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

Mallorca 2017 (5 Viewers)

Kendalbirder said:
Still looks good for Ad F Red Backed Shrike.
Cracking shot of Balearic Warbler Stew, best I've managed in the Boquer valley is brief flight views or perched up for a split second.
Jonathan
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Thanks Jonathan - looks like a straightforward c*ck up on my part. The context threw me I guess, and I saw what I expected to see. Fortunately I've got several images, and nothing goes against rbs. There's a fairly spectacular storm going on at the moment, but hopefully I'll get out later and will check if it's still around (it was in the bushes on the left of the Ca'n Cuarassa track about 200m from the right-angled bend as you head inland). I'm really glad you picked this up - rbs will be a Mallorca tick for me! Hopefully I'll catch up with a juv woodchat while I'm here. I've seen lots on past trips & in the U.K. (doh!) but I'll be looking rather closer if I see one!

The Balearic warblers were more obliging than usual, helped by their constant distinctive calling. I have occasionally seen them singing, otherwise they can be a real pain in the Bocquer.

Thanks again!

Stew
 
Mike Montier said:
Hi Craig, I asked that very question to our resident raptor man and I didn't get a definitive answer. Wind direction in Mallorca is so unpredictable. Being a small island, the land heats up during the day and then later in the afternoon the winds are all over the place. Wind direction is logged for each day of raptor watching and there are good days when the winds look bad and bad days when we were expecting something special. I will bring the subject up again on Sunday when I meet with the group and post. I think most locals agree that you just never know. Mike
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thanks mike
 
Hi Stew. When I looked at your Shrike photo I thought it looked a bit red but with my record for cock-ups from photos, I kept quiet! I hope it stays, it should do with these storms, and I will tick it tomorrow. Mike
 
Mike Montier said:
Hi Stew. When I looked at your Shrike photo I thought it looked a bit red but with my record for cock-ups from photos, I kept quiet! I hope it stays, it should do with these storms, and I will tick it tomorrow. Mike
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You and me both Mike!

The storm has eased a little in Puerto Pollenca, though we're surrounded by spectacular lightning still. Still hoping I might get out soon..
 
A really nice and very tricking shrike! Looks like a red-backed, but I'm afraid that it is not. It's a woodchat shrike moulting to first winter plumage.

Too much white (or very light color) on median coverts and base of external primaries. I've been in Can Cullerassa now and I could relocate the bird, I have some pictures of it (no time now, but I will show them latter).

Some others nice birds there, including 1 Roller, 3 Tawny pipits, 1 Tree pipit, 1 Whinchat and 6 Northern Wheatears.
 
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Thanks Maties, a really interesting bird. I know that some young Woodchats can show some red but this bird shows much more than any individual I have ever seen, hence the confusion. I hope it's there tomorrow.
Some Rock sparrows have been reported from Cap de Ses Salines if my translation is correct, five I believe. I have seen them near the Cap before, usually dispersal of post breeding birds. Mike
 
Maties Rebassa said:
Yes, Mike, for me it is too the reddish one I've ever seen. A very interesting bird!
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Crikey, a bit of a rollercoaster! Glad someone else saw the bird, and thanks for the instructive post Maties. Still not sure what I'd come up with if I found another! Sadly, couldn't refind it after this morning's storm.

Stew
 
Once the thunder, lightning and torrential rain was over I went off to Ca'n Cuarassa. Sadly, I couldn't refind the shrike (which Maties has now seen and ID'd as juv woodchat). Two spotless starlings were on wires to the north of the track and a pied fly was along the track to the pools.

I decided to walk the Cami de Llenaire, where I could hear stone curlews calling, but they seemed to be behind the slope of the field to the north of the road. A redstart was near the rubbish bins.

Decided to have lunch on the tower at the Albufereta. A good move - there were 21 greater flamingos on the pool, a booted eagle over the back, a water rail on a small patch of mud and 4 whimbrell calling overhead. I flushed an adult night heron from the pines, where it appeared to be roosting.

