Mallorca 2015 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Thanks for all the information and I will reply to PM's in a bit. Just been to the Castel de Santuari, Felanitx where I saw at least six Alpine swift, there are probably more and this is the only site I know where they breed. There may be another site near Artá but I'm not sure. Just off on the Cala d'Or walk now. Mike

 

[grahamknight10]

Chesterbirder - thanks for the Balearic Warbler info, will go there again soon.

Yesterday at S'Albufera saw all that I wanted to see - Crested Coot, 3 Marbled Duck, Osprey, Whiskered Tern, Purple Gallinule and chick, and lots of other goodies

Graham

 

[Kevsmith]

Terrific morning at Albufera.
Temmincks stint, little stint, curlew and loads of wood sands, ruff, spotted reds, snipe, marbled duck, gallinules, crested coots, osprey, moustached and great reed warblers, whiskered tern and a large group of red footed Falcons. The falcon flock must have been 40 plus and the ten birds that came close enough were all red foots!

 

[Mike Montier]

Well done Kev, there seems to have been an influx. The locals have asked if you have any photos, it would be great if you have some. Others have seen Red-footed too so I will be at Maria de la Salut tomorrow to see if any have lingered, they usually do! Mike

 

[Nohatch]

Hi Graham,

I was at Boquer for about 2h this morning and managed two Balearic Warbler. One to the south/right about 100m after the big stones, and a very obliging male just before the path starts descending to the cove. Met a Scottish birder who told me that has been the most reliable spot for him as well as you have a good vantage point. I think they're fairly common but they do take a lot of patience!

Joost

 

[Robert Norris]

Terrific morning at Albufera.
Temmincks stint, little stint, curlew and loads of wood sands, ruff, spotted reds, snipe, marbled duck, gallinules, crested coots, osprey, moustached and great reed warblers, whiskered tern and a large group of red footed Falcons. The falcon flock must have been 40 plus and the ten birds that came close enough were all red foots!

Must have been in the hide same time as you Kev as saw almost the same.(the Redfoots were amazing)
At Depuodora in Afternoon 1 Black Tern, 2 Marbled Ducks, several Common Sands. Several Bee Eaters at the Quarry.
A brief stop at Castell de Santueri on the way back yielded 3 Alpine Swifts.

Robert

 

[Kevsmith]

Hi Mike. Sorry no pics from me I'm afraid. On the way out of the reserve they were flying low over the track hunting dragonflies and there were plenty of cameras pointing in their direction so hopefully there will be some pics posted.

On a family visit to Pollensa town I got lucky with 1 griffon and 3 black vultures over and a further 8 black vultures behind Puerto Pollensa from the road to Pollensa late afternoon.
Male little bittern at Tucan Marsh this evening.

A nice day all round.

 

[Mike Montier]

My hunch to go to Maria de la Salut today was completely misguided, there was nothing there except one lonely Kestrel. Later at the depuradora, albufera, I saw three falcons flying towards the reserve but too distant to identify. Ten minutes later, five Red-footed falcons were reported there by Martin. That's all the news so far, more later hopefully. Mike

 

[Kevsmith]

I too went to the central plains around 2pm. Nothing except common kestrel and a booted eagle over.
On the way home I called in at Depuradora where we had no Falcons at all but it was very hot. Marbled duck and osprey were the highlights.
After a tip off by another UK birder we called into Club Del Sol just out of Puerto Pollensa towards Alcudia, and had a bite to eat at the bar at the end of the road and watched nesting spotless starlings as we ate.

