ESTEBANNIC
Well-known member
Quite correct Martin! Also, just to let everyone know, this little guide is also available in English
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Mallorca 2019 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mike Montier
- Start date
Quite correct Martin! Also, just to let everyone know, this little guide is also available in English
Maties Rebassa
Well-known member
From my office in s'Albufera I can't see any bird, but I hear them quite often (if I open the window). These days I've heard some times siskins flying over, so they have arrived!
I can read that some of you has seen Willow Warblers. That's very strange, I've never seen one in winter in Mallorca (at least before March). Could they be Chiff chaffs?
Best wishes,
I can read that some of you has seen Willow Warblers. That's very strange, I've never seen one in winter in Mallorca (at least before March). Could they be Chiff chaffs?
Best wishes,
Mike Montier
Well-known member
I’m sure Mike will confirm Chiff-chaff later Maties. He is out at Prat de Sant Jordi not seeing the Jack Snipe.
Mike, Stew and I are coming to Albufera Saturday in search of year ticks and will look out for Siskins. We will also be going to Son Real soon which is a good site for that species.
Mike
Mike, Stew and I are coming to Albufera Saturday in search of year ticks and will look out for Siskins. We will also be going to Son Real soon which is a good site for that species.
Mike
Geordie Dave
Well-known member
Belated best wishes for 2019, here's to health, happiness and great birding. Many thanks to Mike Montier for running and managing this forum and to all who read and contribute to it. I made my first visit to Mallorca in April 2018 and managed a total of 5 visits in the year. I had a total of 132 species (including red flanked bluetail!), nothing to trouble the scorers in the Big Year competition but a decent start and I was delighted to build up a list of around 12 sites that I am getting to know and visit. We are in the process of buying a property in Port de Pollenca and return on 14 January for a week. With only a couple of hours of paperwork to deal with I am looking forward to getting out and about for the rest of the 7 days. I find this site an invaluable source of information as to what is being seen and where but also an interesting read in its own right as I try to build up my knowledge of this beautiful island. Keep up the good work!!
Regards
David
Regards
David
StewB
Well-known member
We arrived mid-afternoon yesterday (Wednesday), and we’re greeted with a small group of lapwing from the plane window as we landed. We had red kites, hoopoes and crag martins on the drive up from the airport.
Today I dropped Mrs B off in Inca for the market and headed for Bassa de Can Guidet, hoping to add black-necked grebe to my Mallorca list. As everyone says, it’s hard to find, but the directions in Gosney’s book got me there eventually. Viewing is quite restricted, but in one sweep I had 21 BNGs. On the water were lots of shovellers and mallards, many pochards and single shelduck and tufted duck. Lots of coot too. In the weedy fields behind the viewing spot there were house sparrows, goldfinches and green finches, which were joined by small groups of serins and 12+ tree sparrows. Black redstarts, robins, song thrushes were here, as they seemed to be at every site today.
After lunch I had an afternoon mooching around the Albufereta, C’an Cuarassa and La Gola. From the hide at the Albufereta there was a sandwich tern, 9+ greenshank and a spotted redshank, with a great white egret on the main pools. I had four close fly-by spotless starlings at C’an Cuarassa, and a juv night heron at LaGola. The breakwaters off Puerto Pollenca held only two adult Audouin’s gulls - clinging on in the high winds!
I decided to go to the Mirador d’Albercutx to see if anything was happening over the sea. However, it was so windy I could hardly stand up, so I left pretty much immediately. As I got back to the car there was an Alpine accentor bumbling about the car park! I stood still and it came to within about 2m - the attached photo is uncropped!
On the way back to the apartment I dropped in to Postage Stamp Wood. It was heaving with robins, but also a couple of blackcaps, song thrushes, firecrests and a dunnock (this last, an addition to my Mallorca list).
