Mallorca 2024 (5 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

After our normal Sunday routine of visiting friends in hospital, we joined the queue at Es Cruce in the blazing sun. After nearly 2 hours of shuffling along, we finally made it into the restaurant.
As it’s so near Vilafranca, we paid a visit there afterwards, feeling somewhat stuffed.
Almost every kestrel appeared to be Lesser kestrel, about 8 in all, and one slim harrier flew through in the distance. There was a Common kestrel too.
As before there were many Corn buntings, Short-toed larks and Spanish wagtails.
It’s a lovely area with a big sky full of birds including hundreds of Common swift.
Salobrar tomorrow so I’m already excited about that.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Few days out are better than today.
It was just one of those days where everything fitted into place and there were smiles all round.
I met with Phil early at the salt pans of Salobrar de Campos.
We saw some good birds including the Lesser flamingo which is still performing well.
Then Geordie David, his brother Mick and Sally and Roger arrived.
The flamingo had gone missing but we still saw some super birds including Temminck’s stint, both Gull-billed and Whiskered terns, a Sanderling and big numbers of Marsh harrier.
It was just delightful to share stories of our travels abroad and the experiences that we have all enjoyed.
Birding brings people together like nothing else I have ever known and the mutuality is heartening.
So thank you everybody for today. I left feeling very happy indeed.
Happy to have shared yet more experiences which I will treasure.
The Lesser flamingo even turned up just to round the day off nicely.
Mike

 

[TonyCath]

Boquer between 06.40 and 07.41 was tranquil sat at the boulders picturing Clint Eastwood shooting the baddies in a spaghetti western. Only Kestrels and Crag Marin on show until a Peregrine came through chasing a Feral pigeon it missed its breakfast, which is not what I was prepared to do, so I headed back after several trippers started to turn up. Had a cracking breakfast by the way.

Late morning and we are at Formentor, where Caths dad had seen Crossbill 40 years ago in the woods. Within 2 minutes we had a flock showing well at least 3 males and 5 females and probably more.

Ta ta for now

T&C

 

[Christian Jenkins]

Our group of three from South Wales have been having a great time so far. We hit Vilafranca yesterday afternoon, (bumping into Geordie Dave in the process - great to meet you!).
We spent the day today at the Albufera but called in at the Can Cuarassa track on the way back. Of note there were about 20 or so Bee-eaters, and three Rollers on the wires. The Spotless Starlings were also present at Pins 16.

 

[TonyCath]

After a bad night of football for Caths team and my lot on holiday now as they have been all season we decided to travel over to Cala Sant Vicenc and try the Fishermans Walk thanks to Ians directions.

Baleric Warbler was first to pop up with a good view before it disappeared into the scrub.

Try as we might a Blue Rock Thrush eluded us we (Cath) did however hear Beeaters passing over all morning and I glimpsed a back end bird briefly. My hearing is shot as I have Tinnitus brought on by clouts around the head as a kid.

On the way back 3 Wheatear entertained us feeding and a Black Vulture passed over.

Scanning the tops of the rocks a Blue Rock Thrush gave us some views of itself.

Walking through the woods both ways nothing showed even Jinxy stayed true to form for us.

Interestingly Merlin identified a Bonellis Warbler singing ?

Our total has now bottomed out at 96 for the trip.

We had a lovely Tuna salad lunch and a white knuckle bus ride back as the driver was late.

Ta ta T &C

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Mostly family stuff so far but a Bonellis Eagle today over south end of Cam Picafort was unexpected, Turtle Dove on Saturday was nice and a good mix of med stuff around grounds and parks, 2 B Vulture, Booted Eagle and a Redstart Pollensa yday .....Depodura early tmw with a mate if anyone's about say hi!

 

[Roger Baddley]

Turtle dove at Son Real at 1530 hrs today.

 

[Roger Baddley]

Two woodchat shrikes as well

 

[timsg80]

I had a nice trip to Vilafranca this morning, seeing at least 8 Lesser Kestrels, a stunning female Red-footed Falcon (probably 2 actually) and 2 Black Kites. It was a nice surprise to find a Glossy Ibis at the Depuradora there. What a wonderful place it is, it's just stunning to see the abundance of Corn Buntings especially, but also Short-toed Larks and Zitting Cisticolas.

