Mallorca 2023 (3 Viewers)

[Roger Baddley]

Seen Today
Cuber Dam
1 Sub Alpine Warbler
Chiffchaff
Crag Martin
Common Sandpiper
Several Spotted Fly Catcher

Mileta de Binifaldo
Wryneck

In and around Cuber and Lluc areas all day without seeing any birds of prey.

Called in at Mortitx on the way back. Finally….. at 1500 hours ….
1 Kestrel
1 Griffin Vulture

Over Pollenca Town
3 Booted Eagle

 

[Mike Montier]

A very pleasant evening walk along a lane leading to Parc Mondragó.
3 Woodchat shrike, 3 Stone Curlew, Turtle dove, Thekla lark, Linnet, loads of Nightingale, Greenfinch, a Balearic flycatcher and a lucky find of a Garden warbler.
I love the saying that the outstanding features of the Garden warbler is that it has no outstanding features.
It’s just so plain.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

After 12 busy days I decided that today would be a local day (for local people!). I began with a walk to the end of the Boquer Valley and back. Once again it was quiet but the woods at the approach had both pied and spotted flycatchers and a fly over of 20 bee eaters. The lack of birds gave me the chance to spend half an hour with a lovely gentleman, Chris, living in south Norfolk. He entertained me with tales of birding in mallorca more than 50 years ago, spending time with Watkinson, Hearl and the Bishops. He told me about the abundance of birds and that there were ring ouzel and black eared wheatear everywhere around the Boquer. The walk through the valley produced very little of note. I headed off to Albufereta and watched a beautiful female montagus harrier hunting over the reeds. Small, slim, banded tail, contrasting colours underneath she moved very differently and very agile in comparison to the regular marsh harriers that patrol this area. My final stop was Can Cuarassa and a walk along the track inland. There were plenty of corn buntings, fan tailed warblers and Cetti’s, 2 spotless starlings on the usual roof, an Osprey eating it’s catch but still no further sign of golden orioles in the gardens since my single female/juvenile on Monday. It was now time to head to the pub after 8 hours on another glorious sunny day.

 

[Scridifer]

After 12 busy days I decided that today would be a local day (for local people!). I began with a walk to the end of the Boquer Valley and back. Once again it was quiet but the woods at the approach had both pied and spotted flycatchers and a fly over of 20 bee eaters. The lack of birds gave me the chance to spend half an hour with a lovely gentleman, Chris, living in south Norfolk. He entertained me with tales of birding in mallorca more than 50 years ago, spending time with Watkinson, Hearl and the Bishops. He told me about the abundance of birds and that there were ring ouzel and black eared wheatear everywhere around the Boquer. The walk through the valley produced very little of note. I headed off to Albufereta and watched a beautiful female montagus harrier hunting over the reeds. Small, slim, banded tail, contrasting colours underneath she moved very differently and very agile in comparison to the regular marsh harriers that patrol this area. My final stop was Can Cuarassa and a walk along the track inland. There were plenty of corn buntings, fan tailed warblers and Cetti’s, 2 spotless starlings on the usual roof, an Osprey eating it’s catch but still no further sign of golden orioles in the gardens since my single female/juvenile on Monday. It was now time to head to the pub after 8 hours on another glorious sunny day.

A very evocative description of the Monty's Dave! I've been graced by a few on migration here recently, a joy to watch aren't they!

Chris

 

[Alf King]

A very pleasant evening walk along a lane leading to Parc Mondragó.
3 Woodchat shrike, 3 Stone Curlew, Turtle dove, Thekla lark, Linnet, loads of Nightingale, Greenfinch, a Balearic flycatcher and a lucky find of a Garden warbler.
I love the saying that the outstanding features of the Garden warbler is that it has no outstanding features.
It’s just so plain.
Mike

Hence the scientific name!

 

[Mike Montier]

Never heard that before Alf.
Borin it certainly is.

Reports of an Ortolan bunting seen, I think, by Pep.
Perhaps he could confirm and hopefully post a photo or two.
Mike

 

[Roger Baddley]

Seen today.
Firecrest at Cala Vicenc.
Northern Wheatear at Albufereta (in mown hay two fields from main tower platform).

 

[Owene]

Guys are there many dragonflies or butterflies on the wing right now in the north of the island?

 

[Josep Manchado]

After 2 weeks out of the island birding in Extremadura and Andalucia, today I went out again to birding in the north and suddenly the good luck (which is not very friendly to me) has allied with me for once.

