Mallorca 2023 (2 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

Todays official figures:
2 Hobby
3 Kestrel
9 Honey buzzard
7 Marsh harrier
1 Montagu’s harrier
130 Bee-eaters
Hundreds of Swallow
2 local Bonelli’s
Mike

 

[Ian Pollença]

Todays official figures:
2 Hobby
3 Kestrel
9 Honey buzzard
7 Marsh harrier
1 Montagu’s harrier
130 Bee-eaters
Hundreds of Swallow
2 local Bonelli’s
Mike

Fantastic Mike. But can you not 'pause' the migration until I get to Mallorca on 30 Sept? 😀 I feel like I'm missing out.

 

[Mike Montier]

I’m sure there will be lots more migration well into October Ian.
They will wait for you.
Mike

 

[Joakim]

Todays official figures:
2 Hobby
3 Kestrel
9 Honey buzzard
7 Marsh harrier
1 Montagu’s harrier
130 Bee-eaters
Hundreds of Swallow
2 local Bonelli’s
Mike

Wow, raises the hope for our arrival on friday!
Are most migrating birds led to the cap or can i hope for passing bee eaters elsewhere?

Great migration here in southern Gotland today as well with pallid Harrier, hen harrier, greater spotted eagle, merlin (along the usual golden eagles and White tailed eagles that are abundant here all year)

 

[Alf King]

Our first day here on Saturday and we had a very unproductive wander up Boquer Valley, which we know well. Following Pep's advice we scoured the area where Balearic Warblers are alleged to be most numerous, but without success. There were plenty of Sardinian's calling and some showing but unfortunately we could find no others. A couple of Stonechats added interest however.

Surprisingly, and having spent a lot of time searching, we saw not a single raptor or vulture, which must be a first for us in this area. Similarly we failed to see any BR Thrush either.

Whether this is due to poor timing or increasingly incompetent birding, we may never know.

A planned trip to Pollensa and the Ternelles track on Sunday was made impossible due to mild illness. I don't really like this old age malarkey! Maybe we will bump into other more successful members of this group in the upcoming days.

 

[StewB]

After the remnants of last night’s storm moved off I set out for the Fishermen’s Walk at Cala St Vicenc. As I got out of the car a Crossbill was singing in the tree that I had parked next to! I could hear others singing from the wood and at least four birds flew over to join them. An auspicious start I thought! However after that for the next hour or so things were extremely quiet, with a couple of Red Kites over the slopes and a trickle of Swallows being the best of it.

Things perked up considerably after I passed the quarry, with a fly-past of three Blue Rock Thrushes - all of which landed out of view. An Eleanora’s Falcon (my first of this trip) flew across from the Bocquer and was then joined by a second bird.

I have always thought that this walk is the best way to see Balearic Warbler on the Island, but my faith was being tested severely until I heard one calling near the path at the top. Eventually the bird revealed itself well enough for a couple of photos before burying itself back in the scrub. I turned back when I reached the final switchback, and saw a Blue Rock Thrush perched on the rocks below and a juvenile Eleanora’s perched on rocks nearby. The rest of the walk back was uneventful.

I parked in Cala St Vicenc and ate my packed lunch overlooking the bay. I followed up a small butterfly on the vegetation along the storm drain. It turned out to be a Geranium Bronze - an insect that I’ve not seen before.

Stew

 

[Paul & Margaret]

We arrive in Puerto Pollenca on Thursday for two weeks and would like to visit the Cuber Reservoir. My question is how far is the 231 bus stop from the the best place for birding. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike Montier]

A Booted warbler was found yesterday by Jason on the Island of Cabrera.
I believe it’s a first for Mallorca but I will check.
What a find!
Just one Hobby, 4 Swift species and 3 Eleonora’s falcons reported by Toni P. at the Cap this morning.
I couldn’t make it as I was helping a neighbour but I will be there for a while Wednesday and all morning on Thursday.
Good luck to all visiting birders, there are some cracking birds out there just waiting to be found.
Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

We arrive in Puerto Pollenca on Thursday for two weeks and would like to visit the Cuber Reservoir. My question is how far is the 231 bus stop from the the best place for birding. Thanks in advance.

