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

Mallorca 2019 (1 Viewer)

S’Albufera today. Quite quiet bird wise. The escapee golden eagle and eleonora’s falcon were nice to see. The song of the great reed warblers seemed to be everywhere. Mick
 
3f. + 1m. Red footed falcons at Pla de Lanzell this morning. Also there at least 2 Lesser kestrel, Stone curlew, Quail, Thekla lark, S.T. Lark, Corn bunting, Turtle dove, Yellow wagtail,Common kestrel and Marsh harrier.
 
Using tape for birdwatching

Hello!
In a few days I have had to reprimand (sorry I don't know if this is the correct word) three times some people for using the tape to attrack the birds to see them. I'm sure all the people on the forum is practicing an ethical birding so I encourage you to advice people who do that, specially now when the birds are nesting or in migration, so they must use all their energy in looking for a couple, feeding youngs, feeding themselfs to keep going to the North...
It's different if you are monitoring birds or studying them and you need to see or detect one particular bird.
Well, this is my opinion. Thank you.
Cristina.
 
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Well done Cristina.

It's not easy, especially for females, if the perpetrators are big males, you never know where it will lead.

I had to ask someone to put their dog on a lead at a nature reserve a few weeks ago. They were apologetic and did so.... maybe having RSPB on my camera neck strap made them think I was an 'official' LOL
 
Last day

Last day today started well with Roller on roadside wires at Son Real. Next onto Depuradura where the only thing of note was Gull billed tern. I then spent a couple of hours at the tower in the company of Patrick and Jorge. We had 4 Honey buzzards, Griffon vulture, Osprey and Eleonoras falcon there.
Thanks to all the people I’ve met who shared information with me and a special thanks to Mike M.,Mike S.,Steve G.,Steve A. And Geordie Dave for their company on our birding days out.
Hope to see you all soon.
 
Good to be back in Cala San Vicent once more. There seem to be fewer birds around this year, but 2 Egyptian Vultures and an Eleanora's Falcon this morning rather made up for it. Lots of Nightingales at Can Curassa yesterday.
 
I very much enjoyed birding with you Kevin, see you next time.

I don’t know what’s going on with Common Redstarts but I seem to see them everywhere at the moment. There are two females where I live, one male feeding on a friend’s bird table and now I have come to live in a house in Ses Salines, there are two males in the garden.

I have been to Salobrar de Campos a couple of times recently but as Kevin says, they have gone very quiet. Six birders there today who reported very little too.


Mike
 
Hello!
In a few days I have had to reprimand (sorry I don't know if this is the correct word) three times some people for using the tape to attrack the birds to see them. I'm sure all the people on the forum is practicing an ethical birding so I encourage you to advice people who do that, specially now when the birds are nesting or in migration, so they must use all their energy in looking for a couple, feeding youngs, feeding themselfs to keep going to the North...
It's different if you are monitoring birds or studying them and you need to see or detect one particular bird.
Well, this is my opinion. Thank you.
Cristina.

Hi Cristina

I quite agree.

In previous years I've had to ask people in the hides at s'Albufera to stop playing recordings out of the windows. They were not birders but photographers and were actually playing alarm calls! So the birds were more sensible and retreated but you could tell they were somewhat agitated.

I use recordings to check what I've seen and heard but wouldn't dream of using one to attract birds. As we say, "it's just not cricket" (that strange game that we Brits try to play during the summer), i.e. not right.

Martin
 
Highlights of the last 2 days have been 2 red rumped swallows at Llenaire fields. 2 eleonoras falcons over Can Curassa and the bee eaters around Son Bosc. On another note early this morning on the hotel balcony heard the call of a golden oriole coming from the Bocquer entrance. Rushed over but no further calls only a birder/ photographer who said nothing. Thinking now it was a recording☹️Shame
 
Hi Pancho44, I’m sure someone on here can help. It doesn’t look like Egyptian locust to me as they have vertical stripes over the eyes.
I will be interested to learn what they are.
Mike
 
Seen at Albufera today.

I've just been through a list of species recorded from s'Albufera and it doesn't seem to match any, as far as I can see. However, trying to id from a photo can sometimes be tricky, especially with no idea about the size.

Hopefully someone else may recognise it.

Martin
 
Hols coming to an end soon so done a bit travelling today. Had great views of BR Thrush but the highlight for me was a collared pratincole at Albufereta. Also found one on the pool behind the kite school although this may have been the same bird. Had a couple of RF Falcons near Petra. Mick
 
Question about some species

I will be in Alcudia from Tuesday (21st) with my son (8yrs).
My wishlist is rather long, but I am realistic :).
Could I ask you for some corrections, ideas, suggestions?
My priorities are in bold.

Here is my plan.

Black Vulture - (1) Lluc, (2) Cuber.R
(two years ago I spent a week in Boquer Valley waiting for Godot)

Griffon Vulture - (1) Lluc, (2) Cuber.R

Egyptian Vulture - (1) Lluc, (2) Cuber.R

Stone Curlew - Albufera

Sub-Alpine Warbler - ?

