Mallorca 2023 (5 Viewers)

[mike puxley]

Having returned to the UK after a throughly enjoyable trip to the island last week, I noticed that 4 lesser flamingos had been seen near Huelva, Andalusia, Spain yesterday. They have been recorded in Italy and mainland Spain before. Confession and guilt time in that I did not check for this species when scanning through the numerous flamingoes on the Albufereta, merely ‘very quick counting of the Greaters’!
My question is have Lessers been recorded on Majorca as cannot find anything on the internet? Thanks.

 

[martynphodgson]

Spent the morning and early afternoon around the Albufereta today. So different from my first visit 25 years ago An Osprey up and down the reserve all morning and at least one Red Kite, but maybe more? Early afternoon on Llenaire Road, a Bonelli's Eagle took advantage of me leaving my camera in the car :-( as it drifted slowly over me heading towards the mountains

 

[Mike Montier]

A terrific morning out on the Central Plains this morning with David and Kevin.
Some super birds but I will leave it to David to post details later on as I believe the two of them went elsewhere afterwards.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Mike
I believe there was a record of lesser flamingo in Mallorca and I believe it was seen in my home town of Porto Petro.
I may have got the location wrong but there was definitely one record.
I’m not sure about the provenance of the bird though.
I will look it up and post again.
Mike

 

[Roger Baddley]

Seen today.
Boquer Valley. Male and female common redstart. Black vulture flying over.

Son Real. 7 Crossbills at the hide. 2 Nightingales seen on the way to the hide.
Spotted flycatcher at the finca.

Son Serra de Marina. Tawny pipit and thekla’s lark at start of path to Can Picafort (left hand side of harbour).
Excellent Gambas at Cafe Es Mollet in the harbour.

 

[KevinK]

Cuber reservoir today was a nice walk but not much to report. Black and Griffon vulture and booted eagle overhead regularly and a brief peregrine flyby made up the raptor contingent. Crossbill, tawny pipit and nightingale were the passerine highlights but no luck with firecrest or passage migrants. There are worse places to not watch birds though, and tomorrow is full of potential.

 

[Paul & Margaret]

We are new to the Forum and are coming out in 2 weeks time based in the North. I see the orange bridge at Albufera is mentioned in earlier posts. Can anyone tell me where this bridge is.
Paul

 

[delia todd]

Hi again Paul and Margaret.... just thought you might also be interested in reading some of our Opus articles. This page has the articles written by our members covering Mallorca: Category:Mallorca - BirdForum Opus

 

[Geordie Dave]

I met Kevin and Mike M at Maria de la Salut early this morning. While the locals drank beer, wine and spirits and ate Frito we had cafe con leche as we planned our day on the central plains. The sun shone and at times the temperature reached 29° as we spent 3 hours wandering the quiet lanes. Very quickly we had our target bird of lesser kestrel with a pair sat up close by in a bare tree giving a perfect ID opportunity. Throughout the morning we had quail calling, 2 short toed larks, 2 thekla larks, red legged partridge, dozens of corn buntings, 2 Bonellis eagles, a red footed falcon and several marsh harriers and red kites, a beautiful close up pale booted eagle and a slightly more distant dark morph, a peregrine falcon and a griffon vulture completed the haul. We retreated back to the cafe at the sports centre for a refreshing cana beer before Mike had to leave us. Kevin and I then headed to the Depuradora at Albufera. From the platform we saw 2 collared pratincole and 5 whiskered terns but the star bird was a common cuckoo. It was on the top wire and on the fence posts of the field opposite the ponds. In all we watched it for over an hour as it made short hops from one post to another and occasionally disappeared into a small copse before reappearing again. There were 2 woodchat shrikes nearby to keep us entertained. We stopped off along the Son Bosc road hoping for bee eaters but once again couldn’t find any. Our final visit was to Albufereta and a walk around the mound which remarkably quiet. It was now time to head to Aries Bar to take on fluids after almost 10 hours in the field. The central plains at this time of year are an absolute delight and today was truly special. As we would say at home “ a canny day aaal roond”. Thanks guys.

 

[Kendalbirder]

Walk from PP to Can Cuarassa and back via Llenaire 07.00 -09.30
Nightingales (14+ singing males) and Corn Buntings were in good voice, Whinchats numbered 4m at Cc and 7+ Together at Llenaire.
Several Stone Curlew showed excellently in the small olive grove at the end of the track where 4 Spotless Starlings were on the roof of 'Pins 16'.
Woodchats numbered 6 with a couple of Singing males, Swallows were conspicuous by there absence with just several birds.
A Sedge and a Great Reed Warbler were singing by the first screen. Single male Pied and a Spotted Flycatcher were on the back lane.
At Llenaire a Wryneck was Singing, 3 Tree pipits flew through, A Tawny Pipit showed briefly in the brown (poisoned) field.
A thekla sung very close to the road. Finally a Pallid Swift was with 50+ Swifts over the old folks home.

 

[Kendalbirder]

Dead Razorbill on Shore line PP.

 

[Alf King]

This article may be of interest: Conservation the Mallorca Way

 

[Mike Montier]

Very interesting Alf, many thanks.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Whinchat, Bee-eater, Wood warbler, Turtle dove, Tawny pipit, Black kite, Cuckoo, Pied flycatcher, Spotted flycatcher and a Great bittern have all been seen today.
Hopefully, all this action will continue for the next few days.
We are staying up north for a mini-holiday as from tomorrow so I hope to meet up with many visiting birders and locals alike.
Mike

 

[Roger Baddley]

Seen today.
Can Cuarassa. 1 female pheasant
Albufera salt pans. Sedge warbler
Depuradora. Cuckoo and collared pratincoles still present at 1615 hours.

 

[Kendalbirder]

A Scops owl was calling last night behind the Hotel Pollentia.

This morning, a repeat of yesterday's walk revealed the usual suspects with an upturn in passage with the additions of a Squacco Heron over the hotel, a Low flying Black Kite making its way through, Male Pied Fly at the bottom of the track, Female type Golden Oriole in trees by the first screen.
Between the 2 screens were a Female Whitethroat and a sporadically reeling Gropper.
21 Bee-eater went through in a single group. Male Garganey in flight along with 2 Pallid Swift.
5 Woodchats and 3 singing Wryneck inc a bird showing nicely(Llenaire) are always nice to see.
A Female Redstart was at Llenaire where 2 Osprey, Male Marsh Harrier and a Red Kite went through.

 

[Mike Montier]

That’s a very nice haul Kendalbirder.
Many great birds there. Grasshopper warbler is very hard to see in Mallorca but that’s one of their favoured spots.

 

[Mike Montier]

Our three night stay in Pollença has been solid birding so far which hasn’t gone down too well, but the best curry in Mallorca will soon put that right.
Nice to meet Steve and Carol from Liverpool at the depuradora where we enjoyed 3 Collared pratincole, a Gull-billed tern and a Cuckoo perched on the fence.
Off to Albufera where I met Barry and his son from Newcastle and they showed me a Squacco heron in their scope. I was very grateful as the heron has given me the run-around every time so far.
A Great Reed warbler was in full song and full view, rounding off a perfect morning.
Well, it would have been if the White stork hadn’t flown off before we got there. Kevin was just leaving and he had terrific views of it occupying the Osprey perch.
More birding to come but I had better ease up a bit.
Easier said than done.
Mike

 

[Kendalbirder]

Several groups of Bee-eater through PP this afternoon.

 

[Mike Montier]

Sorry about the terrible quality, I forgot to bring my downloady thing so these are back of camera taken with the abysmal iPad camera.
Mike