I have barely entered the road to Gotmar and in the middle of the path there seemed to be 3 greenfinches, but one moved something different the others and when I looked at them with binoculars, I almost fainted!!!

One of my totem birds, a Ortolan bunting was the bird with the greenfinches and when I recovered from the surprise and started taking pictures, I did not have a memory card in the camera, which almost despaired me, thinking that the Ortolan would leave.

Finally he has gone to one of the fig trees next to the road and there I have been able to take better photos, with better sun light.

 

[Owene]

Great photo. I have seen one. But photos like that make me feel I haven’t. 😀

 

[Mike Montier]

Brilliant find Pep, great photos too.
Many congratulations.
A great welcome home present for you from Mallorca.
I also believe a Roller has been seen so I hope some photos get posted of that stunning bird too.
Also, a male Red-footed falcon found by Max at Albufereta.
All three are top birds to see here in Mallorca.
Well done to all concerned.
A walk down the Can Cuirassa track should be worthwhile as it’s a favourite place for both Roller and Red-foots.
My wife suggested a picnic tomorrow at Vilafranca or Maria.
I couldn’t turn that down!
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Owene
I have seen a few dragonflies and butterflies so you should be kept quite busy.
Vagrant emperors have been seen, Monarch butterflies keep popping up all over the place, and many of the more common species are on the wing too.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Ps. I am on a WhatsApp group for odonata so I will post any news on here.
I never use photographs without permission though but I can give details.
Mike

 

[Owene]

Thank you. Vagrant emperor would be a lifer for me so I’ll have a look at the features before I come out

 

[Houdiny]

Thank you. Vagrant emperor would be a lifer for me so I’ll have a look at the features before I come out

I think Maristany (the area behind that Lidl in Port d’Alcudia) is a good place to find Vagrant emperor. I’ve seen at least four imagos there, together with I believe Anax imperator and many Red-veined darters.
Gotmar’s Roller was a fantastic bird to see (along with a Wood Warbler which I believe I haven’t seen in Mallorca so far). Some Whitethroats were present as well together with a very cooperative male Pied Flycatcher.
A moth - I believe Hyles livornica - was showing in bright daylight.
Fantastic day - let’s see what tomorrow brings in. I still need Red footed falcon and Honeybuzzard.

Cheers
Martin

 

[Geordie Dave]

Having been alerted to the sighting of an ortolan bunting Pep very kindly gave me directions to its precise location in Gotmar. As I arrived a small bird flew from one of the fig trees where he had taken photographs earlier. I’ll never know what that was but I spent an hour scanning the rest of the trees without finding it. A single alpine swift over the fields and a garden warbler were slight compensation. I returned in the afternoon for a second look, only to meet the triumvirate of Pep, Martin Schultz and Graham Moffat. The Roller appeared, disappeared and then reappeared for at least half an hour, sitting up on the top of a tree and giving distant but excellent scope views; not quite so good in my bridge camera. In the meantime we were entertained by tree pipits, male pied flycatcher, female common redstart, spotted flycatcher and wood warbler. I shall return tomorrow to investigate further.

 

[Scridifer]

Thank you. Vagrant emperor would be a lifer for me so I’ll have a look at the features before I come out

Eye colour the main thing to concentrate on to distinguish from Lesser Emperor, also the extent of the blue saddle if seen well. Good luck! Had a couple here in BG recently, a lifer for me too!

Chris

 

[Owene]

Thanks Chris. I'm not out for long so I wont be able to fit everything in but at least I'll try to have the distinguishing features straight in my head

 

[JohnMankelow]

Ps. I am on a WhatsApp group for odonata so I will post any news on here.
I never use photographs without permission though but I can give details.
Mike

Hi Mike
You may ( or may not ) remember us from last October when we whiled away a few hours at the lighthouse counting Monarchs as they headed in from the south.
Anyway we have decided to come back for a spring visit and arrive up north next Wednesday.
It looks like there is plenty of action to keep us busy. We have 5 days near pollensa, then 3 nights near Monaco’s and finally back down south to the salt pans.
I hope we catch up again.
P.s did you ever get to take your beloved to C,an March in Monacor?
You were hoping to get a few birding brownie points with that!
All the best
John and Christine…from Surrey.

 

[H Johnsson]

At Bassa de Can Guidet an adult female Ruddy shelduck together with a Shelduck
If it is a park run away I do not know