A week in Mallorca with limited mobility (1 Viewer)

[RonClark28]

Hello all

Jan and I are off to Mallorca for a week mid-October. We will be staying ay Can Picafort, fairly close to the Albufera nature site, which we will try to visit. But where else is there please. I've just read elaswhere that there booted eagles on the island right now; where would be the best place to see them as well as the voltures please? But please remember, we both have limited mobility.

Thanks in advance

Regards
B
Ron

 

[wolfbirder]

Are you able to drive to sites? Booted Eagles are resident birds.

If you can drive you can drive up into the mountains to Cuber Reservoir and there is a small car park there. You don't really need to walk around the reservoir, just be patient and await the Black and Griffons to emerge from the surrounding cliff tops. I believe buses go past the reservoir too. Its a winding drive often stuck behind coaches of tourists.

You can also go to the Formentor Peninsula to see the Eleonora Falcons at th epoint (but even worse with coaches unless yo ucan get there early morning) though they may be seen inland too, this is also true for Booted Eagles which can also be seen up in the mountains or occasionally dropping into S'Albufera. Its quite a long approach walk (half a mile?) to S'Albufera centre, but you may be able to arrange to drive to the centre if you hold a disabled badge? Sorry its all a bit vague and I don't mean to pry, but this all depends on your level of immobility. Its all flat walking there at least.

 

[RonClark28]

Thanks for the reply Nick.

We can walk to some extent but need to be careful of how far we go. Mainly we can't go walking up hills or climbing steps and stuff like that. We can both drive and that is an option for us once we get there, depening on cost of course.

Regards

Ron

 

[davercox]

Its quite a long approach walk (half a mile?) to S'Albufera centre, but you may be able to arrange to drive to the centre if you hold a disabled badge?

See http://www.mallorcaweb.net/salbufera/introang.html#rules for details.

<EDIT> but, as Nick says, it's all flat, and the walk in from the entrance (where the car park is) to the visitor centre can be interesting in itself. <END EDIT>

 

[RonClark28]

Thanks for the replies guys

Ron

 

[honeym]

Hi Ron
You may also want to check out the Mallorca thread here:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=273698
There´s plenty of up-to-date information on birds being seen, weather, transport, etc.
If you do hire a car and are less mobile it is possible to drive up to the reception centre in s´Albufera but do speak to the person on duty there (they all speak English and other languages). However, do remember that driving from C´an Picafort you have to drive passed the entrance heading into Alcudia, do a u-turn round the first roundabout and enter from that side of the road - do not cross the central white line (one of the Parc staff did and got picked up by the police!).
From what I´ve been told, the chances of seeing Booted Eagle in the mountains are less certain than was previously the case but you should see the re-introduced Bonnelli´s Eagles, which have taken over the Tramuntana range.
Have a great time.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[Andy Hurley]

I don't know if you are aware of"a Birding Tourist's Guide to Mallorca" ISBN 978 84 613 5793 2 ? It covers 17 sites and 26 itineries. I saw them for sale at s´Albufera. Albufereta is another option on the NE coast, between Port de Pollenca and Alcudia

 

[wolfbirder]

S'Albufera has to be one of the best choices as once at the centre (which is about half a mile walk along a straight road) a few hides and the three bridges area, are all within a few hundred metres and are the centrepiece of the reserve. Also the D'epuradora on the C'an Picafort side of the immense reserve can be driven to and once parked up just a few steps up puts you on a good ramp. Birding from the car along the approach track here requires no pre-arranged access like S'Albufera.

Formentor peninsula and Cuber Reservoir are both great drives but you need to be ok driving hairpins & you need to be ok with heights. Other than that, with care the roads are good. Again, get off early before the coachloads of tourists block up the roads to both, but there is no rush and you need to spend an hour or two at Cuber at least, to see the vultures as the morning warms up. For the first few hours you may see no raptors/vultures but then late morning they usually start to soar over the ridges. I would be prepared to spend half a day at least on clear sunny days, the tranquility is lovely but take water and snacks.

I love Mallorca, and it is great and easy birding, do buy the Birding in Mallorca guide book. Well worth it!