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Mallorca 2018 (2 Viewers)

Non-birders will never understand the twitcher’s mentality. I was on my way to Manacor hospital when the news broke.
My surgeon asked why I had been pacing the waiting room floor and why was I in such an anxious state?
“Red-flanked bluetail” I replied. She was about to look up rare British diseases when I told her it was a bird.
Thanks for the wonderful photos Patrick and congratulations again to Cristina. It was the biggest twitch in the history of Mallorca, at least twenty of us!
Mike

That’s one of the many reasons that I love birding in Mallorca. This is a photo of the gallery for a brown shrike in Norfolk on 21st October, less than 2 hours after the news broke.. I know that everyone has every right to chase birds like this, but I do hanker for the days when things were a little less fraught. 20 people for a red-flanked bluetail! If only!

Stew
 

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Crikey Stew, that’s a lot of people after just two hours.
Yes, birding here is like the scene in the UK many years ago but the throng is growing fast so it is changing.
It has been fantastic to have been part of it and to see more places preserved for future generations. The changes at Albufereta are just one example and look what La Gola has turned up!
The only downside is that I know there are some great birds out there but there are not enough birders to cover such a big Island.
My list here is around 250 whereas in the UK I made nearly 400 so there is not the variety here.
I love birding in Mallorca though particularly during migration times when I get to the Cap before dawn and have the place to myself for a while. It’s magic.
Mike
 
Hi Steve.
To me, your bird it is a Ferruginous duck, not an hybrid. Young birds do not have a white belly, and the shape of the head is not bad enough to exclude a Ferruginous.
So, I'll not look for an hybrid, but a young FD.

Best wishes,
Maties
 
Thanks Maties,
Mike, here are a couple of shot of the Egret we spoke about, you said you knew someone who may be interested in its plumage variation. we saw it on the way back from Cala d'or. we were on the MA 5111 just past Felanitx going back to Alcudia, it was on the Depuadora on the right about a mile or two along the track.
Reed Warbler Salbufera.
Firecrest Liuc.
Steve.
 

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Hi Steve. Yes, it was a guy from mainland Spain who asked me (via someone else) to send photos and details so I will look him up and send details if that’s ok. The general feeling then was that at least some of the birds involved were gularis x garzetta hybrids. I will let you know what they say if a get any feedback.

The Red-flanked bluetail was still present late this afternoon.
Mike
 
Hi Steve. Yes, it was a guy from mainland Spain who asked me (via someone else) to send photos and details so I will look him up and send details if that’s ok. The general feeling then was that at least some of the birds involved were gularis x garzetta hybrids. I will let you know what they say if a get any feedback.

The Red-flanked bluetail was still present late this afternoon.
Mike

Hi Mike, Steve, but these are cattle egrett!
 
Yes, I was referring to birds from last year but asked Steve to send photos of this one to see what they thought about it. It does sound confusing, sorry!
I remember reading a paper in British Birds about dark egrets, they were not all hybrids, hence the interest in this bird. Do dark Cattle egrets occur? That was my question. Mike
 
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Yes, I was referring to birds from last year but asked Steve to send photos of this one to see what they thought about it. It does sound confusing, sorry!
I remember reading a paper in British Birds about dark egrets, they were not all hybrids, hence the interest in this bird. Do dark Cattle egrets occur? That was my question. Mike

Sorry maybe is my poor english, but I guessed hybrids were with white egretts, probably i missunderstood about these cattles
 
Hello!
:)

The RF Bluetail it is still at the park but very very difficult to see. In fact has been Kevin who has seen it this morning.
Cristina.
 
Congratulations to Christina for the Bluetail, and thanks to Patrick for the wonderful photos. Another fabulous bird I have missed! I've been out of touch with the forum lately, still have no car after mine was destroyed in the recent floods. Otherwise I would have visited La Gola.
 
Actually, it was my bad English Pep, not yours. Sorry.
I do remember Maties telling me there was a dark Cattle egret around Albufera a couple of years ago so maybe the same bird. I don’t know the reason for this which I guess is my question.
I saw six Common Crane at lunch time flying over Ses Salines.
I meant to write to you Clive as I had read that your home town suffered quite a bit in the recent storms. I hope you were ok and that your house did not suffer damage. Sorry about the car though. It must have been bad.
Good luck to all those staying at Cabrera for the next few days. I reckon you will do well for rarities. I hope you do.
Mike
 
Bluethroat at the depuradora this morning as well as the usual birds. Then went to La Gola for another look at the R.f.bluetail. Had a very brief view at around 9.45.
Later this afternoon at Capdepera lighthouse I had Blue rock thrush, Peregrine and fly past Gannet
 
I have just received the first message through from Cabrera from Juanjo and it seems the Island is awash with raptors, four Black Kite, a Short-toed snake Eagle and a mountain of Booted eagles.
As we stop the migration watch at the Cap de Ses Salines at the end of October, I think we should review the situation and continue into November because surely all these birds would have gone through the Cap?
I had better get there tomorrow and take a look.
Mike
 
Thanks Mike, fortunately, I am OK, but virtually everything in my basement appartment and garage was destroyed in the floods, so haven't done much birding recently.
 
Quite a few different Thrushes being seen with two Ring ouzel at Cap Blanc seen by Steve. Also two Rock sparrows there.
Two Redwings have been seen with one at Albufera and the other at Santa Maria.
One Mistle thrush at the Cap de Ses Salines this morning and a Black Kite there.
Mike
 
Thanks Mike, fortunately, I am OK, but virtually everything in my basement appartment and garage was destroyed in the floods, so haven't done much birding recently.

Sorry to hear that, Clive. It must have been terrible. I know of some people who even lost their houses.

Martin
 
Yes, it has been underplayed by many. The devastation for some families was enormous with loss of life, houses destroyed and cars washed away.
The Brits here made a substantial donation and all the people I know have given clothes and food parcels so it made me very proud that we have responded in this way.
Mike
 
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