shymollymawk
Well-known member
We were based at Cala des Forcat in the far west of Menorca in an all-inclusive hotel for a week in late June. The temperature was above 30 every day, so bird activity was obviously quiet. We saw quite a few birds from the transit bus which went from the airport in the east to the hotel: Booted Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Cattle Egret, Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike. At Forcat Yellow-legged Gull and Audouin’s Gull were common, and Spotted Flycatchers everywhere. The numerous swifts appeared to be mainly Pallid, with a few Common. In the evenings Scopoli’s Shearwaters would fly north past the hotel. One evening there appeared to be two dark-phase Eleanora’s Falcons hunting the cliffs to the south, chasing Feral Pigeons.
On my early morning walks between Cala des Forcat and Ciutadella I saw Spotless Starling, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-legged Partridge, Thekla Lark, Sardinian Warbler (also common) and Tawny Pipit. I would walk towards Ciutadella then catch a bus back to the hotel.
We went to Cala Galdana one day by bus, very nice sandy beach, and saw Raven, Alpine Swift, Kestrel and Zitting Cisticola. The gorge looked interesting, but the keep out signs put us off, though I think it may be ok to walk up; there seemed to be no-one around.
On a jeep day-safari (good value) we visited the S’Albufera nature reserve at Es Grau. Osprey, Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle and a juvenile Nightingale were seen here. Turtle Doves were foraging on the roadside. We also visited a Bee-eater colony on the way to Cap de Cavalleria, Menorca's most northerly point. Pond Terrapins were basking in a stream.
I only saw a few dragonflies: Red-veined Darter, Broad Scarlet, Emperor, Migrant Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer and Blue-tailed Damselfly. A nice relaxing island, the migration periods would be quite interesting.
Butterflies recorded:
Swallowtail
Clouded Yellow
Cleopatra
Large White
Small White
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood
Wall
Southern Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Common Blue
Holly Blue
Geranium Bronze
On my early morning walks between Cala des Forcat and Ciutadella I saw Spotless Starling, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-legged Partridge, Thekla Lark, Sardinian Warbler (also common) and Tawny Pipit. I would walk towards Ciutadella then catch a bus back to the hotel.
We went to Cala Galdana one day by bus, very nice sandy beach, and saw Raven, Alpine Swift, Kestrel and Zitting Cisticola. The gorge looked interesting, but the keep out signs put us off, though I think it may be ok to walk up; there seemed to be no-one around.
On a jeep day-safari (good value) we visited the S’Albufera nature reserve at Es Grau. Osprey, Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Booted Eagle and a juvenile Nightingale were seen here. Turtle Doves were foraging on the roadside. We also visited a Bee-eater colony on the way to Cap de Cavalleria, Menorca's most northerly point. Pond Terrapins were basking in a stream.
I only saw a few dragonflies: Red-veined Darter, Broad Scarlet, Emperor, Migrant Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer and Blue-tailed Damselfly. A nice relaxing island, the migration periods would be quite interesting.
Butterflies recorded:
Swallowtail
Clouded Yellow
Cleopatra
Large White
Small White
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood
Wall
Southern Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Common Blue
Holly Blue
Geranium Bronze
