• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Mallorca 2010 (1 Viewer)

Hi Clive, yes, a probable Rock sparrow flying away from us and I am 75% sure it was one. The colouration was right and the bird had large white tail patches so it looked good. I am going back there soon and will post again. Unfortunately this bird flew strongly some distance and I could not re-locate it. I also saw one Dartford warbler. Fantastic news re the Eleonoras, a very early date indeed. There was a large influx of Common swift this evening over Porto Petro including one Alpine swift and a few Barn swallow. Also one Peregrine.

I have always felt guilty about the amount of human traffic through the finca at the Boquer so I am not surprised by the decision to close. The new entrance will be much better as Alf suggests. It is such a great location and often produces real surprises.
 
Thanks for the info on the book 'A Birding Tourist's Guide to Mallorca'.

I have just ordered it direct and hopefully it will be with us soon as we fly for our trip to the north on Good Friday.

Cheers

Nev
 
Hi all

Looks like I'm heading for Mallorca for a week in mid to late June 2010.

This will be a family holiday, so birding opportunities will probably be limited to short-range trips, with maybe a couple of opportunities for some birding further afield.

Fortunately, my target list is relatively small, consisting of the following local subspecies:

Crossbill - balearica
Spotted Flycatcher - balearica
Woodchat Shrike - badius
Reed Bunting - witherbyi
Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler
Storm Petrel - melitensis

Location of holiday yet to to be decided, but must be beachside, with decent accommodation, with Port de Pollensa being the current favourite.

I'd be extremely grateful for answers to the following questions, please:

1. Is Pollensa a good base given the above target list, or is there somewhere better, bearing in mind that it needs to essentially be a beach holiday?

2. Are there any specifically reliable sites for the flycatcher, shrike and crossbill in Port de Pollensa itself, or nearby, or am I better off going to somewhere like Boquer or Formentor? Or are they common enought that I shouldn't worry?

3. Albufera the best bet for the Reed Bunting?

4. Cuber Reservoir still the best bet for Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler?

5. What is my best chance, realistically for seeing the storm petrel? I've read that they breed at Dragonera and on the nearby mainland at Andratx - are they reliable there at that time of year, and is there anywhere nearer to Pollensa where I might see them? I'm guessing that dusk is probably best?

Thanks in advance for any help - please PM me or email me at gruffdodd[AT]yahoo.com if that works better for you.

Gruff.
 
Hi Gruff,
I cannot think of anywhere better to stay than Port de Pollença, great beaches and really geared to families, near most major bird reserves.
Flycatchers you tend to trip over everywhere so they are not a problem. Likewise Crossbill and Shrike should not be a problem on most telegraph wires out of town.
Albufera is best for Reed bunting.
Yes, Cuber is the only place I know for Subalpine warbler, they were there last year, I can PM directions.
Not sure about Stormies, I have never seen one but as I have not been near Dragonera at dusk that is no surprise! I think this would be the best bet.
Good luck, let me know if I can help more.
 
Mike Montier said:
Hi Clive, yes, a probable Rock sparrow flying away from us and I am 75% sure it was one. The colouration was right and the bird had large white tail patches so it looked good. I am going back there soon and will post again. Unfortunately this bird flew strongly some distance and I could not re-locate it. I also saw one Dartford warbler. Fantastic news re the Eleonoras, a very early date indeed. There was a large influx of Common swift this evening over Porto Petro including one Alpine swift and a few Barn swallow. Also one Peregrine.
Click to expand...

Rock Sparrows are very hard to get in Mallorca outside the Cap Blanc area and even there they are rarely seen. Try walking as far as you can from the lighthouse to the right, towards Palma, following (and checking) the cliffs and also checking any puddles you may find, they've been seen drinking a few times in the area but usually quite far from the lighthouse. Good luck!
 
Thanks all for the feedback - greatly appreciated.

Puerto Pollensa it is, by the looks of it.

Mike - if you could PM me directions for the Subalpines at Cuber, that would be greatly appreciated - I think you did send me directions previously which I may well have stored on my PC at home, but if you could send me details again in case I don't have them, that would be fantastic.

Would you mind if I dropped you a line for an update a bit nearer the time, please?

