Mallorca 2018 (2 Viewers)

LaGola · Sep 26, 2018

Red-backed Shrike

Hello!

In the last hour, together with Graham Moffat, we have been watching a Red-backed Shrike (1st winter) in la Gola, next to the Bird Centre.

I first found it around 1pm, and but I was not 100% sure. And then appeared Graham who went quickly for his camara and telescope. After lose it we found it again more-less in the same perch.
Graham has some photos.

Another new ones we have today: a Black-winged stilt and a Common Redstart.

Regards,
Cristina.

Mike Montier · Sep 26, 2018

Thanks Cristina, at last the real deal has turned up after many difficult juvenile Woodchat being scrutinized every year at this time.
We look forward to seeing photos and hope Graham will oblige.
Mike

StewB · Sep 26, 2018

This morningI paid a first visit to the viewing platform behind the Club Polentia - not much there, but looks very promising.

Son Real was fairly quiet. Several hoopoes (including 8 in the field opposite the visitor centre), 8+ thekla larks near the beach, with a supporting cast of robin, crossbill and firecrests. Two two-tailed paschas we’re flying low along trail 2, where there was also a Heerrman’s tortoise.

A thekla lark was displaying over Son Bosc, and at the Depuradora viewing platform there were 3 glossy ibis, wood sandpiper and a juv peregrine.

A stick insect was new for me on the approach road at the Albufereta.

Best for the day was the red-backed shrike at La Gola (thanks Christina) which was still around at 7.20 when I went down after seeing the message on the Forum.

Stew

StewB · Sep 26, 2018

Red-backed shrike at La Gola this evening

honeym · Sep 26, 2018

StewB said:
Two two-tailed paschas we’re flying low along trail 2, where there was also a Heerrman’s tortoise.
A stick insect was new for me on the approach road at the Albufereta.
Stew

Hi Stew
just a couple ot typos (two-tailed pashas and hermann's tortoise) - both very nice to see.
The stick insect is actually a grasshopper, almost certainly Acrida ungarica.
Martin

StewB · Sep 27, 2018

honeym said:
Hi Stew
just a couple ot typos (two-tailed pashas and hermann's tortoise) - both very nice to see.
The stick insect is actually a grasshopper, almost certainly Acrida ungarica.
Martin

Thanks Martin - the pashas were pretty spectacular. I’m used to seeing them at tree-top level, so although they never settled it was great to see them almost under my nose!

Would never have thought that that insect was a grasshopper! A very bizarre looking thing.

Stew

LaGola · Sep 27, 2018

StewB said:
Red-backed shrike at La Gola this evening

:t:

I haven't seen it this morning

I believe it could be in s'Albufereta Reserve (thinking in the route they follow to go south)
But if I see it again I'll post it here immediately!

Cheers.
Cristina.

LaGola · Sep 27, 2018

Talks at la Gola Center-Balearic Warbler

Hello!
Remind the coffee-talks on Saturdays at 3:30pm.
This Saturday 29th The Balearic Warbler.
Regards,
Cristina.

Graham Moffat · Sep 27, 2018

Mike Montier said:
Thanks Cristina, at last the real deal has turned up after many difficult juvenile Woodchat being scrutinized every year at this time.
We look forward to seeing photos and hope Graham will oblige.
Mike

Hi Mike
Here are a couple of the shots I got of the shrike at La Gola yesterday afternoon.
Best wishes
Graham

StewB · Sep 27, 2018

A day’s birding with Mike M began with the disappointment of being told by Christina that the red-backed shrike appears to have moved on from La Gola. The squacco showed well though, so a little compensation..

The rest of the day was spent ambling through the Ternelles Valley. Raptors were certainly the stars. Hard to know what the accurate counts were, but there were certainly 17+ black vultures, 8+ griffon vultures and at least 4 booted eagles, but raptors were seemingly always in view! We also had two Eleanora’s falcons overhead soon after we got through the security gates.

There’s clearly been an arrival of robins - their song and calls were a constant accompaniment. We also had singing crossbills, a blue tit, firecrests, and a female redstart. As we left the trees we had 2+ cirl buntings and a whinchat. 4 crag martins were around the tops.

There was nothing new on the way back, except for a grey wagtail on the stream as we passed back through the gates.

A good day’s birding in good company.

