Mallorca 2022 (1 Viewer)

[ggshrike]

Went to Mortix on two occasions whilst on Mallorca, the first time on my own and the second with Pere on both occasions got lucky and saw two Bonelli Eagles amongst other birds! Managed photos on both occasions and Ill add some here of the male and female from the second trip and the female ring number looks to be number 028. The tracker on the birds back looks different on the photos of the different day - I'll also add that one too which isn't as clear!

 

[ggshrike]

Sorry this was the one where the tracker on its back looks different to the second to last one on the last post.

 

[Pauly65]

Hi all. First trip back for over 4 years & my first post - mainly due to Mcnswiss2 who we bumped into at Son Real on Wednesday. This week's highlights for me
Castell de Santeuri
1 Alpine Swift & several Crag Martin
Bocquer
Booted Eagle, 3 Elenoras, 3 Black Vulture, Balearic Warbler, Redstart & Blue Rock Thrush
S'albufera - 2 visits
Flamingo, Swamphen, Marbled Duck and best of all today a Caspian Tern from El Cibollar 1.
A couple of questions. On our way back to the south, near to Petra, saw what i thought was a "grey" Shrike sat on some overhead wires - are there any around? & 2nd are there Black Kites around as my wife swore she saw one?

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Hi Pauly, you beat me to it..we must have missed each other at El Cibollar..I hope the ants never attacked you In the hide.Nasty creatures.
Starting at the beginning, Phil A and myself started at S’Amador. The mute
swan was still there. Quite quiet, with Stonechats, Marsh harriers, Cetti Warblers, Kestrels and Woodchat Shrike but nothing special until 2 Black Vultures suddenly appeared on the horizon.
A few Barn Swallows were flying above the water and one young red rumped swallow was noted.
We bumped into Tony(Cath) who was doing the circuit.
We headed to the Depuradora. Son Bosc was alive with hirondelles, House Martins, Barn Swallows, and SandMartins. However the Depuradora was very quiet. Green and Common Sandpipers were the highlights.
We headed for the hides at S’Albufera, Great birds including Snipe, Marble Teals, Avocets, Glossy Ibis, Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, were seen, when suddenly the Caspian Tern made its appearance.
Some 60 Bird species seen on a very enjoyable day.
Thanks Phil.

 

[honeym]

Just out of interest on the butterfly front, 20 Monarchs were found at Mortitx today and others all around the Island including Porto Colom I believe.
A bit of head-scratching to ponder where they have originated from.
Apparently they are polyvoltine (many generations in the year, thanks John via Stew) so they may well be established here although that aspect is out of my depth.
Others may hopefully contribute but in any event, it’s a wonderful and colourful addition to the wildlife of Mallorca.
Mike

Hi Mike
I think the Mortitx records were of larvae [Maties], not adults [but I'm happy to be corrected]. Other records I'm aware of have since turned out to be Plain Tigers, not Monarchs. I also still believe that the Monarchs will prove to have been released adults at weddings - or their progeny.
Martin

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Pauly, there is the Iberian Grey shrike in that area ( pla de Lanzell near Vilafranca, seen last Sunday by a group of us..see above for the report)
Did you manage any photos?

 

[Mike Montier]

Everyone seems to have had better days than Toni S. and myself today.
We saw zero migrants at the Cap, having been adorned with a few Honey buzzards yesterday.
Just a few Barn swallows but nothing else.
Two local Bonelli’s eagles put in an appearance along with a Peregrine.
It was great chatting away with Toni, birders are never short of a story or two.
He even said my Spanish had improved a lot since our last meeting. Made me very happy.
I’m back at the Cap tomorrow for some more suffering.
Congrats Mike on seeing the Caspian tern, what a stonker. .
Mike

 

[Matthebirder]

A walk up to the gates in Tenelles valley produced a Wryneck this morning. Many Booted Eagles and a couple of distant Black Vultures.
Of more interest were the two Orange-winged Dropwings, Trithemis kirbyi.
Presumably the same two from a couple of weeks ago. They were at the first water tank on the right by the roadside with Violet Dropwings and Broad Scarlets. One has a large part of the forewing missing.
A couple of screenshots here:

 

[Mike Montier]

That’s a lovely thing matthebirder.
Also, great captures of the Bonelli’s ggshrike. What superb looking raptors they are.
Just off to the Cap now. Hopefully, I will be reporting something later.
Mike

 

[StewB]

Hi Mike
I think the Mortitx records were of larvae [Maties], not adults [but I'm happy to be corrected]. Other records I'm aware of have since turned out to be Plain Tigers, not Monarchs. I also still believe that the Monarchs will prove to have been released adults at weddings - or their progeny.
Martin

Hi Martin,
Do you think that the Mortitx Monarchs (sounds like an American football team) could become established?

They seem so widespread that vagrancy seems incredibly unlikely, but regardless of origin, if there are now caterpillars will they be able to complete further life-cycle stages?

After the surprise of realising that at least one of the three insects I saw in Mortitx on 8/9 was a Monarch, I looked carefully at further sightings. I saw a Monarch at the roadside tank on the Ternelles approaches on 11/9, and I photographed another in the Bocquer Valley on 13/9. I didn’t see any plain tigers before we left for home on 16/9.