Stew
Today I dropped Mrs B off in Inca for the market and headed for Bassa de Can Guidet, hoping to add black-necked grebe to my Mallorca list. As everyone says, it’s hard to find, but the directions in Gosney’s book got me there eventually. Viewing is quite restricted, but in one sweep I had 21 BNGs. On the water were lots of shovellers and mallards, many pochards and single shelduck and tufted duck. Lots of coot too. In the weedy fields behind the viewing spot there were house sparrows, goldfinches and green finches, which were joined by small groups of serins and 12+ tree sparrows. Black redstarts, robins, song thrushes were here, as they seemed to be at every site today.
After lunch I had an afternoon mooching around the Albufereta, C’an Cuarassa and La Gola. From the hide at the Albufereta there was a sandwich tern, 9+ greenshank and a spotted redshank, with a great white egret on the main pools. I had four close fly-by spotless starlings at C’an Cuarassa, and a juv night heron at LaGola. The breakwaters off Puerto Pollenca held only two adult Audouin’s gulls - clinging on in the high winds!
I decided to go to the Mirador d’Albercutx to see if anything was happening over the sea. However, it was so windy I could hardly stand up, so I left pretty much immediately. As I got back to the car there was an Alpine accentor bumbling about the car park! I stood still and it came to within about 2m - the attached photo is uncropped!
On the way back to the apartment I dropped in to Postage Stamp Wood. It was heaving with robins, but also a couple of blackcaps, song thrushes, firecrests and a dunnock (this last, an addition to my Mallorca list).
Stew
Attachments
Mike Montier
Well-known member
Well done Stew, that’s an impressive start! Quite a few of your target birds now firmly on your list. We will now have to aim higher and look for some other species although I need most of those for my year list.
No other news today yet, Mike
Ps brilliant shot of the Accentor.
No other news today yet, Mike
Ps brilliant shot of the Accentor.
Today at Albufera. I viewed the large wetland area from the road behind the main Alcudia road. There were 3 G.W. Egrets, Flamingo,2 Sandwich terns ,Osprey and 135 Wigeon.
Later at S’Amardor behind the dog house . Wood and Green sandpiper, 3 Common snipe , Bluethroat , Moustached warbler , Water pipit , Chiffchaff,White wagtail ,Marsh harrier , Kestrel ,Little egret and 4 Lapwing
Later at S’Amardor behind the dog house . Wood and Green sandpiper, 3 Common snipe , Bluethroat , Moustached warbler , Water pipit , Chiffchaff,White wagtail ,Marsh harrier , Kestrel ,Little egret and 4 Lapwing
Mcnswiss2
Well-known member
Taking folks to the airport gave the opportunity to visit Garden City and the Jack Snipe site at Prat de Sant Jordi.
Birds seen included Red Kite, Auduoins Gulls, YL Gulls, Chiffchaff and Serins ( sigh..old age ), Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Water Pipits, Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails, Reed Bunting, Sandwich Terns, Cattle Egret, Shags and Cormorant.
No sign of the Jack Snipe..water levels very low. No sign of the Turnstones at Garden City.
Birds seen included Red Kite, Auduoins Gulls, YL Gulls, Chiffchaff and Serins ( sigh..old age ), Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Water Pipits, Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails, Reed Bunting, Sandwich Terns, Cattle Egret, Shags and Cormorant.
No sign of the Jack Snipe..water levels very low. No sign of the Turnstones at Garden City.
StewB
Well-known member
A long day in the field started with a brief visit to Maristany en route to Son Real. With most wildfowl tucked against the far bank out of the wind, a group of four tufted duck were about the best of it at Maristany. Son Real was a bit disappointing too - the high wind, whilst not the hoolie that was blowing yesterday, was keeping passerines low and quiet. Crossbills were in evidence though, with c12 in trees around the hide and smaller groups flying over calling elsewhere. A dunnock near the picnic tables on trail 3 was a highlight for me. Five thekla larks were picking through debris on the shore, and round the corner from the offshore rocks the beach was alive with waders. Mainly Kentish plovers(certainly over 200), there were also 11 dunlin (sleeping on the rocks), four turnstones and a single ringed plover. Again, there were lots of song thrushes, robins and black redstarts.
A brief visit to Son Bosc and the Depuradora provided green sands, common sand and water pipits (2). I followed up Kevin’s information from yesterday and had wood sand, water pipit and reed bunting at S’Amarador.