Stew

Mike Montier · Sep 27, 2018

Thank you Stew. What an amazing day and one which I won’t forget. Some of the best views of vultures ever and as you say, great company.
All the best and thanks again for everything, Mike

Mike Montier · Sep 27, 2018

I’ve got reports flying in from all directions tonight. I do wish all these birds would be reported as I get them very second hand sometimes and without knowing more, it’s hard to judge.
The first is of an Aquatic Warbler near the information centre, Albufera, a long expected rarity. The winds were strong easterly yesterday.
We need more details and preferably a photo but the observer spotted a third year Lesser black backed Gull today so if he can age that, he must be pretty competent.
He also saw a “Funny Ortolan” bunting so I also await a photo of what sounds like a very exciting bird. We shall see.
Max reported two Caspian Terns at Albufereta late afternoon and I’m absolutely sure of this record. He seems to find them every visit!
More details later, I hope, Mike

Mike Montier · Sep 27, 2018

Hi Graham.
Many thanks for the photos.
No mistaking that one then.
Well done, I missed it this morning.
Mike

Mike Montier · Sep 27, 2018

Now a report of a Red-breasted flycatcher!
I’m not surprised, I thought the winds, which were smacking straight into Mallorca’s east coast, would bring some good birds in.
Obviously I will post any further details but if anyone knows anything further, could they please post here. Thanks, Mike

StewB · Sep 28, 2018

There seemed to have been an arrival of redstarts in the Bocquer this morning. 30+ is a conservative estimate, mostly at the inland end but ones and twos right along to the slope at the seaward end. With the redstarts were a couple of chiffchaffs, a few robins and a garden warbler (only the second I have seen on Mallorca).

Otherwise the valley was its usual productive self - 3 Eleanora’s falcons, crag martins (3), serins, hoopoes, ravens, blue rock thrush (2), and in the scrub above the slope 2 Balearic warblers playing hard to get!

At Ca’n Cuarassa there were a couple of corn buntings, a booted eagle and from the first screened pool a juv purple heron.

Other than a couple of crossbills over the entrance track, the Albufereta was very quiet, although it was very nice to make the acquaintance of Max and Graham there.

Stew

StewB · Sep 29, 2018

Spent today at and around S’Albufera. A spoonbill and a perched osprey were nice at Sa Roca, another spoonbill and 10+ greenshank were at Es Columbars. A few modest starling flocks (although one of 70+), a few dunlin, green and common sands, wheatear, reed warbler, snipe and great crested grebe all padded the trip list.

At the south end of the Cami des Polls I followed up two fly-past common waxbills and found them and a few more in an orchard a short way further east along Cami de Sa Font. At the bridge at the south end of the Cami des Polls itself there were 3+ keeled skimmers, 2 violet drop wings, a scarlet dragonfly and ovipositing lesser emperors.

I called in at S’Amarador where there were six yellow wags among the cattle near the viewing platform and two whinchat in the scrubby fields across the track.

A brief stop at the Depuradora provided four glossy ibis, 8+wood sands, green and common sands, a red kite and loads of cattle egrets.

Stew

kevinh · Sep 30, 2018

This is a map showing the journey made by a satellite tagged female Honey Buzzard from South Africa to Finland. Bird migration is truly fascinating. it flies in virtually a straight line north only deviating slightly it seems, to avoid crossing a large expanse of sea. Amazing.

StewB · Sep 30, 2018

Just out for the morning today, starting at the Cami des Polls. A kingfisher along the canal just before the reserve sign, a distant (heard) great reed warbler and a calling female reed bunting in the reed tops (presumably the witherbyi race) were the most interesting of the birds recorded, but good numbers of migrant hawkers, red-veined darters and black-tailed skimmers were nice to see. As we drove back out along the approach track a cracking male little bittern sat in the roadside reeds just long enough for me to get my camera but not long enough for me to take a photo! Because we stopped for the little bittern we heard and then saw another great reed warbler in the same stretch of reeds.

Brief visits to the Albufereta and Ca’n Cuarassa didn’t trouble the note book.

Stew

Mcnswiss2 · Sep 30, 2018

Migration

kevinh said:
View attachment 675865 This is a map showing the journey made by a satellite tagged female Honey Buzzard from South Africa to Finland. Bird migration is truly fascinating. it flies in virtually a straight line north only deviating slightly it seems, to avoid crossing a large expanse of sea. Amazing.

Excellent site to follow migration

https://www.migraction.net

Mike Montier · Sep 30, 2018

Thanks Kevin, the phenomenon of migration is fascinating and I would love to know what routes the raptors moving through Mallorca are taking.
A fairly good day at the Cap with:
2 Honey Buzzard
3 Marsh Harrier
3 Common Kestrel
11 Booted eagles
8 Hobby
1 Black Kite.
Thanks as always to Lalo and Susana for their company and for putting up with my dreadful Spanish.
Mike

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