfortunately my camera autofocus wouldn't lock onto the insect. A couple of years ago I put together a dragonfly list for the island (culled from various sources), and I couldn't find any records of this species, although given it's range and apparent expansion it would be surprising if it has not occurred here.
Stew

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Hi Stew
It's been a while since I updated my Odonata list for the island but I've just checked my notes and A. affinis is included by Garcia-Aviles, J., Puig, M.A., Soler, A.G. & Ferreras-Romera, M. 1995. An analysis of habitat distribution and associations in the Odonata of the Balearic Islands, Spain. Odonatologica 24: 269-282 from Menorca and as new to Mallorca.
Martin

honeym said:

Hi Stew
It's been a while since I updated my Odonata list for the island but I don't know of any previous records.
Martin

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Thanks Martin, given that, and given its range and its recent expansion, it's perhaps not such a surprising occurrence. Do you know if there is anyone to notify about odonata records?

Stew

HiStew
I don't know of anyone but there's supposed to be a 'complete' list of Iberian Odonata here (http://www.iberianwildlife.com/spain/dragonflies-damselflies-spain.htm) but, of course, it doesn't include A. affinis from the Balearic Islands.
Hopefully someone here may know if there's anyone on the island.
Martin

Thanks again Martin.

I've managed to retrieve from the cloud the dragonfly list I made a while ago. It was culled from various sources, including John Muddeman's list, my own observations and various distribution maps in ID guides etc. My updated list is on my home PC (I've since seen aeshna mixta), so I'll need to add a. affinis when I get back. Are you aware of any missing species - or glaring mistakes? It would be nice to keep an updated list - others might find it useful too.

Stew

Hi Stew and Martin, I am just off to the Cap to meet with the locals (although it's raining hard and windy) and I will ask around. I will post later. Mike

Thank you very much. Fantastic help

Been a while since posted as have been "catching up" back here in England. Did post that I'd seen a strange flycatcher at the end of the Mortitx walk. Have several interesting photos of vultures but the flycatcher when lightened on picasa ended up being a redstart! Sorry about that!!

Adding some photos is that a reed warbler taken at S'Albufera?

Could be Great Reed Warbler perhaps Rob.

StewB said:

Thanks again Martin.
I've managed to retrieve from the cloud the dragonfly list I made a while ago. It was culled from various sources, including John Muddeman's list, my own observations and various distribution maps in ID guides etc. My updated list is on my home PC (I've since seen aeshna mixta), so I'll need to add a. affinis when I get back. Are you aware of any missing species - or glaring mistakes? It would be nice to keep an updated list - others might find it useful too.
Stew

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Hi Stew
Here's my list, not yet fully checked/up-dated. I hope it's useful. If anything needs an explanation, just ask.
Martin

I went to the Cap almost every day last week and saw hardly a bird since last Sunday. Today we saw five Honey Buzzard, two Bonelli's eagles, some Bee-eaters and a couple of migrant Marsh Harrier.
It seems therefore, Sunday is the best day to go!
Mike

Thanks for your list Martin. I hope you don't mind me passing it to Marina, she collects data and has a great interest in dragonflies. I am also starting a list and will post my sightings here as I know many visitors are keen as well. Mike

I can go with great reed warbler having looked at the Collins again! Cheers Ian

A brief summary of the last weeks birding, mostly covering the highlights

4th Sept - Salobrar de Campos AM
Wood Sandpiper, along with a good selection of species one would expect (Green, Red and Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Little Stints, Stilts, Avocets, Flamingos etc. As always, Excellent.

Cap Ses Selines PM
Not a sniff of raptor migration, though 8 Teal east offshore, Eleanora's Falcon and a Whinchat were noted.

6th Sept - Salobrar de Camopos
Curlew Sandpiper in flight over north eastern pans, again good variety of other waders including 15 Greenshank in one flock and 20 or so Little Stint (far outnumbering Dunlin), 30 flava wagtails late on and 9 Stone Curlew.

7th Sept - Cap Ses Selines
One or two migrants including 1 Marsh Harrier which headed for Cabrera/Africa and one that thought about it but changed its mind! Also Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear and 5 Turtle Doves. Eleanora's Falcon hunting an unidentified passerine distantly over the sea was a highlight, as were 21 Rock Sparrows in a flock along the approach road (in fields off Passatje 5) which were a Mallorca tick for me!

