Mallorca 2019 (2 Viewers)

Maties Rebassa · Sep 11, 2019

A fantastic record of the Vagrant Emperor, Stew, and some fabulous photos!! There are very few previous records of this species in Mallorca and Cabrera, and none in s'Albufera, so yours is the first, congratulations!

I've been talking with the editor of the AOB (Ornithological Anuari of the Balearics) to see if it's possible to add a new section in the AOB with records of dragonflies and damselflies (and maybe diurnal butterlies), and he liked the idea very much. So, next step is to find somebody to coordinate this new section, I'm trying to do now some contacts with local experts.

So, if everything is ok, your fantastic record (and many others) will be published next year in AOB. Fingers crossed!

Mike Montier · Sep 11, 2019

Hi Maties, I am willing to help with co-ordination and I have some photos too.
The problem is that my Spanish is still poor but do let me know how I can help.
Fantastic record Stew, I was very happy for you. Watching your elation was every bit as good as seeing the dragonfly itself!
Mike

StewB · Sep 11, 2019

Thanks Maties and Mike - it was a thrilling insect to see, but I mustn’t forget that if Johan Debuck and his Belgian birding group hadn’t come across it first we may have missed it completely!

I really like the idea of creating an annual summary of Balearic odonata records. Dragonflies and damselflies are excellent indicators for the health of wetland habitats, so a better understanding of distribution and trends will be really valuable. And, of course, it may help some of us to hear of new sites to visit to see the Island’s dragonflies and damselflies!

Stew

Mike Montier · Sep 12, 2019

Eleven Bee-eaters through the town of Ses Salines heading south despite the high winds.
Mike

honeym · Sep 12, 2019

StewB said:
Thanks Maties and Mike - it was a thrilling insect to see, but I mustn’t forget that if Johan Debuck and his Belgian birding group hadn’t come across it first we may have missed it completely!

I really like the idea of creating an annual summary of Balearic odonata records. Dragonflies and damselflies are excellent indicators for the health of wetland habitats, so a better understanding of distribution and trends will be really valuable. And, of course, it may help some of us to hear of new sites to visit to see the Island’s dragonflies and damselflies!

Stew

Perhaps the first issue could contain extracts of some of the work done by TAIB (records/transect data/etc.)?

Just a thought.

Martin

StewB · Sep 12, 2019

Early morning overcast skies and high winds made me change my plan of a day in the mountains for something more local. As it happens the day turned out really sunny and warm, although it stayed pretty windy!

Three spotless starlings crossed the track at Ca’n Cuarassa, and there were three wheatears and a whinchat viewed from the “no entry” sign on the track off to the right. A woodchat on the telegraph wires completed a worthwhile visit. A single flamingo, two great white egrets and a perched osprey were on view from the tower at the Albufereta, while7 greenshank, a dunlin and a curlew sandpiper were in front of the hide.

A red kite was over the fields at Son Bosc, while three stone curlews, a juvenile woodchat and a redstart were on the field next to the track down to the depuradora. Two glossy ibises flighting in and landing out of view, and an obliging pallid swift were the best the Depuradora had to offer. Seven quite large red-eared sliders hauled out on the concrete edge were a little unwanted. On the drive out I saw two tawny pipits in a weedy field.

A wheatear and two whinchats were near the tower atS’Amarador. I couldn’t find any waxbills at the eastern end of the Cami des Polls, but a stripey juvenile little bittern and a fine male violet dropwing dragonfly made the effort worthwhile.

I finished at the north end of the Cami des Polls. It was great to see that the overgrown corner of the dyke has been cleared - and two territorial male violet dropwings and ovipositing lesser emperors evidenced how effective the clearance has been.

As I write this on our roof terrace I can hear (but, frustratingly as usual can’t see) bee eaters heading south over Puerto Pollenca.

Stew

honeym · Sep 12, 2019

re Vagrant Emperor

StewB said:
A great day out with Mike M in much better than forecast weather. The plan was to go to S’Albufera to help Mike to get to grips with dragonflies, but we didn’t for a moment imagine that we’d be in on the finding and identification of a vagrant emperor! A group of Belgian birders had found, and with their leader Johan were identifying this insect. With one look I knew we were looking at a male vagrant emperor - much jigging and high-fiveing followed! Although it appears on the Mallorca list, when I did a previous extensive literature search I couldn’t find a single attributable record of this irruptive species, so at the very least it’s a mega dragonfly rarity for the island.
Stew

Hi Stew

There's a photo here (https://hiveminer.com/Tags/anax,ephippiger) of a specimen photographed in flight in 2018 in s'Albufera.

Martin

StewB · Sep 12, 2019

honeym said:
Hi Stew

There's a photo here (https://hiveminer.com/Tags/anax,ephippiger) of a specimen photographed in flight in 2018 in s'Albufera.

Martin

Wow!

s.g. · Sep 12, 2019

Good to meet up with Mike and StewB yesterday, sure we will bump into one another again.
Salbufera today,
Kentish Plovers 212, Turnstone don't think I have had one on salbufera before, Curlew Sands 2, Stone Curlew, Greenshank 3,Garganey 2.
Sillot, Wood Sands 2, Green Sands 2.
Steve.

