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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Mallorca 2017 (3 Viewers)

Intersting article in Majorca Daily Bulletin about Twitchers

How many times have I dipped!

Im all in favour of comfort and internet sighting with GPS references so you can run over the bird....

Now where was that Storm Petrel???

Ps I am waiting and Susan has brought Pies!!
 
Walk in Bocquer Valley.

Grand day but wildilfe very quiet.

Highlights included Booted Eagle and first Wyrneck of the year (at the enterence near the Finca)
 
Nice and sunny but with cool north easterly winds which is holding up further migration, no House Martins yet that I know of, I have normally seen them by now. A sea watch yesterday produced very little, no Shearwaters, just a few Gannets still. More to come soon I hope, Mike
 
S'Albufera this morning.
Water has receded, some 30cm lower than the maximum of 3/4 weeks ago.
Not much notable at Sa Roca, Shovelers, Teals, a couple Common Snipes, and a few Kentish Plovers.
At Es Cibollar I, 9 Marbled Ducks, 3 Pintails, Shovelers, Teals, BW Stilts, 2 Avocets, 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Black-Tailed Godwit, Kentish Plovers, Cormorants.
A Great Crested Grebe on the Gran Canal

At Maristany, numerous Pochards, 3 Red-crested Pochard, Little Grebes, 1 Marsh Harrier.
 

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Around S'Albuferata this afternoon.

Pleasent walk not too many birds.

Mainly Serins, Meadow pipits, Goldfinches, Song Thrushes, etc

One interesting spot in orchard had linnets, greenfinches, serins, meadow pipits, cirl bunting and reed buntings.

A couple of Black Winged Stilts and Red Legged Partridges.
 
to Mike Montier

Hi Mike, I'm back out on Monday for 10 days so if you're available we can meet up. Maybe Mike Swiss can join us if available. See you soon
 
House Martins

Mike, I found 2 House Martins at Matisyahu at February 5th, looking for the Little Gull that I couldn't find...

Greatings,


Eric
 
Thanks eric, I thought there would be some somewhere.
Kevin, we have an endless stream of visitors for the next couple of weeks so it will be difficult to get away. If I can do it, I will give you are ring.
Some of the dedicated locals were at the tower, Albercutx today, a wee bit early but there were two Common Cranes past, quite a rare bird for that site. It will only get better each week so if anyone is passing, it's well worth a detour up there. The view is worth it alone. Mike
 
Hi all, it's a long time since I contributed to this thread, but I'm back!
At the depuradora at Albufera on the 16th Feb and had my earliest record of a lone Barn Swallow and a Willow Warbler. Nothing else special - I was hoping for some Bluethroats!
 

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Hi Mike, I'm back out on Monday for 10 days so if you're available we can meet up. Maybe Mike Swiss can join us if available. See you soon

Hi Kevin,

Also have visitors but should be free some days but not sure at the moment..keep in touch

Quite quiet today..afternoon walk in Pollensa.

Cirl buntings, Hoopoes, Thrushes, Robins, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Serins and Siskins seen as well as heard first wren calling

Mike S.
 
Hi Clive

This is a Chiffchaff I'm afraid. Dark legs, weak supercillium, subdued colours and short primary projection confirm it among other things. Would be rather early for Willow Warblers I would expect, though maybe Mike could give more information on their typical arrival dates on the island?

Jason

Hi all, it's a long time since I contributed to this thread, but I'm back!
At the depuradora at Albufera on the 16th Feb and had my earliest record of a lone Barn Swallow and a Willow Warbler. Nothing else special - I was hoping for some Bluethroats!
 