Re the crossbills, are they pretty easy around Pollensa at that time - any patch of pines likely to have them, or do I need to seek out larger patcher on Formentor or similar?

Many thanks,

Gruiff
 
Gruff

I would find it hard to imagine that you will not get crossbills on your travels. We saw them in Postage Stamp Wood regularly, on our way up to the lighthouse, and several other places like avenue of pines.
 
Hi Motmot, thanks, I will try Cap Blanc again. As the bird I saw flew up from a puddle it looks even more likely to have been one! However I want to be 100% so I will walk a bit further next time. Not much at Cap Salinas (Santanyi) today only very distant shearwaters.
 
Hello,

Is it possible to walk into S'Albufera at the crack of dawn even if there are no staff present?

Also are there any decent Balearic Warbler sites within a few kilometres walking distance of Alcudia?

Cheers,
Andrew.
 
Andrew said:
Hello,

Is it possible to walk into S'Albufera at the crack of dawn even if there are no staff present?

Also are there any decent Balearic Warbler sites within a few kilometres walking distance of Alcudia?

Cheers,
Andrew.
Click to expand...

Yes.
The main gate is closed to vehicles but it is possible to walk by the side of it and no-one will hassle you once in.
The hides can be very productive if you are the first person in. I got some very close images of a passage Marsh Sandpiper a few years back (October) from one of the Bishop hides.

Don't know about Balearic Warbler sites near Alcudia -I've always looked for them in the Bocquer Valley nr P Pollensa. There is a bus service between PP & Alcudia (see here near the bottom of the page: http://www.puertopollensa.com/transport-taxis-bus-trains.html#buses )

Though it will cost about 15 euros it may be best to get an early taxi to PP from ALcudia (then get the bus back).
 
Sleeper, thanks for the crossbill info - looks like we will be staying quite close to Postage Stamp Wood, so could be a good bet.

Mike Montier - found the directions you posted last year about the Moltoni's at Cuber - many thanks.

Re witherbyi Reed Buntings, browsing trip reports etc seems to suggest that Albufera is pretty much my only realistic chance of this bird, or could they be at Albufereta as well? Within Albufera, is any area better than others for this bird? Eddie Watkinson's book suggests that the most reliable area is the area of reed beds along the track south of the Lone Pine towards the small plantation.

Finally, a few reports I've read suggests that Woodchat Shrikes get a bit trickier into the summer - is that the case, and if so are there any sites more reliable than others? Again, Albufera seems a good bet, but somewhere closer to Port de Pollansa would be very useful.

Booking flights and accommodation this afternoon, so getting excited now!

Thanks.

Gruff
 
Steve G said:
Yes.
The main gate is closed to vehicles but it is possible to walk by the side of it and no-one will hassle you once in.
The hides can be very productive if you are the first person in. I got some very close images of a passage Marsh Sandpiper a few years back (October) from one of the Bishop hides.

Don't know about Balearic Warbler sites near Alcudia -I've always looked for them in the Bocquer Valley nr P Pollensa. There is a bus service between PP & Alcudia (see here near the bottom of the page: http://www.puertopollensa.com/transport-taxis-bus-trains.html#buses )

Though it will cost about 15 euros it may be best to get an early taxi to PP from ALcudia (then get the bus back).
Click to expand...

Thanks ever so much Steve. This is my second trip to Alcudia but I could not remember if you could enter the reserve without a permit before the staff arrived.

Glad to know Bocquer is good for Balearic Warbler as I know it. The reason for returning to Mallorca is to do without a car hire for a change and the buses there were excellent. I may opt for the taxi on the outward journey one morning.

Thanks again,
Andrew.
 
High numbers of Common swift through today, many staying to breed, a Sparrowhawk (quite scarce here) and a few Woodchat shrikes. Back to the UK for a week so I will update as soon as I am back.
 
I had Balearic warbler in 2008 in the Boquer not far beyond where the path squeezes between the large boulders near the top of the valley in ann open area surrounded by bushes to the left of the path.

Another place was above the mirador at the start of Formentor, taking the (damaged) road up the hill from the mirador carpark towards the abandoned military buildings at the peak. The warblers were on a curve in the road about two thirds of the way up, where it sweeps round to overlook the bay and the seaplane base.
 
