Mallorca 2020 (2 Viewers)

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 12, 2020

Early Sunday Morning visit to S’Albufera. Few people around. All hides open but restricted to 3 people at a time.
Very hot in the park, and the number of birds were low, however there were several highlights.
An amazing Roost of Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Great Egrets. The noise was deafening!
In addition, 41 Glossy Ibis were enjoying the good weather.

Other birds seen included: Night Herons, Purple Herons, Marsh Harriers, Nightingale, Cetti Warblers, Fan tailed Warblers, Great Reed Warblers, Purple Swamphen, WaterRails, Red knobbed Coots, Blackwinged Stilt, Common Tern, Stone Curlew, and Spotted Flycatcher (Of Course).

timsg80 · Jul 12, 2020

It's great to hear you've made it to the island Swiss Mike!

I've just arrived in New Zealand now after the surreal experience of crossing the world from Mallorca during the middle of the pandemic. I've got two weeks in a managed quarantine facility now, so I'm looking forward to following the sightings in Mallorca! So far I've only seen House Sparrow, Song Thrush, Blackbird and Common Starling here, I feel like I'm in my Mallorcan garden in winter, minus the Vultures

Thanks to everyone from the Mallorcan birding community (especially Josep and Mike) for all your advice about where to find some of the Mallorcan specialities over the past few months! And for some great mornings at Albercutx. I can't wait to be back as soon as I can and I'm looking forward to hearing about what birds get found (perhaps with some envy

) as autumn migration approaches!

Mike Montier · Jul 13, 2020

Hi Gregor
Glad you made it back home safely.
Lockdown here in Mallorca was a time we will never forget that’s for sure and I know your name will be mentioned many times in the future, you were a big part of the birding scene here during that time.
Keep safe and stay in touch!
Next time you are over we will arrange to meet.
All the best, Mike

Mike Montier · Jul 13, 2020

Lots of fun and laughter up in the mountains today with Mike, Jane and Philip at Cúber reservoir.
Many interesting things to see, vultures, frogs, Dragonflies and very few people.
Mike has some photos which I hope he posts.
The sense of freedom up there was amazing, we are still feeling somewhat restricted by the use of masks the whole time but it really is essential and I applaud Spain for the way they have handled the whole situation.
Mike

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 13, 2020

Thanks Guys. Excellent visit.
Just read in the Mallorca Bulletin that you do NOT have to wear masks in the countryside!
Why did you not read this earler??
Not great photos today, I was just in awe of the mountain scenery!
No sign of the Rufous Rock Thrush nor Moltoni’s Warbler.
A total of 3 Black Vultures and 5 Griffon Vultures (including a strange white coloured one)were seen.
Other birds seen included Spotted Flycatchers, Ravens, Red and Black Kites, Booted Eagles, Crag Martins, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting, and Firecrest.
A great trip with good friends. Excellent Cake Phil!

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 14, 2020

Early morning local visits to Bocquer Valley and Calla San Vincente.
Very Quiet for birds but pleasant walks.
Birds seen included: Booted Eagles, Ravens, Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, Crag Martins, Common Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush, Serins, Goldfinches, Spotted Flycatchers, Sardinian Warbler and Balearic Warbler (heard).
The best experience was a Peregrine hunting some 2 Metres above us in Bocquer Valley. The bird then headed for its nest and the sound of a young family were heard.
Time was made for Coffee and Cake at the Llenaire Hotel.

Geordie Dave · Jul 14, 2020

Arrived back from Newcastle at lunchtime today. Flight almost full but airport very quiet. Arrivals at Palma was very quick and efficient. Having submitted the online form 48 hours before travelling and obtaining QR registration made it very easy at this end. I’ve never been in Mallorca in July before and It is interesting see how they are dealing with things. Port De Pollenca quiet but plenty of places open. Roads are very quiet and precious few cyclists around means it should be easy to travel around the island. I haven’t been back since Lockdown started in mid March and don’t expect to see big numbers of birds, all the same it is good to be back. Planning on early starts for most of the next fortnight and looking forward to catching up with some birding friends. It was good to see Mike Swiss and Susan tonight and to spend a couple of hours at the beach bars before they head home tomorrow. Here’s to an interesting 2 weeks

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 15, 2020

Last Morning visit to the fields around Campanet.
Birds seen included Booted Eagle, Ravens, Stonechats, Cattle Egrets( should be called sheep Egrets), Swifts, Barn Swallows, Sardinian Warblers, Black caps, Cirl Buntings, and my first Woodchat Shrike of the year.
Time for reflection in the Coves Cafe with a good strong coffee.
Great time to revisit; to see old friends and enjoy the Island warmth again.
In one week I saw around 80 bird species, and around 10 species of butterflies.
My bird of the trip was.........The Spotted Flycatcher!
Every morning the bird was singing and calling outside my window, and watching them feed their youngsters was a great pleasure.
Thanks to all for keeping the forum and nature going.
Keep Safe. See you soon.

