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Mallorca 2020 (1 Viewer)

A good afternoon trip to Calla Ratjada and the Llevant National park in the Arta Mountains.
This was finished off with a quick visit to the Depuradora to see the starling Murmuration.
I always find the Faro (lighthouse) Capdepera the best place for Shearwaters, and within 30 minutes I counted 30 Balearic Shearwaters flying past. The Port is still recovering from the recent Storm damage.
Having survived the Drive through the narrow streets of Arta, the National Park welcomes you. Awesome Scenic Peninsula.
Birds seen in the park included Ravens, Booted Eagles, Kestrals, Peregrine, Cirl Buntings, Song and Mistle Thrush, Linnets, Red Legged Partridge, etc.
The Depuradora at dusk is always a great visit. Birds seen included Common and Green Sandpipers, Cattle and Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers, Grey Wagtails, and a few hundred thousand Starlings.
 

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One and a half hours at the lighthouse, Porto Petro this evening produced 719 Balearic shearwaters so numbers are now building up and will be in the thousands in April.
I did see three larger Shearwaters right out on the horizon looking very white but I can’t claim them as Scopoli’s .
Scopoli’s appear back in these waters at the beginning of February, the first date being the 3rd of February in 2018, so they probably were.
Mike
 
A Little Gull has been found by Maties and others at Salobrar de Campos.
Also a Knot there, quite a scarce bird here in Mallorca.
A few migrants should be arriving any day now.
I found a group of Barn Swallows one year on the 4th of February and with them was one Red-rumped swallow and several House Martins.
Mike
 
The Bóquer valley has always been contentious.
When I first arrived here the tenant of the finca told me the valley was to close but it is a public footpath and can’t be closed.
The article seems to suggest re-routing the path so I guess that won’t affect birders or walkers too much.
I wrote last year about the degradation of the path which is pretty bad, some due to the amount of walkers but as Stew suggested, much is due to the weather. I have been in the valley during big storms and it’s a pretty scary place to be.
I don’t know what the solution is but I hope a compromise is found, it’s a superb place on the right day, birds galore.
Mike
 
The Little Gull was still at Salobrar this morning as was the Knot.
Also some Ruff and a Temminck’s Stint and I believe a Spoonbill was reported.
I’ve seen one recently over the other side but the path is still impassable due to the depth of the water. A canoe would be a good idea.
Mike
 
Very Windy up North.
With a few friends from the local ESRA group we decided to head inland to the region around Campanet.
Despite the wind, the farm fields were full of chaffinches, Black Redstarts, Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Song Thrushes, Greenfinches, Chiffchaffs, Serins, Blackbirds and Robins.
Other birds seen included Cattle Egrets(40), 2 Ravens, 2 Booted Eagles, 2 Kestrels, Sparrowhawk and a young Black Vulture.
A nice walk around the fincas followed by a visit to the Cafe at the Campanet Caves for their delicious Apple pie!
 
La Gola 2020

Hello!
The Ornithological Tourism Centre is opened again.
February: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am til 3pm.

Today we have lots of Black Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Robins. As always Sardinian Warblers, Goldfinch and Greenfinches. One Snipe, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls and some other birds. I'll keep you updated.

We are also on Facebook and Twitter.
Hope see you soon!
Regards,
Cristina.
 

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Thank you Cristina and good luck for the coming season.
Thank you for all you do for us birders, giving a great service to all visitors and for keeping us up-to-date with all the latest sightings.
La Gola continues to attract not only a good selection of species, but rare ones too.
A Rock Pipit was seen at the end of last year, yet another rarity for this little gem of a reserve.
Mike
 
I used to see Woodcock regularly at this time of the year in Porto Petro but I have had no sightings for the last three years.
Following information from a local that unusually high numbers were being seen, I ventured out to my normal spot.
One bird flew over the trees at 18.47 so I was delighted that they have returned to my local patch.
Mike
 