I finished with a visit to the tower at the Albufereta. After a series of blustery showers had gone through the wind dropped away at last - and it was quite pleasant without the risk of being blown out of my socks! Highlight here was the group of flamingos on the far pools. Some birds were obscured, but I counted a minimum of 24. Also here were 3 great white egrets, a grey wagtail and a stone curlew ( in the corner of the field behind and west of the tower). When the wind dropped, crag martin numbers seemed to increase and for a while there were lots of birds around the tower, many at eye level.
Stew
A brief visit to Son Bosc and the Depuradora provided green sands, common sand and water pipits (2). I followed up Kevin’s information from yesterday and had wood sand, water pipit and reed bunting at S’Amarador.
I finished with a visit to the tower at the Albufereta. After a series of blustery showers had gone through the wind dropped away at last - and it was quite pleasant without the risk of being blown out of my socks! Highlight here was the group of flamingos on the far pools. Some birds were obscured, but I counted a minimum of 24. Also here were 3 great white egrets, a grey wagtail and a stone curlew ( in the corner of the field behind and west of the tower). When the wind dropped, crag martin numbers seemed to increase and for a while there were lots of birds around the tower, many at eye level.
Stew
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Mcnswiss2
Well-known member
A short visit around Pollensa, including a walk up to the entrance of Ternelles Valley. The situation for visiting the Valley seems to have changed yet again
http://www.ajpollenca.net/visites-ternelles
http://www.fvsm.eu/visitas-ternelles/
Birds seen on this Breezy and cold day included:
Black Vultures(6), Booted Eagles, Kestrels, Red Kite, Goldfinches, Serins, Chaffinches, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Cirl, Bunting, Wren, Meadow Pipit, Gray Wagtail.
Interesting number of male Black Redstart. Do they arrive after the females?
Mike
http://www.ajpollenca.net/visites-ternelles
http://www.fvsm.eu/visitas-ternelles/
Birds seen on this Breezy and cold day included:
Black Vultures(6), Booted Eagles, Kestrels, Red Kite, Goldfinches, Serins, Chaffinches, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Cirl, Bunting, Wren, Meadow Pipit, Gray Wagtail.
Interesting number of male Black Redstart. Do they arrive after the females?
Mike
Mike Montier
Well-known member
A very cold walk along the front from the aquarium towards Palma produced only mixed Gulls, Shags, Sandwich terns and Turnstones.
After the recent weather, at times nudging 20 degrees, it was a bit of a shock to have to deal with such a biting wind.
Albufera tomorrow so I’m glad the wind has dropped.
Mike
After the recent weather, at times nudging 20 degrees, it was a bit of a shock to have to deal with such a biting wind.
Albufera tomorrow so I’m glad the wind has dropped.
Mike
StewB
Well-known member
A cracking day’s birding around S’Albufera in the company of the Mikes - Montier and MCS, and Mrs M too.
16 night herons roosting along the bank opposite the entrance track were a good start, 2 ospreys were over the reedbeds and later one was with a fish from Es Cibollar. We had two flight views of a juvenile little bittern near the mound, a marbled duck flew along the main canal and a moustached warbler was grubbing around reed bases from the Ses Pardes hide. Purple gallinules, red-knobbed coots and avocets were part of the supporting cast.
We moved on to Son Bosc, where a stunning male hen harrier over the cultivated fields caused a measure of jubilation, and a bluethroat from the viewing platform at the Depuradora was likewise celebrated!
At S’Amarodor we had two more bluethroats, a male reed bunting, moustached warbler, water pipit and wood sand. Most surprising was a little ringed plover - most unseasonal!
As we were about to leave at around 5.40 starlings began to appear. Amazing numbers we’re heading for the Depuradora area of the reserve - cloud upon cloud merging and dropping straight in. This continued for 15 - 20 minutes, numbers impossible to count, but one of the most spectacular sights we had ever seen!
As we turned back onto the main road a barn owl was hunting over the roadside fields - a fine ending.