Geordie Dave · Jul 15, 2020

Decided on an easy first day back and to stay around Pollenca Bay for the morning with visits to Llenaire fields by the roundabout, Can Cuarassa and the lanes, the scrape behind Port Blue Hotel, Albufereta and a final stop at Maristany. Having left Newcastle at 12° and raining it was nice to have 28° and a gentle cooling breeze off the sea. Fairly quiet for birds but highlights were 7-8 separate sightings of purple heron including a very low and very slow fly past at Can Cuarrassa and 2 at Albufereta and a little bittern at Maristany. 40+ species in the day and just great to return

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 15, 2020

Bird of the week

Geordie Dave · Jul 16, 2020

An early morning trip to Albercutx and the Mirador was hampered by grey, overcast skies and light rain. The fact there were no birds about brought to mind a trip with Mike M and Kevin at the beginning of May last year when we also saw almost nothing in 6 hours. By around 9.30 the sun broke through and I was rewarded with views of eleanoras falcons hunting over the cliffs and the sea at the mouth of the Boquer Valley seen from the mirador. A great way to finish the morning before heading back to Port de Pollenca for coffee

Geordie Dave · Jul 17, 2020

A really good day out today, met just after 8am at Depuradora and finished around 4pm at Albufera. 26° all day, good craic, pies and lemon cake with Mike M, Kevin and Phil; what’s not to like. Score keeper Phil says 58 species in the day, not bad for this time of year in told. Started off with Squacco heron, 20+ avocets, spotless starlings, yellow wagtail, lots of glossy ibis and the odd marsh harrier. Moved on to Albufera where birds 49, 50 and 51 were gull billed tern (2), Osprey and little tern. In between we saw bee eater, woodchat shrike, nightingale, little bittern, Reed warbler, great reed warbler and stone curlew. In all 200+ cattle egret, 50+ glossy ibis, night heron; 7-8 sightings of Squacco and 3-4 of little bittern. I rounded off the day with a pint at Port de Pollenca. A good day!!

Mcnswiss2 · Jul 17, 2020

Brill..A great day!

Mike Montier · Jul 17, 2020

Thanks to my fellow Brits for a fabulous day.
The Little Tern was a surprise so it gets bird of the day for me but there were lots of other highlights, Spotless starlings, lovely close-ups of breeding Cattle Egrets, Squacco are always nice and as you say David, it was a good craic.
Mike

Geordie Dave · Jul 18, 2020

A quiet morning at Son Bosc where I managed to find a bee eater and a woodchat shrike. Never more than 2 bee eaters on the wires. On to Depuradora, S’Amarador and Cami des Polls. A few Squacco heron about, several stone curlew and a very noisy great reed warbler. A peaceful Saturday morning on the fringes of Albufera.

Geordie Dave · Jul 18, 2020

Squacco from Depuradora yesterday

J Moss · Jul 18, 2020

Some good news from Mallorca this summer, as we can confirm for the first time that Lesser Kestrels have bred successfully on the island! I've copied the short summary of events here below, which we have shared with the various ornithological groups on the island. I've translated it underneath to make things easier.

"A mediados de junio Miquel Vallespir, Maties Rebassa y Jason Moss encontraron una pequeña colonia (2 nidos) de cernícalos primilla en Mallorca. Durante 1 mes se ha seguido la evolución de esa colonia. En estos momentos los pollos ya vuelan y parecen encontrarse a salvo. Se ha optado por no dar la ubicación de la colonia por motivos de conservación, pues se encuentra en un lugar muy delicado. Se confirma, pues, por primera vez, la reproducción documentada de F.naumanni en Baleares."

In the middle of June Miquel Vallespir, Maties Rebassa and Jason Moss found a small colony (two nests) of Lesser Kestrel in Mallorca. They spent the next month observing the evolution of the colony. The chicks are now flying and it appears that they should go on to do well. It has been decided not to share the exact location of the nest site, for the sake of its conservation; the site is rather delicately placed. Thus we can confirm, for the first time, the fully documented breeding of Lesser Kestrel on the Balearic Islands.

Mike Montier · Jul 18, 2020

Thank you for sharing this great news Jason and I’m sure we all appreciate the need to keep the location private.
I have seen a few Lesser kestrels around lately so I did wonder.
I just hope that Lesser kestrels continue to breed here in Mallorca in future years, they are a great addition to the breeding birds of the Island.
Mike

Geordie Dave · Jul 20, 2020

A group outing of a few British birder friends this morning to Salobrar to Campos and the Es trenc road produced several hundred avocets (400+) and close to 100 flamingo but not much else other than 1 temmincks stint and a barnacle goose. After a couple of hours we moved on to Santueri Felanitx and saw alpine, common and pallid swift and house martins. 2 of us finished off at Albufereta with purple and grey heron and a single wood sandpiper. Less than 30 species in the day, very hot, good company and a lot of fun. Exactly how it should be!

Geordie Dave · Jul 21, 2020

Walked through the woods at Cala san Vicenc this morning and up the first part of the Fishermen’s Track. Spotted flycatchers everywhere including adults feeding young. A raven, 3 kestrels and several views of Eleanoras falcons where the only things of note. I had hoped to see vultures but none about

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