Mike Montier · Sep 13, 2019

An excellent early morning at the Cap until the storm came.
Toni S. was there before me and he saw a Montagu’s Harrier, a Common Buzzard (very pale juv) and a Hobby leave the Island.
Two more Hobby went through as did a Marsh Harrier and bizarrely a Honey Buzzard came in off the sea.
Then the rain came and when it rains in Mallorca...
Tomorrow will be good, I can’t go.
Mike

Mike Montier · Sep 13, 2019

Yes, good to see you again Steve. I hope you have a great time and if you are going to the Cap, let me know.
Maties reported two Caspian terns from Sa Roca the day before yesterday and a Knot is at the depuradora today.
Mike

Maties Rebassa · Sep 13, 2019

Mike Montier said:
Hi Maties, I am willing to help with co-ordination and I have some photos too.
The problem is that my Spanish is still poor but do let me know how I can help.
Fantastic record Stew, I was very happy for you. Watching your elation was every bit as good as seeing the dragonfly itself!
Mike

Mike, thanks a lot! We'll be in contact if the section comes true.

Maties Rebassa · Sep 13, 2019

honeym said:
Perhaps the first issue could contain extracts of some of the work done by TAIB (records/transect data/etc.)?

Just a thought.

Martin

Martin, I'm now in contact with Marina, we have to decide how to do this new section, but I like your idea, thanks!

honeym · Sep 13, 2019

Maties Rebassa said:
Martin, I'm now in contact with Marina, we have to decide how to do this new section, but I like your idea, thanks!

Hi Maties

I guessed as much from a comment Marina made on facebook about this species. I added the following:
There are two previous records, both of male Anax ephippigerr, on the Balearic Islands - from the work done by members of TAIB. One was observed just before sea in the eastern part of the Parc Natural de Llevant, on 23 April 2011; the other was in the vegetable garden on Cabrera, on 18 April 2012 [both records were by Nick (of course!)].

Best wishes

Martin

StewB · Sep 14, 2019

With the promise of better weather, I headed for Mortitx. As I arrived 2 bee eaters flew low south over the entrance. I had two more groups (3 and 2) as I walked by the vineyard. Redstarts were in evidence, with a total of 8+ during my visit. Yellow wagtails (5), whinchats (2) and swallows also suggested a bit of passage going on.

I saw a wryneck near the ladder stile and heard another further on, cirl bunting, blue rock thrush (heard only), nightingale and crag martins provide a local cast. I walked up as far as the Refugi, seeing and hearing crossbills in the trees on the approach.

9.20am seemed to be vulture lift-off time, with a total of six black vultures together, and a more distant griffon. After this, individuals and groups of up to four black vultures seemed to be in view for much of the time I was there, but it’s impossible to know how many were actually involved. Another griffon showed as I returned past the vineyard. An Eleanora’s Falcon over the crags beyond the reservoir is the only one I’ve seen on this trip so far.

At the reservoir I watched the marsh (“Iberian Water”) frogs stalking and occasionally catching ovipositing red-veined darters! About 200m past the reservoir I found a male vagrant emperor. It was flying up and down the track and over trackside rocks and bushes, but despite staying with it for 40 minutes I didn’t see it perched and couldn’t photograph it. Eventually the wind increased and it disappeared behind some rocks and didn’t reappear.

Sadly I didn’t see any Bonelli’s eagles this time, but I’m not complaining!

Stew

Mike Montier · Sep 14, 2019

A fabulous day at the Cap this morning. I arrived just before first light and heard a distant Nightjar churring and there was a Golden Oriole at passatge 5 later on.
Some Marsh harriers left very early and groups of Bee-eaters came streaming through.
Then the Honey buzzards came and Barn Swallows were in sight the whole time.
Thanks to Lalo the days totals were:

Marsh Harrier. 23
Honey Buzzard 5
Black Kite. 2
Eleonora’s Falcon 2
Bee-eater. 323
More tomorrow
Mike

Mike Montier · Sep 14, 2019

Well done Stew, who would have expected another vagrant emperor so soon!
Maybe an invasion.
Sounds like a great day too.
Mortitx is for me one of the best places in Mallorca, stunning scenery and guaranteed Vultures.
Mike

s.g. · Sep 14, 2019

Depuadora great also,
Golden Oriole Male, Knot, only the second I have seen in Majorca, Temmincks Stints 2, Little Stints 11, Glossy Ibis 12, Wood Sands 9,Curlew Sands 3 Green 5, Common 6, Ruff 3, Spotted Redshank 3, Greenshank 4, Ringed Plover 5, LRP 6, Snipe 5, Stilts 37, Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Pipit, Red Kite 3, Marsh Harrier 3, Shellduck 2, Teal 5,BHG 35.
Steve.

StewB · Sep 15, 2019

s.g. said:
Depuadora great also,
Golden Oriole Male, Knot, only the second I have seen in Majorca, Temmincks Stints 2, Little Stints 11, Glossy Ibis 12, Wood Sands 9,Curlew Sands 3 Green 5, Common 6, Ruff 3, Spotted Redshank 3, Greenshank 4, Ringed Plover 5, LRP 6, Snipe 5, Stilts 37, Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Pipit, Red Kite 3, Marsh Harrier 3, Shellduck 2, Teal 5,BHG 35.
Steve.

Crikey Steve - that’s quite a haul! Hoping some of those birds will stick around for later today!

Stew

StewB · Sep 15, 2019

Mike Montier said:
Well done Stew, who would have expected another vagrant emperor so soon!
Maybe an invasion.
Sounds like a great day too.
Mortitx is for me one of the best places in Mallorca, stunning scenery and guaranteed Vultures.
Mike

Yes, I think Mortitx is one of the Island’s best kept secrets.

Just heard from a friend in the UK that one of his birding friends has arrived in Lesbos to find, quite literally, thousands of vagrant emperors. I know it’s way further east, but you never know..

Stew

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