It is just 10 m away, you start to walk just there, and 800 m to arrive the dam

 

[Scridifer]

After the remnants of last night’s storm moved off I set out for the Fishermen’s Walk at Cala St Vicenc. As I got out of the car a Crossbill was singing in the tree that I had parked next to! I could hear others singing from the wood and at least four birds flew over to join them. An auspicious start I thought! However after that for the next hour or so things were extremely quiet, with a couple of Red Kites over the slopes and a trickle of Swallows being the best of it.

Things perked up considerably after I passed the quarry, with a fly-past of three Blue Rock Thrushes - all of which landed out of view. An Eleanora’s Falcon (my first of this trip) flew across from the Bocquer and was then joined by a second bird.

I have always thought that this walk is the best way to see Balearic Warbler on the Island, but my faith was being tested severely until I heard one calling near the path at the top. Eventually the bird revealed itself well enough for a couple of photos before burying itself back in the scrub. I turned back when I reached the final switchback, and saw a Blue Rock Thrush perched on the rocks below and a juvenile Eleanora’s perched on rocks nearby. The rest of the walk back was uneventful.

I parked in Cala St Vicenc and ate my packed lunch overlooking the bay. I followed up a small butterfly on the vegetation along the storm drain. It turned out to be a Geranium Bronze - an insect that I’ve not seen before.

Stew

I also had a Geranium Bronze at your 'double' water storage tanks in the Ternelles Stew. Only my second after one in the garden of our villa on Menorca.

Chris

 

[Scridifer]

In the Vall de Boquer and also towards the end of the Ternelles approach we had a few sightings of a ginger-brown goat. Are these wild?

Chris

 

[Alf King]

A pleasurable reintroduction to the delights of S'Albufereta today, probably my favourite site in Mallorca, although difficult to say why. We were welcomed back by so many friendly mosquitoes, anxious to make their own personal introductions and so pleased that, after the rains, we chose shorts and tee shirts for the visit.

Around 80 Greater Flamingos were scattered about with the odd Avocet, Little Egret, the obligatory Osprey and one Squacco. Lots of Coot, calling Water Rail etc. In fact nothing out of the ordinary, just a lovely place, when I managed a Mallorca tick for me in the form of a Black Kite drifting over toward Alcudia - unmistakable. Not many passerines in evidence, although surely plenty around - 3 bright yellow Willow Warblers, the usual Cetti's and a Reed Bunting were notable.

A couple of Red Kites turned up later and a first Zitting Cisticola of the trip added to the entertainment. I do love this site, which is immeasurably better than it was 30 years ago. A testament to a lot of hard work by so many people.

 

[southernsteve]

First day out and a late start waiting for the rain to clear through Palma. As the forecast didn't look great, I decided to take my wife with me and head south east to the salt pans. I was disappointed to find all the parking spaces roped off now but did manage to park up on the side of the road behind another birder. Didn't see anything out of the ordinary, a few Little Stint, Kentish Plover and a Curlew Sand. There were a couple of Med Flys up on a fence and some Ravens overflow. Down the track from the spa there were loads of Zitting Cisticola, along with the other usual flocks if Linnet and Goldfinch etc. Next down to the Cap which was very quiet bar some Swallows passing through. On the way back up the road two Eleanor's Falcons were hunting over head. We had some lunch in Ses Selines then decided to go for broke and look for the Shrike at Villafranca, even though I didn't have an exact location for it. Needless to say I didn't see it, but did come across 2 Wheatear, a Booted Eagle a few Kestrel, Red Kite and Raven. Next I dropped my wife back at the hotel in Can Pastilla, and on the way there was two flocks of at least 30 each of Cattle Egret following tractors near the end of the airport runway. I then headed back down to Cap Blanc. Straight away I was into Med Fly and Thekla's Lark, and had a precision areal display by 3 Raven. Then, on the cliffs I got my prize for be so patient, a beautiful Blue Rock Thrush. After managing a few photos it finally flew off. Finally a Peregrine came up and hunted for a few minutes.