Roller - Can Cuarassa, Son Bosc and Depuradora

Alpine Swift?

Flamingos - too late?

Bonelli’s Eagle -Mortitx

Scops Owl -?

Collared Pratincole -?

Little Bittern: Tucan Marsh (Maristany)

Waxbill -?

Cory's Shearwater?

My son's list of creepy crawlies:

- Mediterranean Tarantula
- Gecko (any)
- Scorpion (any)
- Horseshoe Whip Snake (any snake will do)
- Turtles (any)
- Mantis

Plus anything that can bite, sting and scare.

Did I miss anything interesting?

Best wishes

Bernard
 
Hi Bernard.
I can answer some of your questions:
Black and Griffon vultures can be seen at Mortitx, Cúber and Lluc. Lluc has given me the best views recently but all these places are good.
Egyptian vultures have been around Bóquer and Albufereta this year. People on site will be able to help you as they have been seen feeding nearby.
Stone Curlew can be seen at Albufera on the reserve and the fields around the depuradora.
Most Sub-Alpine warblers will have moved through by now but they do breed. A good site is around the scrubby edges of Cúber. They may well be Moltoni’s warblers though.
You may well get lucky with a Roller. Quite good numbers have been seen this year. Can Cullerassa is by far the best site.
Alpine Swift can be seen around the Castell de Santueri, Felantix.
Flamingoes, some stay the whole year and can be seen at Albufera or better still, the salt pans in the south. There are about 70 birds there at the moment.
Bonelli’s eagles. Mortitx.
Scops owl. Best to ask around. The depuradora at dusk is a good place.
Collared Pratincoles will have mostly gone but you may get lucky around Albufera. One was seen yesterday.
Little Bittern can be seen best at Albufera.
Waxbills at s’amarador.
Both Balearic and Scopoli’s shearwaters can be seen off the east coast. Evenings are best. Hundreds return to Cabrera. Porto Colom good as is my local lighthouse! Formentor will also be ok but not nearly as good.
I dont know too much about insect life. If you post photos on here there are people who will help.
Good luck and do let us know what you see.
Mike
 
I will be in Alcudia from Tuesday (21st) with my son (8yrs).

My son's list of creepy crawlies:

- Mediterranean Tarantula
- Gecko (any)
- Scorpion (any)
- Horseshoe Whip Snake (any snake will do)
- Turtles (any)
- Mantis

Plus anything that can bite, sting and scare.

Did I miss anything interesting?

Best wishes

Bernard

I'm not sure if the Mediterranean Tarantula (Lycosa tarantula) occurs in the Balearic Islands. There are, however, several large and spectacular spiders, all of which can be seen in s'Albufera. They are three species of the genus Argiope: bruennichi, lobata and trifasciata.

There are two species of gecko on the Island and they seem to be well distributed. Lights on buildings are often good places to look, as are the dry stone walls.

I've only ever seen one scorpion on Mallorca, probably Euscorpius balearicus an endemic, and it was rather small. Under rocks in wooded areas are places to look.

Horseshoe Whip snake is an accidental introduction. I believe the area around Capdepera has a population, along with another introduction, the Ladder snake.

Turtles - probably the best place is Son Real for Hermann's Tortoise. If you include terrapins, then you could see two species in s'Albufera: the introduced Red-eared Slider and the European Pond terrapin (although the latter is rather under threat). You used to be able to see both from the bridge over main canal in s'Albufera.

Mantises - several species occur. I've trapped most at light while looking for moths but have seen others by day in s'Albufera and Es Comu dunes (between s'Albufera and the sea) but do stay on the official paths and enter from either end, not the main road.

There are plenty of large moths that scare some people.

Mike's final comments apply here too.

Hope this helps.

Martin
 
Early morning to look for Roller and Barn owl and egyptian vultures, but no luck on any of them.

Balearic shearwaters seen at cala San Vicenc.
Yesterday red footed falcons 6 or 7 outside Maria de salut.
 
Heading out to Mallorca tomorrow morning and my wife and I are staying in a villa along the Marc valley, west of Pollensa, near to where we stayed three years earlier.

We had a fantastic week three years ago with a number of Eleonora's Falcons feeding above the villa, as mentioned on my blog http://www.randonsramblings.com/2016/07/eleonoras-falcon-spectacle-mallorca.html

So I'm hoping for another enjoyable visit. Relaxation is the priority as the valley is such a lovely spot, and we may not feel the need to travel anywhere much, but plan another visit to the Boquer Valley, the Formentor peninsula and possibly the Albufera area.

Target birds are Wryneck (didn't see any last time), Bonelli's Eagle, as well as any passing migrants, notably Bee-eater, Golden Oriole and Roller. I will keep you posted!

Neil
 
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