Mallorca 2022 (3 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

That is the question Craig.
I will keep you posted.
I’ve seen some coming in-off so I presume they must be arriving from the direction of Africa. I have looked but can only find reference to a population in the Canary Islands.
Mike

 

[eagle33]

That is the question Craig.
I will keep you posted.
I’ve seen some coming in-off so I presume they must be arriving from the direction of Africa. I have looked but can only find reference to a population in the Canary Islands.
Mike

I'm sure I've seen monarchs In spain. Just can't remember where

 

[Scridifer]

Just for interest, Phil Akers sent me this photo of a snake seen by a friend of his, in a garden in Son Servera, Mallorca.
Apparently, it is caenoplana coerulea, originally from Australia, but now establishing populations around the globe.
This may be the first record for Mallorca but I’m out of my depth again.
The record was described as “interesting” so I thought I would pass it on, with due credit to Phil Akers.
Mike

It's actually a Planarian, or flatworm Mike. Very interesting nonetheless!

Chris

 

[honeym]

It's actually a Planarian, or flatworm Mike. Very interesting nonetheless!

Chris

The first published record of this species for the Balearic Islands was from Menorca in 2012, based on two specimens found in April 2009.

 

[honeym]

I'm sure I've seen monarchs In spain. Just can't remember where

I'm doing a bit of research on this , especially as [I believe] the specimens on our side of the pond [various locations] are supposed to be non-migratory.
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

My wife was a bit surprised when I didn’t go to the Cap this morning.
I said I would like to take her to lunch at the top of Randa. Their pa amb olí is exceptional.
She was certainly pleased. The views are spectacular and there is a wonderful atmosphere at the top, with hundreds of cyclists excitedly talking about whatever they talk about.
What Jane didn’t realise is that this was but a cover for my cunning plan.
I reckoned there was an outside chance of an early Ring ouzel. A very slim one, but worth a go. As lunch was taking quite a long time, I said I would go for a little wander across to the mini football pitch. There to greet me was a young Ring ouzel. I was delighted and Jane didn’t even rumble my deviousness.
She’s a diamond and I’m a very lucky man.
We just had a very good laugh about it as I just had to confess.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

I’m so glad I didn’t go to the Cap, poor Javi got eaten alive by ravenous mosquitos, they really are impossible.
All he had to show from literally shedding blood, was 4 swallows and one miserable looking kestrel.
It has just got to liven up soon, I’ve only seen one Honey buzzard all autumn. I haven’t even seen a single Black kite which is highly unusual.
No other news but every piece of ground I visited near Cala Egos, Santanyi, this morning, contained at least one Monarch butterfly. They are everywhere here in the south-east.
Mike

 

[derban]

I’m so glad I didn’t go to the Cap, poor Javi got eaten alive by ravenous mosquitos, they really are impossible.
All he had to show from literally shedding blood, was 4 swallows and one miserable looking kestrel.
It has just got to liven up soon, I’ve only seen one Honey buzzard all autumn. I haven’t even seen a single Black kite which is highly unusual.
No other news but every piece of ground I visited near Cala Egos, Santanyi, this morning, contained at least one Monarch butterfly. They are everywhere here in the south-east.
Mike

Great plan Mike, and the pamb olí really is good there!

 

[Mike Montier]

Just one Common kestrel at the Cap today. It has been really hopeless so far and I can’t see it improving just yet with this very hot, settled weather.
Even a massive storm failed to stir things up.
All the regulars are saying it’s the worst autumn on record.
It certainly is. If it’s going to perk up, it had better happen soon, otherwise the show will be over.
Mike

 

[Calamity Jane]

I am relieved to read the latest birding reports, as I’ve been staying in PortBlue Pollentia since Thursday 12th and it has been somewhat tough going. I do have a couple of birds that I need help with ID but sadly I forgot my transfer cable.

 

[eagle33]

I am relieved to read the latest birding reports, as I’ve been staying in PortBlue Pollentia since Thursday 12th and it has been somewhat tough going. I do have a couple of birds that I need help with ID but sadly I forgot my transfer cable.

Take a picture on your phone from the back of your camera and we will give an I'd a go

 

[BA Birder3]

Sat on the balcony for an hour watching 2 mallards and a little egret late afternoon 🤔 Then rewarded with the starling murmeration. Fabulous to watch, even if a little distant. 2 or 3 raptors out hunting them. Again, too distant to be certain about them all but at least one was a marsh harrier. Tom.