 

[southernsteve]

Downloaded from the camera and cropped only, Blue Rock Thrush today at Cap Blanc

 

[StewB]

After dropping Mrs B in Alcudia for the Tuesday market this morning, I made my way along to Son Real.

Around the reserve were many of the usual species, including Red-legged Partridge, Chaffinches, Serins, Firecrests and still a few Nightingales. At the hide I saw a Turtle Dove, a small flock (c10) of Corn Buntings and a few Crossbills (only one Crossbill was confident enough to come down to drink).

Approaching the slope to the sea on trail 4 I could hear a couple of Balearic Warblers calling in the dense scrub. With a bit of effort I managed to get glimpses of one of them. Along the fence at the beach there were three Thekla Larks, and on the offshore rocks I counted 16 Audouin’s Gulls and 20 Shags. On the walk back to the car park I had a juvenile Woodchat Shrike and heard a Wryneck.

I called at the Albufereta on my way back to Puerto Pollenca. Alf’s comments about the mosquitoes there are only too true - I was attacked mercilessly! From the Sa Barcassa screen on Carrer Savador Dali it was clear that recent rain has raised the water level considerably, and as a result there were no waders on view. I counted 13 Flamingoes and 71 Cattle Egrets. From the tower there were another 36 Flamingoes, a few Sand Martins and a Black-headed Gull.

I stopped off at the platform behind the Club del Sol, and was amazed to see a Caspian Tern hunting over the western end of the Albufereta pools. It really put the seal on an enjoyable day! The photos aren’t great but hopefully they are good enough to get the bird accepted!

Stew

 

[southernsteve]

Day 2, and I knew it would happen, wasted half the morning relaxing at the hotel, well I guess it needs to be done. With the forecast looking dodgy, again, I decided to take my wife up to Lluc. She wandered round the monastery while I ended up getting lost following a path up into the mountains. Nothing much to report, just 2 Black Vultures, a Red Kite and a couple of Med Fly's.
Back at Can Pastilla there were 10+ Shag and a couple of Audouin's Gull out on the island and in the bay a Turnstone, and a Whimbrel, which was a bit of a turn up as I haven't seen one here before.

 

[Alf King]

We enjoyed a really great morning of good "old-fashioned" birding at S'Albufera today. Lots of the regular stuff on display; the very obliging Pacific Golden Plover; hordes of Spotshanks; and plenty of friendly, sharing, level-headed birders to enjoy the morning alongside.

I try to remain modest and sensible but birders the world over really are the nicest folk that you can meet. Some great craic, admissions of uncertainty/limited knowledge, real pleasure in sharing the birds and a communal delight in whatever is on show.

Mind you, it definitely wasn't a Temminck's.

🙄

 

[Mike Montier]

I agree with your sentiments entirely Alf.
I’ve met so many great people over the years, willing to share experiences and information.
Sometimes birding can get too serious and even competitive. I’m sometimes guilty myself.
Birding itself is so fulfilling and exciting, but when you meet great people along the way, it’s such an added bonus.
Uncertainty is all part of our hobby. There have been a few contentious species recently and I have learnt a lot as a result. We are all still learning.
Big storms this morning which may liven things up.
Already we have seen a Caspian tern at s’Albufera (no doubt Stew’s bird.) a spoonbill there and the first Song thrush (Pere)
Let’s see what else turns up.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A Pectoral sandpiper, Spoonbill and Marsh sandpiper all reported from Sa Roca by Maties today.
Things are getting interesting with Jason finding a feldegg yellow wagtail and a Little bunting on the Island of Cabrera.
I will be at Cap de Ses Salines early tomorrow morning, hoping to see some stopovers leaving Mallorca.
Mike

 

[southernsteve]

All good plans i make end up getting scuppered at some point, and staying up on the hotel balcony until 4am storm watching last night pretty much wrote today off. Can't complain though, got some cracking images to work with when I get home including the attached one. On the bird front today in Can Pastilla not a great deal to report. No sign of yesterday's Whimbrel but the Turnstone population has increased to at least 14. There was a passage of Swallow and House Martin through this morning and a Med Fly was doing its thing just outside the hotel. Imight pop to Es Cartnage later, assuming I don't fall asleep by the pool.