After much birding activity recently, I was having a long lazy lunch with my wife when a message came through from Patrick that the Southern Grey Shrike (lanius meridionalis) was showing at Villafranca where it was first seen last autumn.
It has obviously over-wintered there.
Needless to say, I never had pudding...
Mike
 
Also at art class this morning, where I always have one eye on the sky, I spotted a Black Kite gaining height and soaring off north.
A debate has followed as the whether it was an over-wintering bird or an early migrant.
Apparently Black kites have been seen in the Straits of Gibraltar so you never know.
Mike
 
Trip to the Orient was cancelled as the road was still closed.
So we headed up towards the Castle in Alaro.
Easy walk along farmyards, through the oaks, carob, and olive trees.
Scenery quite stunning.
Lots of Birds seen included Black Redstarts,Song Thrush, Robins. Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Serins, Goldfinch, Hoopoe.
Several Booted Eagles(5) flying overhead as well as Red Kites (3), Kestrels(2), Griffin Vultures(2), and at least 6 Ravens.
A very enjoyable day.
 

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A few hours spent in Son Real trying to track down the Hawfinch.
Birds seen around the fincha and farm yards included Song Thrushes, Corn Buntings, Robins, Dunnock, Black Redstarts, Hoopoes, Etc.
The hide was very productive. Birds seen or heard included Great Tits, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Goldfinches, Robins, Serins, Crossbills, Greenfinches, Song Thrush, Firecrest and Common Pheasant.
No sign of the Hawfinch but nice to see a winter visitor
 

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I walked all along the coast of Colonia Sant Jordi today hoping to connect with some Oystercatchers which were seen yesterday but I couldn’t find them, just Sandwich terns, Turnstones, Balearic shearwaters and lots of Golden plovers.
Mike
 
A great day out with Mike and Susan here in the south.
The fields around Llombards are always worth a detour with flocks of Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow pipits. Also good numbers of Corn buntings.
At the salt pans it was good to see Steve with his son, a very competent birder starting young which is terrific to see.
Spotted and common Redshank, Grey Plover, Ruff, Little stints, Greater Flamingoes, Black-winged stilts, Avocets, Kentish plovers, Dunlin, Greenshank, a possible Little-ringed Plover, lots of Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Booted Eagle and Kestrel.
On to Colonia Sant Jordi for Golden Plover, good numbers of Shag and Balearic shearwaters. Two Gannet.
Off to Cap de Ses Salines for the Italian sparrow but no luck. I saw it a week ago on the roof of the building next to the lighthouse so it’s still around.
Over 200 Balearic shearwaters and at least 6 Northern Gannet. No sign of any Scopoli’s shearwaters yet. A Peregrine flew back to Cabrera quite late.
Off to hear Scops owls calling tonight and hopefully to see a Woodcock too. A Long-eared owl would complete the day well but they are not easy. As usual, some birds roost low down in the bushes and can be seen coming out just before dark. They also breed close to where I live so we will take a look.
A very enjoyable day with a good total of species seen.
Mike
 
You forgot the turnstones!
You wait for one Scops Owl and three turn up!
Thanks Mike and Jane for a super day.
 
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Awoken with the sounds of Scops Owls and Cries of Stone Curlews still in my dreams, it was time to leave the south.
We ventured up the foggy road to Sant Salvador to hunt for the Alpine accentors and Bramblings.
Through the fog, Eagle eye Mike Montier spotted the first Alpine accentor. We celebrated with coffee by which time the fog had gone. A second Alpine Accentor may have been seen. Other birds seen included great tits, Robins, Blackbirds, Ravens, Chaffinches, Black Redstarts, etc.
Leaving Mike, we decided to try and twitch the lesser Great gray Shrike at Vilafranca. The fields were dripping with skylarks, sparrows, linnets, goldfinches, thrushes. Kestrels and Red Kites around.
No sign of the Shrike though we bumped into another birder who just arrived, none other than Kevin.
The central plains have a lot to offer.
 

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Hello!
Here you have the birds seen this morning at la Gola.
And I can't resist to attach a picture (even it's not very good) of the Great Cormorans. Love them!

Regards,
Cristina.
 

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