The inland side of the torent had been deserted when I arrived, but when I left the hybrid reef/little egret, 2 common sands and 3 Kentish plovers had appeared.

With an apparent movement of waders, I thought I'd have a couple of hours around the hides at the Albufera. Everything seemed unsettled after the storm, but there were at least 10 spotted redshanks, 6+ green shanks and a curlew on the scrapes. Two ospreys from Sa Rock were nice, as were the 7 glossy ibises which flew over heading towards the power station.

Hopefully better weather tomorrow!

Stew
 

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Not a bad couple of days,
Salbufera, 14 Bee eaters, Eleanor's and Scops owl.
Sillots, temmincks still and another very red woodchat at the bottom of the track, looks like a different bird to the one above.
 
Mark Painter said:
Paysandisia archon x1 in grounds of Uyal Hotel on 30th Aug. Are these now common on Mallorca?
Mark.
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Hi Mark
Unfortunately, all too common. As with adventives almost everywhere they are probably still being imported. They've even been found on the native palmetto, which they tend to kill. So a serious pest.
 
S'Albufereta 8th Sept.

07.45 - 09.00.

Kentish Plover 50+ on beach
Water Rail x1 by bridge. 3 heard near pools.
Greenshank x6
BW Stilt x46
Purple Heron x7
Little Egret x150+
Grey Heron x22
Flamingo x27
Marsh Harrier x2
Common Tern x2
Purple Swamphen x5
Corn Bunting x5
Common Sand x1
Stone Curlew x7
N. Wheatear x1
Curlew x1 over pools
When leaving, by the road there were
Whimbrel x1
Ringed Plover x1
Little Ringed Plover x3
20 other species seen.
 
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A really pleasant day today in the excellent company of Mike M. A brief stop at Tucan Marsh (Maristany) revealed a completely dry "moonscape", with only a few little ringed plovers on the pools and a willow warbler in the bushes.

Son Real was fairly quiet, but crossbills (including a red male feeding a juvenile) were by the trail 4 hide, with pied fly, firecrests, thekla larks and woodchats in support. The highlight was a good number (probably double figures) of two-tailed pascha butterflies - flying around like miniature bats.

There were no surprises at the Depuradora - several common, green and wood sandpipers, a drake pochard and a nice reed warbler mooching around below the viewing platform. As ever, we disturbed several hoopoes as we drove along the approach track.

Stew
 

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StewB said:
The highlight was a good number (probably double figures) of two-tailed pascha butterflies - flying around like miniature bats.
Stew
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It's a good site for them as there's plenty of larval foodplant around (Strawberry tree).
Martin
 
It was a great pleasure birding with you today Stew. As you say, the butterflies were the highlight and I have never seen so many. They are never far away from Strawberry trees in my experience as Martin says. Mike
 
skippo said:
Anyone spotting in the Port dAndratx/ Soller area please?
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Hi skippo,
I'm Cristina from Sóller, but now I spend most of the time at la Gola.
There are quite a lot nice walks you can do around the valley for birding, and some spots to have a look.
In the surroudings of the Lighthouse of Muleta (Port de Sóller) there are a few Balearic warblers, you can see BR Thrush, sometimes Peregrine Falcon and Eleonora, and scan the sea looking for shearwaters.
On the beach, perhaps better closer to the rocky area, I have seen two or three Audouin's Gull.
In the other side of the bay, where the watchtower is (Torre Picada), have a look to the coast, cliffs and mountains: shearwaters, shags, falcons, booted eagle, vultures. In the pinewoods over there: firecrests, crossbills and serins.
Of course for Vultures is better if you go to Comuna de Fornalutx for example, taking the road to the Puig Major (highest mountain).
In the farmfields between Port de Sóller and Sóller town: Cirl bunting, Stone curlew (not many), kestrels, woodchat Shrike, quite often I see red kite and booted eagle overflying the area. Closer to the main stream (Torrent Major) specially in this season and in cloudy days Crag Martins.
Some migrants go along the coast and then cross through the valley.
Well, if you need more details please contact me.:t:

Good luck!
 
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