 

[Robert Norris]

Highlight of my Cala D'or walk this morning was a pair of Wryneck along the Carre de sa Bonanca. Male was calling and female seemed to be checking out a Palm tree in a garden. Also Wood Warbler, at least one male Cirl Bunting and the usual Turtle Doves.
Tawny Pipit still near Police Station and Stone Curlew in field opposite.
Robert

 

[Paul Hackett]

Will be staying in Palma for a few days shortly and no transport but can bird early mornings, any suggestions please just see to birds? Many Thanks

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Paul. The port is often very good, especially for gulls but these are better in winter. The bay can attract Sandwich and other tern species so is worth a look. I have seen Gull-billed there quite a lot. There is a torrent that flows down through the city and comes out near the port. It is worth looking at the fringes as they contain wagtails and other good species. Any area of park should be good, all sorts of things have been seen, Barn and Long-eared owls for instance. The trees along the front are worth a look, they used to contain large numbers of Parakeets but I think they have been eliminated now. For a city, Palma is quite good so I hope you see some interesting stuff, let us know! Mike

 

[grahamknight10]

No luck at Boquer Valley today with Balearic Warblers, just a couple of Pied Flys and a Cirl Bunting for compensation. Will try again tomorrow. Then headed up to Cape Formentor but the car park was full.

Yesterday had Osprey, Booted Eagle, Eleanora's Falcon and Purple Heron without leaving the hotel!

Graham

 

[Mike Montier]

Balearic warblers don't like the wind and rarely show under these conditions. Sorry to state the obvious but calm days really are the best. Mike

 

[NAB]

Re Balearic Warblers, I expected them to be easy on reading the site guides, but no so. For Boquer Valley we walked towards the end of the track where there are a couple of old stone pillar type gate posts and here we were told to stand. After a short wait we had cracking views of a pair; this was in 2012 and a mate went back last year and had then in exactly the same spot.

 

[Joe52]

A solitary Collared Pratincole showing well from the Sa Roca hide at S'Albufera today, a first for me.

 

[Kevsmith]

Nice one Joe, your patience paid off.
Should have got out of bed earlier this morning!

 

[grahamknight10]

Balearic warblers don't like the wind and rarely show under these conditions. Sorry to state the obvious but calm days really are the best. Mike

Actually it was completely still this morning! I wonder about tomorrow... Thanks again to everyone for all the tips

Graham

 

[Mike Montier]

Oh sorry, it was rather windy here. Been to the lighthouse at Porto Petro this evening and there was a good passage of both Scopoli's and Balearic shearwaters. I had to leave before the hoped for Storm petrels came past. A few Honey buzzard still coming through. Mike

 

[Mike Cross]

Hi to anybody reading.

I would be very grateful for any advice and guidance in respect of bird-watching in Majorca. To put it into context. I have been birding for some 25 years but have never done any outside of the UK. Needless to say I am quite excited. Some of the birds I am likely to see are relatively familiar having seen varying numbers in the UK but there will be some that I have never seen and the terrain, conditions etc will obviously be different. I will be there from 1-10 June and will be based in Cala D’or in South East for 3 days and Cala de St Vincent for the last seven days. I will be travelling with my wife and daughter. Although my wife is not anti-birding it is true to say that it will be a secondary activity. However, secondary to sight seeing and walking in countrysiderather than idle sun bathing so there is some hope. We are also likely to be late-morning starters as well. I have been promised a visit to S’Albufera and the Boquer Valley (albeit later in the day than I’d choose). As a dirty-twitcher in the UK the two birds I have an unhealthy interest are those I have dipped here – Audoin’s Gull and Sardinian Warbler. Reading various trip reports it appears that the latter is as good as certain but it would be useful to know if this is the case and also how easy (or difficult) is Audoin’s Gull?
I would welcome advice on:
• How difficult is it to see Purple Gallinule at S’Alnufera?
• Are there Spotless Starlings in Majorca?
• What are the chances of seeing some of the “Non-Uk” raptors such as Eleonora’s, Booted Eagle, Black Vulture?
• Is Thekla Lark widespread? Are there any “easy sites” for this and Blue Rock Thrush?
• It would be great to find Hoopoe and Bee Eater (aesthetic birds to maintain the interest of the non-birding contingent). How likely is that (please assume some modicum of ability!!) in daily touristing?
• If anyone has any experience of the two sites we are staying at are there likely to be any good birds seen from the balcony and terrace respectively?
Many thanks in anticipation of help.