I've just returned with mixed feelings after a week in Mallorca - my first visit for 4 years. The first thing I noticed was the amount of new development which is ongoing. There has been a temporary relaxation of planning regulations and a lot of sites have "broken ground" in order to comply. Even in Cala san Vicente, where only new houses were once allowed, there are at least 4 new apartment blocks in progress. The same is true around Port de Pollensa, with some quite intrusive building on the hillside inland towards Pollensa and much more development around Boquer - even on the same side of the new by-pass as the farm. The fields at the foot of the valley now look quite isolated and Postage Stamp Wood has become a dumping ground and barbeque area. I wonder how much longer these areas can survive.
The motorway from Palma now extends almost to Alcudia (it used to stop at Inca) and virtually every village around Albufera (Sa Pobla, Muro, Sta Margalida, etc) now has a ring-road. The new road around Port de Pollensa to Formentor is also being extended to link up with the coast road south of the town.
On the plus side, Albufera is still a magnificent reserve, and for me the best birding is to be had around the "backroads" of Albufereta and around the Depuradora and disused saltpans south of Albufera.
Bird-wise, the week was pretty good although I think the good weather meant that migrants were passing straight through without hanging around. On previous visits we've certainly seen more migrant warblers, hirundines, flycatchers, chats etc. which just goes to show that every year is different.
We birded around Cala san Vicente every morning seeing Crossbills, Firecrests, Cirl buntings, Serins, Sardinian warblers, Pied and Spotted flycatchers, Willow and Wood warblers. Sadly the resident Scops owls have now moved out of the town, though we heard them further up the valley, and there were no Nightingales singing.
Boquer Valley was very quiet on our visit although we did see Honey buzzard and Eleonora's falcon, there were no Marmora's warbler and hardly any Crag martins.
Albufera produced all the usual suspects as well as Gull-billed tern and Marbled duck.
Down at the southern end of the Island we watched 4 fishing boats pass Cap ses Salines, all with good numbers of Audouin's gull, Cory's and Balearic shearwaters following. "Eddie's track" at the saltpans was flooded so we had to peer over the wall from the road for Avocet and Curlew sandpiper.
At Cuber we saw only one Black vulture (no Kites), Osprey, Subalpine warbler and Chiffchaff.
The best views of Booted eagle were at Alaro Castle, with Alpine and Pallid swifts there too.
Poor weather on Friday certainly brought the best birds with Black-necked grebe and Red-footed Falcon at Depuradora, Bee-eater, Nightingale and Woochat shrike at the old saltpans, and Golden oriole, Wryneck and Tree sparrow around the Albufereta back-roads.
So, as I say, mixed feelings but certainly a very enjoyable week once again.
Will I go again? ... you bet I will!
Nick