Having dropped Mike McS at the S’Albufera, as we approached the “English Bridge” a spoonbill flew over the road into the reserve.
Stew
16 night herons roosting along the bank opposite the entrance track were a good start, 2 ospreys were over the reedbeds and later one was with a fish from Es Cibollar. We had two flight views of a juvenile little bittern near the mound, a marbled duck flew along the main canal and a moustached warbler was grubbing around reed bases from the Ses Pardes hide. Purple gallinules, red-knobbed coots and avocets were part of the supporting cast.
We moved on to Son Bosc, where a stunning male hen harrier over the cultivated fields caused a measure of jubilation, and a bluethroat from the viewing platform at the Depuradora was likewise celebrated!
At S’Amarodor we had two more bluethroats, a male reed bunting, moustached warbler, water pipit and wood sand. Most surprising was a little ringed plover - most unseasonal!
As we were about to leave at around 5.40 starlings began to appear. Amazing numbers we’re heading for the Depuradora area of the reserve - cloud upon cloud merging and dropping straight in. This continued for 15 - 20 minutes, numbers impossible to count, but one of the most spectacular sights we had ever seen!
As we turned back onto the main road a barn owl was hunting over the roadside fields - a fine ending.
Having dropped Mike McS at the S’Albufera, as we approached the “English Bridge” a spoonbill flew over the road into the reserve.
Stew
Attachments
Mike Montier
Well-known member
Thank you both, I’m still buzzing from it all. Even Mrs. M said how much she enjoyed it. That’s a first..
Mike
Mike
Mcnswiss2
Well-known member
I forgot it was Sunday..cyclists, buses, motorcyclist gangs, cars, people....but Mirador at Formentor and Bocquer Valley still delivered.
Birds seen included: Alpine Accentor, Blue Rock Thrush, Balearic Warblers, Sardinian Warblers, Song Thrush, Booted Eagles, Kestrels, Hoopoe, Black Redstarts.
Birds seen included: Alpine Accentor, Blue Rock Thrush, Balearic Warblers, Sardinian Warblers, Song Thrush, Booted Eagles, Kestrels, Hoopoe, Black Redstarts.
Attachments
StewB
Well-known member
A good day’s birding with Mike M in the lovely valley behind the monastery at Lluc (only open on Sundays apparently).
A bit of a raptor fest - at one point we had a total of 15 griffon vultures fly past, with what were probably other small groups appearing with some regularity above the ridges around us. We had c10 black vultures, 3 booted eagles (including a fabulous displaying bird swooping and diving and calling), 3 red kites, 2 peregrines, and several kestrels. Ravens were kronking away along the sheer faces.
Along the valley floor we had quite a lot of chaffinches, accompanied by 4+ cirl buntings, black redstarts and loads of robins and song thrushes. 2 grey wagtails were along the stream.
As we approached the end of the walk back up the valley slope we disturbed a redwing, which flew across the track calling. Almost immediately a second redwing flew up from the same place and into the trees, where it perched briefly before disappearing. A great addition to my Mallorca list!
As we left the track two crossbills were perched in a bare tree.
On the drive back through the Tramuntanas to Puerto Pollenca we had more black and griffon vultures and a blue rock thrush.
Stew
A bit of a raptor fest - at one point we had a total of 15 griffon vultures fly past, with what were probably other small groups appearing with some regularity above the ridges around us. We had c10 black vultures, 3 booted eagles (including a fabulous displaying bird swooping and diving and calling), 3 red kites, 2 peregrines, and several kestrels. Ravens were kronking away along the sheer faces.
Along the valley floor we had quite a lot of chaffinches, accompanied by 4+ cirl buntings, black redstarts and loads of robins and song thrushes. 2 grey wagtails were along the stream.
As we approached the end of the walk back up the valley slope we disturbed a redwing, which flew across the track calling. Almost immediately a second redwing flew up from the same place and into the trees, where it perched briefly before disappearing. A great addition to my Mallorca list!
As we left the track two crossbills were perched in a bare tree.
