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

Mallorca 2019 (3 Viewers)

Thanks Laurie, very interesting especially the stuff in the USA, good to know. We go there a lot and we have three trips planned for next year.
I think most electricity companies are getting their act together.
I know the focus of bird persecution mostly concentrates on the Mediterranean but some pretty bad stuff still goes on in the UK. It is shocking to read about such mindless destruction.
Hunting from light aircraft? Unbelievable.
I still haven’t seen a Tristram’s Warbler.
Thanks for posting.
Mike
 
Cristina.
Many thanks for posting sightings from your wonderful reserve, it’s such an oasis right in town too.
Very impressive, especially as it’s in four languages!
Thanks for going to so much trouble, it’s very much appreciated by us birders.
Mike
 
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Re Tristram’s.....i nearly didn’t see one:eek!:

I believe at one stage due to their Federal system there was actually a bounty scheme in operation whereby they were classed as vermin and could be shot on sight and the claws/feet handed in - beggars belief really:C

The situation here has now become a laughing paradox with most raptor numbers at historical highs and the landed gentry that indulge in gamebird rearing doing what the like without any fear of the consequences because there isn’t any:C We need vicarious liability where people actually go to jail but as we do not send people who commit violent crimes against others to jail there is no hope. Add to that a Judiciary that is thick with landowners and Plods who are as useful as a Chocolate fire-grate and the situation is a farce. The perpetrators just laugh at us as they toast another dead Harrier down the pub - it doesn’t help when they are shot on Sandringham by the Royal Family but hey 50 years ago they were shooting Tigers in India:C

The recent sight of a Golden Eagle flying off with a pole-trap hanging off of it is a national disgrace - these people are taking the piss and some of us have had enough.....

Laurie:t:
 
Barmingbirder said:
Well I got to Mortix this morning, first light. Parking was better than expected,
I parked on the dusty pull in just down from the vineyard entrance. Low cloud persisted throughout my visit but I managed 4 sightings of Bonelli's in the 3 hours I was on site. Certainly 3 different individuals which to my untrained eye looked to be 2x juveniles (1 rufous underparts, other very washed out, very pale) and an adult bird (high, very white body, dark under wing and tail) They were up above the bluffs, just beyond the bridge by the first resorvoir. 1 bird was also seen at the seaward end of the valley an hour after sunrise. Black & Griffin Vulture were all relatively low down, coming in and out of cloud and offering some excellent views. Other birds included Hoopoe, Cirl Bunting, Woodchat Shrike, many Spot Flycatchers including an albino bird in the olives along the vineyard track to the reserve gate. Thanks to everyone who replied to my original posts, they all helped,
and it was a fantastic morning in a fantastic site. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

How far down the trail were you before your first sighting?
 
Mike Montier said:
Cristina.
Many thanks for posting sightings from your wonderful reserve, it’s such an oasis right in town too.
Very impressive, especially as it’s in four languages!
Thanks for going to so much trouble, it’s very much appreciated by us birders.
Mike
Click to expand...

I agree with Mike,with regards to thanking Cristina. :t: You do a fabulous job and I enjoyed my early morning walks around La Gola,while on holiday In Puerto Pollenca last month.
 
Visited Mortitx for the first time this morning - absolutely stunning location. Birdwise I had a Bonelli's Eagle, Peregrine, 2 each of Black and Griffon Vulture, Crossbill, Woodchat Shrike, Firecrest, several Wrynecks and the novelty of Crag Martins feeding low over the vineyards
 
A very brief visit to the Cap this morning saw three Marsh harriers and a Black Kite leave the Island.
Also, on the drive back up the road a raptor flashed very low over the car.
I don’t know what it was but I know it was something special. Jane got a better view than me but she’s tired of my constant questions and field guides being thrust in front of her.
I will have to let it go but it’s just one of the many frustrations of being a birder I guess.
All she remembers was it’s size and blazing white rump. Hmm..
Mike
 
Highlights from this morning at Son Bosc:

8 Glossy Ibis, 10 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 11 Little Stint, Greenshank, 7 Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, Marbled Duck, Pochard, 4 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 2 Stone Curlew, Marsh Harrier, Bee-eater, Woodchat, Sand Martin, Nightingale, Lesser Emperor dragonfly. Unfortunately the most productive tank (the south-eastern) is tricky to view - the chained gates at the fork in the track being the best spot.
 
After Son Bosc it was on to Tucan Marsh which is now virtually dried out. As a result birding was poor - 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, Garganey, a showy Squacco Heron and 2 Purple Gallinule. The session was saved by a beautiful Roller barreling through the site heading northwest.
 
Nice one Phil, I drove round much of the Island yesterday hoping to see a returning Roller. I usually see one or two young ones at this time of the year.
Let’s hope it works it’s way down to the Cap.
I only had a brief time in the south this morning but I too saw a couple of Sand Martins, some Pallid Swift, and quite a few Common Swift and Barn Swallows.
All the other raptors were local birds.
Mike
 
Not much at the Cap in nearly five hours this morning.
Strong winds came into the north-east of the Island yesterday so I was hopeful but only one Marsh Harrier left on migration.
Two groups of Bee-eaters went west as usual and as far as I know, these were the first of this autumn. Many more to come I hope. Just as an aside, for such a brightly coloured bird, they can be notoriously hard to see. They call constantly which gives them away, but it’s very hard to know where the sound is coming from.
Twenty Pallid Swift, all going north for some reason and a few House martins and Barn Swallows.
Let’s hope the weekend is more productive.
Mike
 
Well, the weekend wasn’t any better, not a single migrant went through. I’m not sure what a birdless day is called in the UK but here it is known as a “capote”.
Just as I was leaving a raptor came into view and was soon identified as an adult male Bonelli’s Eagle and it put on a fine performance for us, a delight to watch but there are some mixed feelings about the reintroduction scheme.
Either way, it’s a magnificent bird to watch and has been recently mentioned, a great display of agility.
Hopefully the coming week will be better.
Mike
 
Mike -

Indulge me pls - what are the ‘mixed feelings’ with regard to the Bonelli’s reintroduction scheme? It can’t be Farmers surely?

Laurie:t:
 
Laurie - I believe it was down to predation of the local Booted Eagle population - but others may be able to comment further.
Martin
 
I believe Martin is right but I hope others comment.
The hunters don’t want them because they say that they take Partridges but they won’t get any sympathy on here.
I think some feeling against is that they will muscle out other species which is probably right.
I guess reintroductions are usually controversial.
Mike
 
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