8th Sept - Portocolom/S'Algar
I'm treating this area as a bit of a patch this autumn. Been quiet so far, with very few migrants (though a Golden Oriole was present in the morning on 30th Aug). Today however there was a bit of an arrival of flycatchers today with over 15 Pied Flys in the area. A female Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warblers were also noted amongst the thick vegetation, along with a Whinchat and 2 Wheatear at S'Algar.

9th Sept
Portocolom/S'Algar
Fewer Pied Flycatchers (8), but 2 Redstarts were fresh in, and a Wryneck showed well, along with the residents (Hoopoe, Thekla Lark, Balearic Flycatchers and Balearic Warblers etc).

10th Sept - Portocolom/S'Algar
Following the stormy weather overnight (and some of today) a fair variety of birds were present here, including a male Moltoni's Warbler and 3 female-type 'Subalpine Warblers', a Reed Warbler skulking amongst the 'pistacia' bushes (well out of habitat so clearly a migrant!), 10+ Pied Flycatcher and 4 Redstarts. Also noted were at least 1 Wryneck which showed well on occasion, 5 Hoopoes, 3 Turtle Doves and a superb dark Eleanora's Falcon briefly.

Mike Montier said:

Thanks for your list Martin. I hope you don't mind me passing it to Marina, she collects data and has a great interest in dragonflies. I am also starting a list and will post my sightings here as I know many visitors are keen as well. Mike

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No problem. I would have passed it on anyway.
Martin

J Moss said:

A brief summary of the last weeks birding, mostly covering the highlights

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Hi Jason
Good to read that you are back on the island. Will you be getting the moth trap out?
Best wishes
Martin

Hi Martin

I will indeed, and have infact had it out a couple of time already. I will email through a few photos as soon as I can.

honeym said:

Hi Stew
Here's my list, not yet fully checked/up-dated. I hope it's useful. If anything needs an explanation, just ask.
Martin

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Brilliant - thanks Martin, I'll do some "reconciling" when I'm back home.

Stew

When this morning's rain cleared I dropped Mrs B at Alcudia for the market and headed for the Albufereta. The large pool between the mound and the road which had been bone dry when I arrived on Tuesday was now pretty full, and held c40 Kentish plovers (with 1 little ringed plover), 2 dunlin, 4 greenshank, 4 stone curlews and lots of black-winged stilts. 4 whimbrell flew in and stayed briefly before heading inland.

I flushed another night heron from the pines - this time a juvenile. There were still 12 flamingos viewable from the tower, with more greenshank among the stilts on the pools. An osprey had several attempts before catching a pitifully small fish and flying off. There were 6+ corn buntings in the stubble field near the smaller platform. Two falconers were flying an unidentified hawk on fields on the inland side - clearly in earnest as one had a large game bag over his shoulder.

At Ca'n Cuarassa I had 2 redstarts and 3 pied flys along the track to the pools before another rain storm sent me back to our hotel.

In the clearer late afternoon I worked the first half of the Bocquer, hoping for grounded migrants. There were 12+ pied flys, 6+ redstarts, a wryneck, wheatear and willow warbler. A robin was in bushes near the farmhouse. Six bee-eaters were over the farmhouse and slowly drifted off south west.

Along the ridge two Eleanora's were clearly unsettled by the peregrine below them, several crag martins were dashing around the crags before a booted eagle caused a bit more panic.

I was surprised to find a Balearic warbler below the track just after the two guarding rocks - yet again located by its distinctive call.

A migrant hawker dragonfly (aeshna mixta)was flying around over the track. A good day!

Stew

Drove up to the mirador at Albercutx after breakfast (before the crowds arrive). A Cory's shearwater drifted lazily NW offshore, 3 Eleanora's were dicing with each other off the end of the ridge. Four swifts were also off the cliffs, one of which looked good for pallid.

I went to the Albufereta to see if there had been any changes to the wader numbers. All of the 40 Kentish plovers had gone! Two dunlin were still there, but different birds (both juvs after adults yesterday). Still a few greenshank, 5 stone curlews, and one (possibly 2) whimbrel. The hybrid reef/ little egret was still at the torrent mouth.

From the tower, flamingo numbers had increased to 38. The osprey again took several attempts to catch a fish, there were c6 purple herons & a great white egret.

The pools at Ca'n Cuarassa had a nice selection of dragonflies: several scarlet dragonflies, a copulating pair of lesser emperors, an emperor, black-tailed skimmer and a "probable" common darter.

A movement of swifts seemed to be going on, and out along the track they included a fine alpine swift.

On tourist duties this afternoon!

Stew