I then quickly popped into Bassa de Can Guidet on the way back, which was quiet except for a Whiskered Tern and a Gull-billed Tern. Still some Pochards and Black-necked Grebes plus three Sand Martins and a few Redshank, Black-winged Stilts and Common Sandpipers.

Finally, I popped into Depuradora de Palma hoping to find something rare, but it wasn't to be. Two Black-headed Gulls, several Black-winged Stilts and Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover were the highlights.

Yesterday, at Sa Porassa/Magaluf I was very pleased to see a Little Bittern and two recently fledged Swamphens, along with at least one Teal still there.

 

[TonyCath]

Had to go back to Can Cuarassa as Cath needed a Roller, she had it in a flash back for tea by 18.23.
Corn Buntings present and two Wheatear.

T&C

 

[Geordie Dave]

I’m at the airport waiting at the gate for the early morning flight back to Newcastle. I’ve enjoyed this latest 3 weeks stay seeing 140+ species and adding 30 to my Big Year. Weather for the first 10 days was generally poor with cold winds and showers. The last 10 days have been glorious sunshine with temperatures in the mid 20’s. Highlights have been 4 rollers and golden oriole at Can Cuarassa, Montagus and pallid harriers and 3 white storks at Albercutx but best of all black stork close up at the tower and the beautiful lesser flamingo at Salobrar de Campos. My thanks as ever to the local birders and to Mike M and Peter S. It has also been a pleasure to meet Sally and Roger and to finally get to say hello to Tony and Cath. I’m back again in mid June for another 3 weeks and already looking forward to doing it all again. Hasta la proxima and gan canny!!

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Brill couple hours this morning, Nightjar churring on the approach road, Depodura had 4 Whiskered and 2 Gull-billed Tern, 2 Turtle Dove, Marbled Ducks etc. Small pool along main road to Alcudia held 2 Avocet, 26 Flamingo and at least 2 Moustached Warbler where singing along the track there.

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Walk along front towards Son Real, couple Theklas, Displaying Tawny Pipit and a Hobby went N

 

[Mike Montier]

A bit of a late answer to TonyCath.
A few Bonelli’s warblers have been seen so I see no reason why your recording wasn’t the real deal.
We have talked quite a bit on here about Merlín and how inaccurate it can be so I guess it’s hard to be sure.
Mike

 

[TonyCath]

A bit of a late answer to TonyCath.
A few Bonelli’s warblers have been seen so I see no reason why your recording wasn’t the real deal.
We have talked quite a bit on here about Merlín and how inaccurate it can be so I guess it’s hard to be sure.
Mike

Thanks for that Mike we have had Merlin identify a Golden Oriole in a Maria de la Salut garden, Dartford Warbler, Subalpine Warber and Great Reed Warbler at Mortix. Not sure of the accuracy really but we don't tick Merlin or heard only anyway so we are not losing a tick.

 

[TonyCath]

Our last birding day started with a male Common Redstart along the Pine Walk in PP, Cath had a Red Kite over the bus station whilst I picked up several Yellow Wags near Boquer and a single Beeater near the bus station but there could have been more.

We took the bus to the Albercutx stop then walked the 35 minutes to the tower along the way a Blue Rock Thrush flew past before we plonked our arses on a rock to watch for migrants.

This was our debut at the tower we were birding blind but had help from Ian via WhatsApp as we were totally on our own up there it would have been nice to have more eyes scanning around.

Within minutes we had a dark morph Honey Buzzard close by, escorted by two Raven this is going to be easy I thinks but oh no.

Another BRT appeared and then at our feet a Balearic Warbler kept us company.
An hour later and thick cloud rolled in along with showers we could not see any land on any side what a day to pick.
We called it a day at 12.30 a tad disappointed but hey ho that's birding.
Caths observation was that the Mirador needed a Costa Coffee and toilets and all commercial aspects would be ticked it was busy to say the least. I suspect summer will be worse.

T&C

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Monties male N over Can Picafort

 

[Jonny Holliday]

3 Red-footed Falcon to SE of Depodura platform. 1 Squacco. Whiskered Terns still

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Single Gull-billed Tern, Squacco Depodura, c25 Beeaters around lanes on way back to main road

 

[TonyCath]

Very much like Dave in post 551 sat at departures.
A total of 97 species in 10 days a new trip record for us.
We will do a brief trip summary later it will be nothing like the excellent trip reports that StewB produces unfortunately.

T&C