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

Mallorca 2018 (1 Viewer)

Hi Mike
Back again and soooopleased to be here
Short trip to Maristany and La Victoria
200 Crag Martins, 40 goldfinches, Pochards, Shoverlers, Little Grebe, Chiffchaffs, Coots, Crossbills, Firecrests, Great tits, Yellow legged and black headed Gulls, Green Sandpiper.
No Dunnocks yet!
See you on Saturday
Mike
 
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Afternoon visit to S’Albuferata.

Birds seen included: Wigeon, Shovellers, Gadwall, Shellduck, Great and Little Egret, Black Winged Stilts, Greenshank, Kentish Plovers, Snipe, Marsh Harriers, Kestrels, Corn Bunting, Fantailed Warblers, Goldfinches, Crag Martins.

Also seen were 50 Flamingos..in the pink. Very good condition..lets hope they bred here!
 
A brief visit to the salt pans at Salobrar de Campos this morning.
A bit quiet but I didn’t have time to wade down Eddie’s track which is by far the best place to be.
Some wintering Avocets were nice as there were none at this site last winter, a few Flamingoes, lots of Lapwing and Marsh Harrier seemed to be everywhere I looked including a male and female getting rather frisky, always a delight to watch as they “food pass”. Mike
 
A windy walk around my local patch of Mondrago was delightful with fields full of Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Serin and Linnets.
Crossbills were showing well with a few brick-red males in song in the company of two or three females. They are early breeders I believe. Crossbills are very common here but I often only see them “chipping” around the tree tops so it was a real treat to get prolonged views close up.
A couple of Wrynecks were also present but not singing yet. They will soon be very vocal.
The fields are covered in a variety of yellow flowers making quite a picture in the late afternoon sun.
Mike
 
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Up to the Mirador at Formentor. No sign of alpine accentors yet. 2 Blue Rock Thrushes, Raven, Stonechats, Sardinian Warblers, Robins, and Black Redstarts. 4 Balearic Warblers heard and seen.
 
Sorry to be rather late in wishing Mike et al a happy new year. Unfortunately, for the first time in 17 years I will not be coming to Mallorca at Easter- a combination of my wife's chronic illnesses and my sons being to old for a seaside type holiday, I am afraid. However, I shall still be avidly reading the forum to find out what is going on this year. Regards- Hugh Matthews
 
Sorry to hear that Hugh. I do hope things improve for you and your wife and that we will see you back here in the future. All the best, Mike

The annual count of wildfowl and waders took place today at Albufera and if the organizers don’t mind me posting the highlights, I will do this in the next couple of days. I do know one Great Bittern was seen, a bird that I and many others have never seen here in Mallorca. I would be very interested to hear if anyone has ever seen one here! Mike
 
Thanks Mike and Kevin for a great day out in S’Albufera. Great weather, Great Birds and even Great Company.

Best bird for me was the peregrine with its wader catch.Sorry to miss the Merlin but I did find the Sanderling.

Marble ducks showed well. Two sightings of Little Bittern.

Great memories.

Mike

Thanks again.
 
Thank Mike, it was a great day out. The pies were good too.
I said I would give details of the winter count at Albufera but rather than list them all, I will give a link to the results when they are posted.
Most numerous ducks were Teal and Shoveler.
There were 19 Marbled duck and Little, Black-necked and Great crested grebes.
Just one Glossy Ibis and one Great Bittern.
Cattle, Little and Great egrets.
50 Night Heron and surprisingly, 25 Little Bittern. I thought only a few overwintered but clearly more now stay all year.
Pintail and Wigeon were also present.
I did feel bad that I didn’t join all the volunteers so I will make sure I attend next year. Thanks go to all those who did turn up.
I did attend the bird count at my local patch in Mondrago soon after I arrrived in Mallorca many years ago. I stood in the company of a local woman, staring at the same stretch of water with not a bird in sight for three hours, unable to speak a word of Spanish. It was painful. Hopefully, I will do better next time.
Mike
 
Sunday walk in Lluc..the valley aubarca is open on every Sunday. Great walk among the olives, oak trees and Almond trees.
So many Robins and Chaffinches..the Valley rings out to the songs..You would think it's Spring.
Birds seen included Griffin Vultures (7 - 10), distant views of Black Vulture and two Ravens, Two booted eagles and single Red Kite. Song thrushes around as well as usual warblers and goldfinches. Just for you Mike also saw Dunnock..2 good views. Such a common bird.
 
Yes, a bit depressing Martin. I had no idea things like this went on in Mallorca.
At least they got nicked and will hopefully be dealt with harshly. I sincerely hope so.
Mike
 
Midday walk up Bocquer Valley.
Nice day and wonderful scenary.
Birds seen included Black Redstarts, Stonechats, Sardinian Warblers, Robins as well as Linnets, Blue Rock Thrushes, Ravens and Balearic Warblers(3). No Booted Eagles seen today.

No sign of Cirl Buntings, Wryneck or Alpine Accentors.
 
For the last 3 years I've been purchasing the English downloads of the excellent annual Balearic Bird Report (really good value for the 5 Euro donation per copy). Does anyone know how to submit records to the publication? The report mentions a pro-forma available via the GOB website, but I can't find it there ('though my Spanish is very poor, so there's every chance I've missed it). I have a small number of records (including photographs) that may add to some of the species reports, so it would be nice to submit them.

Stew
 
Yesterday from the hide at Son Real lots of Hawfinches, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Hoopoe, Song thrush, Great tit, wood pigeon, Blackcap and R.L.partridge. From the beach there, Thekla lark, Meadow pipit, Kentish plover and Sardinian Warbler.
Today I had a nice afternoon walk around Mortix. Sadly no raptors showed but l saw Bramblings among the Chaffinches. Also good numbers of Siskin as well as all the more common finches. Song thrushes ,Robins and Black Redstarts everywhere I looked. Lots of Firecrests near the entrance.
 
A late stroll around Alcudia and Maristany.
Pleased to see some 30 pairs of Red Crested Pochards in Maristany..Hopefully they are not hunted this year!
Other birds seen included siskins, grey wagtail, white wagtail, common Sandpipers, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches, Linnets, Hoopoe, Audouins, Yellow legged and Blackheaded Gulls, Cormorant and shags, Pochards, Little grebes and Crag Martins.
 
The salt pans in the south are very quiet at the moment with no sightings of either the Cranes nor Spoonbill, just three new species for the year. It’s worth going though, just seeing the Flamingoes in flight is one of the best sights on the Island for me, those brilliant scarlet wing panels against a perfect blue sky is mesmerizing.
A Red-breasted merganser has been seen off the coast at Son Real by Maties and a few Lesser black-backed gulls are around.
Mike
 
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