 

[Joakim]

We've been here for 3 days with our kids so far, especially the 11 year old is all about birds. Very happy so far with our visits to s'albufera, mostly the common stuff i guess but new to our kids. The hides suited them perfect and we've seen the sponbill, ibises, night herons, stilts, flamingos and hoepoe (and much more) very nicely. Less raptors but a few Marsh harriers and kestrels.
Today we had a boat trip around cap formentor. Had a few good but distant sights of eleonoras of different morphs, and one peregrine.
Tomorrow we will have a calmer day but might squeeze in Maristany and maybe a short visit to S'albufereta. Thursday we'll try boquer valley. Friday maybe Son Real or Deparodura, but seems a bit difficult without car.

 

[Houdiny]

I met with Mike at the lighthouse of Portopetro this afternoon. For about 40 minutes, there was not a single bird above the ocean. We started discussing the possible reasons for this total absence when slowly the first Scopoli’s shearwaters came crossing by, quite far out in the distance. I believe we had about 6 within 20 minutes, when suddenly a bird came fluttering into the view of my scope. Surely a Balearic shearwater. Or was it? The bird seemed to be far away when I suddenly realized it was a lot smaller and not that far away than I had thought during the first second or so. There! A flash of a white rump and the fluttering wing beat gave it away: a Storm petrel!
Mike was able to find it as well for a split second before it totally disappeared between the waves.
Some more Scopoli‘s were coming through now and we were able to count a grand total of at least five (!) Storm petrels! What a fantastic day! You never know what will suddenly turn up - even when the conditions are seemingly not quite optimal to start with.

Cheers
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

It was a fantastic evening Martin and all credit to you for finding all of the Storm petrels!
I got a glimpse of two of them.
I’ve reported 4 but in all the excitement, I forgot one or two more.
I have always said that the last half hour before dark is premiership time, and so it proved tonight.
I even did a very rare (for me!) High Five.
Interesting that the excellent book “Birds of Mallorca” (Rebassa, Manchado, Torrens y Oriola) states that Storm Petrels occur in our waters “between March and September, and at its breeding colonies, which in Mallorca are found exclusively on Cabrera and the islets of Dragonera and es Pantaleu. While it is suspected that there may be Storm petrels all year round around Mallorca, that suspicion has never been confirmed”
Maybe we added a little bit of knowledge.
I will be watching the sea at this late time every evening from now on.
I know that Geordie David had a proabable sighting from the Cap well out of these times, so it will be interesting to see if I can find one in the coming winter months.
Thank you again Houdiny, you really are a magician!
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

It was a fantastic evening Martin and all credit to you for finding all of the Storm petrels!
I got a glimpse of two of them.
I’ve reported 4 but in all the excitement, I forgot one or two more.
I have always said that the last half hour before dark is premiership time, and so it proved tonight.
I even did a very rare (for me!) High Five.
Interesting that the excellent book “Birds of Mallorca” (Rebassa, Manchado, Torrens y Oriola) states that Storm Petrels occur in our waters “between March and September, and at its breeding colonies, which in Mallorca are found exclusively on Cabrera and the islets of Dragonera and es Pantaleu. While it is suspected that there may be Storm petrels all year round around Mallorca, that suspicion has never been confirmed”
Maybe we added a little bit of knowledge.
I will be watching the sea at this late time every evening from now on.
I know that Geordie David had a proabable sighting from the Cap well out of these times, so it will be interesting to see if I can find one in the coming winter months.
Thank you again Houdiny, you really are a magician!
Mike

Mike, we’ll done with petrels. I’ve had to content myself with grey phalarope on Northumberland coast!!
I’ve checked my notes from our visits to the Cap. The single storm petrel was on 19 September 2020 when you were with me.
Hope to see you next week.
David

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks David
I thought it was later than that but it was a great sighting nevertheless.

I’m still reading up as much as I can about the Monarch butterflies.
No day goes by without seeing them and many people have written to me with their sightings throughout the Island.
I am not much further forward but I believe there have been many sightings in mainland Spain as well.
One fly in the ointment seems to be my sighting of Monarchs coming in from the sea, they most definitely did, but where from is still open to debate.
Nearly all come through from the west though, and then progress up the east coast.
If there has been an influx, where are they coming in to Mallorca?
All these questions and no answers.
I hope that someone more qualified than me is able to answer.
Mike

 

[dantheman]

If there has been an influx, where are they coming in to Mallorca?
All these questions and no answers.
I hope that someone more qualified than me is able to answer.
Mike

I bet if you posted the question in the butterfly and moth section on here you may get some answers, or opinions. Maybe.




One was reported in Cornwall on the 13th October - but again - did it come from the USA or the Canaries (or elsewhere?)

 

[Calamity Jane]

Take a picture on your phone from the back of your camera and we will give an I'd a go

Will do, thank you.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I hope it is ok to post these here and not in the ID threads, if not please delete. iPad capture from back of camera so poor photos, sorry.
These we’re taken over S’Albufereta in the last couple of days. I think the first is a young greenfinch but the raptor has me stumped. Any help would be appreciated thank you.