On the drive back through the Tramuntanas to Puerto Pollenca we had more black and griffon vultures and a blue rock thrush.
Stew
Attachments
StewB
Well-known member
Mrs B accompanied me on a walk down the Bocquer Valley first thing this morning. There seemed to have been an arrival of black redstarts- the field near the roundabout was covered in them, with more along the valley and a real concentration of them at the seaward end. The field also had a skylark flying around.
On the way down the valley, apart from the black redstarts and smaller numbers of robins and song thrushes things were pretty quiet - perhaps because there was a brisk wind blowing down the valley. At the far end where the top of the slope provided some shelter I eventually got some good views of two Balearic warblers. On the way out there were two ravens, two blue rock thrushes and two booted eagles.
After lunch we drove out to Formentor beach, where a search of the pines behind the beach produced several firecrests and a lot of crossbill activity.
I finished the day with a brief drive round the backroads (parking is becoming ever more difficult). The field at the start of the Llenaire road was carpeted with black redstarts, and also produced four more skylarks. A thekla lark was marching down the road just before it reached the bay. At C’an Cuarassa an osprey was perched on a pylon dismembering a fish. At the far end of the C’an Cuarassa track there were three more thekla larks and a singing corn bunting.
On the way back to Puerto Pollenca three sandwich terns were patrolling the shore, and half a dozen shags were on the offshore breakwaters. Two more shags were in the water and an adult Audoin’s gull flew over.
Stew
On the way down the valley, apart from the black redstarts and smaller numbers of robins and song thrushes things were pretty quiet - perhaps because there was a brisk wind blowing down the valley. At the far end where the top of the slope provided some shelter I eventually got some good views of two Balearic warblers. On the way out there were two ravens, two blue rock thrushes and two booted eagles.
After lunch we drove out to Formentor beach, where a search of the pines behind the beach produced several firecrests and a lot of crossbill activity.
I finished the day with a brief drive round the backroads (parking is becoming ever more difficult). The field at the start of the Llenaire road was carpeted with black redstarts, and also produced four more skylarks. A thekla lark was marching down the road just before it reached the bay. At C’an Cuarassa an osprey was perched on a pylon dismembering a fish. At the far end of the C’an Cuarassa track there were three more thekla larks and a singing corn bunting.
On the way back to Puerto Pollenca three sandwich terns were patrolling the shore, and half a dozen shags were on the offshore breakwaters. Two more shags were in the water and an adult Audoin’s gull flew over.
Stew
Attachments
Mcnswiss2
Well-known member
A wonderful warm day. A visit to the Salt pans at Ses Salines.
Birds seen included: Booted Eagle (4); Marsh Harrier(3); Red Kites(2); Osprey(2); Kestrels(3); Flamingos(21); Spoonbill; Blackwinged Stilts; Greenshank; Redshank; Dunlin; Little Stint; Kentish Plover; Ringed Plover ( one tagged); Shelducks; Gannets (at Lighthouse Colonia St. Jordi); Black Redstart; Song Thrushes;Skylark; Stonechats; Cattle Egrets; Great White Egrets; Greenfinch; Chaffinch; Chiffchaff; Goldfinch; Serins; Water pipits; Hoopoe; Water Rails.
I think that the photo is of the Grey Plover as bill is thick..I leave it to the experts
And the raptor is interesting
Any help?
Cheers
Mike
Birds seen included: Booted Eagle (4); Marsh Harrier(3); Red Kites(2); Osprey(2); Kestrels(3); Flamingos(21); Spoonbill; Blackwinged Stilts; Greenshank; Redshank; Dunlin; Little Stint; Kentish Plover; Ringed Plover ( one tagged); Shelducks; Gannets (at Lighthouse Colonia St. Jordi); Black Redstart; Song Thrushes;Skylark; Stonechats; Cattle Egrets; Great White Egrets; Greenfinch; Chaffinch; Chiffchaff; Goldfinch; Serins; Water pipits; Hoopoe; Water Rails.
I think that the photo is of the Grey Plover as bill is thick..I leave it to the experts
And the raptor is interesting
Any help?
Cheers
Mike