Hi Jason, typical arrival dates are around 25th March so yes, this would be an unusual record. I hear all sorts of rumors of some species over-wintering in Mallorca so it's always hard to know which ones to believe. For me, primary projection rules this one out as a Willow Warbler.
Hi Clive, great news that you are back on the Island. It would be nice to meet up and hear all your news. As I have just said though, I am tied up for quite a few weeks. As soon as I am free I will be in touch.
A report of a Yellow Wagtail today. Mike
 
Thanks Jason, I'm never 100% sure of a Willow Warbler, but this one has paler legs than normal chiff-chaffs, and seemed to me to show longer primary projection. I did compare the projection and was convinced it was a Willow. Here is a photo of the same bird which shows the leg colour better, and a definite Chiff-chaff taken on the same day. I would appreciate further comments.
Hi Mike, it would be great to meet up again - I look forward to it.
 

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Short visit to Depuradora at S'Albufera and S' Amarador.

Usual stuff including Marsh Harriers, Ospreys, Kestrals, Purple Swamp Hen, Water Rails, Common and Green Sandpiper.

No bluethroats (all lies) nor Barn Swallows or House Martins

So many Cettis Warblers

Nice to see the Orchids out again
 

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Short trip to Son Real.

Quiet at the hide - birds seen included Serin, Great tits, Red Legged Partridge, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff and Crossbills.

No Hawfinch ( more lies )

Pheasant also heard.

Butterflies becoming more active - Cleopatra, Red Admiral, Speckled wood, Large White and Common Blue.

Small red dragonfly also seen at the pond.

Come on the Spring
 
Hi Clive

Hopefully the attached annotated pic of yours will help. Now is a great time of year to really get to grips with the variation in chiffchaffs around Mallorca, as they do vary a lot. However, if you try to take as many features as possible and use them in combination, things will be easier. You can also safely assume that they are all chiffchaffs at this time of year. You would be rather (un)lucky to find a willow warbler right now to confuse them with.

Jason

Thanks Jason, I'm never 100% sure of a Willow Warbler, but this one has paler legs than normal chiff-chaffs, and seemed to me to show longer primary projection. I did compare the projection and was convinced it was a Willow. Here is a photo of the same bird which shows the leg colour better, and a definite Chiff-chaff taken on the same day. I would appreciate further comments.
Hi Mike, it would be great to meet up again - I look forward to it.
 

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Many thanks Jason, your contributions on here are very helpful and I appreciate them very much. I have learnt a lot and I am sure many others have too. I do see hundreds of Chiff-chaffs here in winter and they are, as you say, very variable. I will give them more attention in future! Mike
 
Many thanks Jason, your contributions on here are very helpful and I appreciate them very much. I have learnt a lot and I am sure many others have too. I do see hundreds of Chiff-chaffs here in winter and they are, as you say, very variable. I will give them more attention in future! Mike

Hello,
for me it's a common chiffchaff but I agree with you about that their variability makes me doubt a lot sometimes :)
Be aware with Iberian Chiffchaff :eek!:
This last one is very difficult to identify on the field but the times I have seen them in hand they look to me a mixt between common chiff-chaff and willow warbler.
Regards,
Cristina.
 
Red-rumped swallow

Hello again,
a lonely red-rumped swallow has visited la Gola for a while this morning!
Regards,
Cristina.
 
Hi Clive

Hopefully the attached annotated pic of yours will help. Now is a great time of year to really get to grips with the variation in chiffchaffs around Mallorca, as they do vary a lot. However, if you try to take as many features as possible and use them in combination, things will be easier. You can also safely assume that they are all chiffchaffs at this time of year. You would be rather (un)lucky to find a willow warbler right now to confuse them with.

Jason

Thanks for your annotation Jason - I see now that the primary projection does suggest Chiff-chaff. Unfortunately this is often difficult to assess in the field. I think the leg colour threw me - none of the field guides mention fleshy coloured legs, only "dark" and many Chiff-chaffs show dark grey to black legs. And the Collins Guide says Willow Warbler legs can be almost as dark as Chiff-chaffs. Still, all this variation keeps us guessing and sharpens our ID skills. I have Mallorca records for Willow from 8th March in Mallorca, but I think now these may be mis-identification!
 
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