Stew

 

[eagle33]

Looking over the s'albufera reserve from lagotel, the caspian tern is still around. 110 flamingos and 4 Marble duck/teal, 8 Glossy ibis, 12 Avocet the highlight so far.

 

[Mike Montier]

The Cap was a washout. After torrential rain, it was sunny and hot.
I was joined by Miguel but we saw no migrating raptors at all.
A Blue rock thrush appeared and two Tree pipits went out to sea.
When the Cap is quiet, it’s deathly. Except of course for the hoards of day trippers heading for the nearby beaches.
I have to take goodness knows how many photos of groups of cyclists, paddle boarders and sunbathers. Pretty much all of them ask me what I’m doing. When I tell them, I get a variety of quizzical looks.
They just don’t understand.
Mike

 

[TonyCath]

Yesterday I started at the S'Albufera very early on my own by 08.00 I had ticked off Little Bittern twice in two different locations, totally delighted to say the least.
I then set off to do the full circuit. For a change I got a Moustached Warbler perched on a reed stem for about three seconds at the S'Ullastrar Deck. Further along the track I had a Water Rail cross me and then at least a dozen Hoopoe fly across.
At the S'Amarador Deck I could see two figures at the top, it was non other than Mike Swiss and Phil A from the forum, it was great to put faces to names and we even shared a young Red- rumped Swallow, after several minutes chatting I departed on my journey ahead. At least five Whinchat were ticked off but I missed the Black Vultures.
After stopping at the Sa Punta des Vents Deck, I scanned over canal and picked up yet another Little Bittern, amazing and one of my favourite birds....a Hat trick of Little Bittern.
Heading to the main entrance I again come across Mike and Phil, a truly great day.

This morning we returned to S'Albufera as Cath needed to get in on the Little Bittern act, by 08.45 she had a Life tick as a bird posed beautifully for us.
A visit to Es Cibollar 1 produced the Caspian Tern until two Marsh Harriers came over low and it departed. At Es Cibollar 2 we found two Ruff.
Another great day and our last at the reserve for this trip. Our trip count stands at 80.
Regards
C&T

 

[eagle33]

Looking over the s'albufera reserve from lagotel, the caspian tern is still around. 110 flamingos and 4 Marble duck/teal, 8 Glossy ibis, 12 Avocet the highlight so far.

Pochard the highlight this am

 

[TonyCath]

Our first visit this morning to Maristany, not too sure if we missed some paths further round but basically we were at the back of Lidl.
Not a lot of water there but some Mallard, Moorhenaking the best of what was there.
One Water Rail scurried into the reeds a couple of Eleonora's overhead plus at least 10 Little Ringed Plovers. No sign of the Coscoroba.
This brings our visit to and end with 82 species ticked including a lifer for Cath. Flying back tomorrow morning.
Thank you for reading.
C&T

 

[Mike Montier]

A great day out with the lads, Kevin, Geordie David and Mike Swiss.
We were supposed to meet at the depuradora but the rain was very heavy.
I met Mike at s’Albufera whilst Kevin braved the elements at the dep.
At Sa Roca hide, it wasn’t long before the Caspian tern paid us a visit but it was just a fly-past.
Wood sandpiper, Black-tailed godwit, Spotted redshanks and high numbers of Marbled duck are prevalent in my mind but no doubt Mike Swiss will have a much better recall than me.
It was nice to meet many other visiting British birders and to have a chat.
The rain held off too.
Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Thanks Mike et al.
Some 50 Species seen today and for me the highlights included the wonderful views of the Eleonoras Falcon so close to the hide, the Caspian Tern flypast and the abundance of Marble Ducks
Like TonyCath, my last birding day. Some 85 species seen during my brief time here. I enjoyed meeting so many birders here, and their willingness to share their sightings. Have enjoyed the other wildlife and scenary the island offers, including the Monach Butterfly debate and the beautiful Dropwing Dragonflies.
A few of my memories.See you soon

 

[Mike Montier]

Philip Garnett found a grey shrike species (meridionalis) in Calviá, on wires, so obviously a different bird from the Vilafranca one.
Maybe, as many as three have been seen.
Mike

 

[southernsteve]

Finally flying out tomorrow, should be in Palma mid afternoon in time to have a look around Es Carnatge before picking up the car and an evening at Cap Blanc for some astrophotography, weather permitting, or into Palma for some night shots around the city. Tuesday I'll be heading down to the SE of the island looking at Cap Blanc, Salobrer, Cape de Ses Salines and maybe Mondrago. Then up to Alaro where I'll be based the rest of the week and concentrating on the north of the island, doing the mountains Friday before heading home Friday night. Hopefully I'll get to bump into some of you during the week, would be great to put some faces to names.

 

[Josep Manchado]

One Water Rail scurried into the reeds a couple of Eleonora's overhead plus at least 10 Little Ringed Plovers. No sign of the Coscoroba.
C&T

Yesterday, Coscoroba was in the lagoons of s'Albufereta, seen from the high tower.