Barred Wobbler said:
Another place was above the mirador at the start of Formentor, taking the (damaged) road up the hill from the mirador carpark towards the abandoned military buildings at the peak. The warblers were on a curve in the road about two thirds of the way up, where it sweeps round to overlook the bay and the seaplane base.
Click to expand...

That's an excellent spot for Balearic W. Also raptor watching can be very good from the tower on the hill top. Check what was seen from there in two hours- just three days ago (11 different species of raptors!), some pics also included in the gob-forum thread. Note that the Short-toed Eagle depicted at the end was seen close to the town of Sineu, not from the Albercutx tower.

http://www.gobmallorca.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1978
 
Last edited:
Barred Wobbler said:
I had Balearic warbler in 2008 in the Boquer not far beyond where the path squeezes between the large boulders near the top of the valley in ann open area surrounded by bushes to the left of the path.

Another place was above the mirador at the start of Formentor, taking the (damaged) road up the hill from the mirador carpark towards the abandoned military buildings at the peak. The warblers were on a curve in the road about two thirds of the way up, where it sweeps round to overlook the bay and the seaplane base.
Click to expand...

Motmot said:
That's an excellent spot for Balearic W. Also raptor watching can be very good from the tower on the hill top. Check what was seen from there in two hours- just three days ago (11 different species of raptors!), some pics also included in the gob-forum thread. Note that the Short-toed Eagle depicted at the end was seen close to the town of Sineu, not from the Albercutx tower.

http://www.gobmallorca.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1978
Click to expand...

Thanks for the further advisory comments regarding Balearic Warbler. I remember those Tolkienesque boulders so that will be an easy benchmark to remember.

I did Formentor last time by car. I expect it is reachable by bus from Pollensa though?

Many thanks again,
Andrew.
 
Just back from Majorca after a week in Puerto Pollenca. Absolutely no problems with access to Boquer. On my second visit got fleeting glimpses of Balearic Warbler about half way down the descent track to the beach at the end. Much better on my third visit with up to 4 birds - males display calling and flight and clear views perched. This time from the "usual" recommended place at the very start of the decline and on the right hand side track. It was just a case of waiting patiently. Most of the Boquer walkers take the easier left hand route down to the beach but I recommend the right for Balearic hunters. Resident Booted Eagles easily seen in the valley and from the resort. Two Eleanoras Falcons back in Boquer already plus Peregrine.

The Formentor bus only goes as far as the Formentor hotel - not to the lighthouse.

Loads of Crossbills around the Illa D'Or Hotel pines and two Scops Owls calling each night there.

Both Spectacled and Subalpine Warblers from the bypass road verge near the Boquer roundabout and the Albertcux roadside quarry. Blue Rock Thrush also in the quarry.

Mixed flock of warblers feeding high in the pines at the foot of the Albertcux/Formentor brae with at least one Bonelli's and another Subalp. Firecrest there also. Is this early for Bonelli's and are they often found there???

Pretty quiet at Albufera. All the usual stuff but a single Temmink's Stint and a small flock of Ruff at the CIM hide, plus drake Garganey and BVs and Griffon seen from the access road at around 1100hrs soaring high over the distant mountains. In fact I saw up to 7 vultures at various times from Pollenca and Puerto P by just scanning the mountain tops. Reed Buntings exactly where described in earlier post along Ses Puntes path.

Superb weeks family hol with occassional low key birding. Great place and long to get back. 91 sp on trip list without car hire or "big" days. And dipped on quite a few sp including Wheatear, Spot Fly, Wryneck, Bee-eater, Purp Heron and some common waders.

Malcolm
 
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Paul Freestone
Majorca Trip Report - September 2022
Replies
1
Views
1K
Phil Andrews
Phil Andrews
E
Sharm-el-Sheikh, 13-16 December 2023
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
Earnest lad
E
Ian Bell
North Mallorca
Replies
11
Views
2K
rollingthunder
rollingthunder
lgonz1008
South Texas: Mexican Specialties in the US
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
pbjosh
pbjosh
R
California, 2024
2 3
Replies
52
Views
5K
rkj
R

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top