[Mike Montier]

It looks like a Pallid Harrier was also seen at Albufera, Mallorca, again by Juanjo. I will confirm. Mike

[Mcnswiss2]

Interesting times

Worth keeping an eye on this site

http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm

Now where is the Pallied Harrier?

[Brian Bullough]

Hi Mike ,Thanks for the info regards coming over in March (on 2016 thread) I was all set to book a week in early March for the flowers , cheap flight etc. but checking transfers they are dearer than the flight , so it looks like car hire from the airport , bit unsure of what its like to get out off and into the airport any advice from the group .
thanks Brian

[honeym]

[quote=StewB;3511996]

Originally Posted by Mcnswiss2

Hi Mike and Martin,
If anyone from the forum can add anything to the dragonfly list I'd be pleased to hear from them.
Stew

Hi Stew
Thanks for these.
I've just been through your Odonata list and compared it with the list of species recorded from the Balearic Islands on the Fauna Europaea website, and my notes on the Odonata.
FauEu does not list Lestes viridis (the Willow Emerald), but does list the following species:
Coenagrion caerulescens (Fonscolombe 1838)
Lestes barbarus (Fabricius 1798)
Orthetrum brunneum (Fonscolombe 1837)
We do Odonata transects in s'Albufera and also record them as casual sightings and have a few different species and some additional species, but they were identified from nymphs obtained from aquatic samples so I have until now regarded them as dubious. However, one such species (Coenagrium scitulum, the Dainty damselfly) has now been published from the Balearics (in Odonatologica 24: 269-282), I got a copy this afternoon and it deals with records based on larvae, adding C. scitulum from Mallorca and Menorca. They also list L. viridis and Aeshnia affinis Vander Linden 1823 from the same islands.
I guess the next addition to the Balearic fauna might be Trithemis kirbyi, the Orange-winged Dropwing, which is expanding its range in Spain and has recently been found in Huesca prov., near the French border.

[honeym]

Originally Posted by Brian Bullough

Hi Mike ,Thanks for the info regards coming over in March (on 2016 thread) I was all set to book a week in early March for the flowers , cheap flight etc. but checking transfers they are dearer than the flight , so it looks like car hire from the airport , bit unsure of what its like to get out off and into the airport any advice from the group .
thanks Brian

Hi Brian
Yes, they are very expensive. Getting in and out of the airport is fine, especially if you are used to driving o the 'wrong' side. The roads are well signposted and, in my experience, one always gets a map and directions from the hire company. The only problem is that traffic can be quite heavy. I tend to stick to the main roads when leaving the airport.
Martin

[Mcnswiss2]

Originally Posted by Mike Montier

It looks like a Pallid Harrier was also seen at Albufera, Mallorca, again by Juanjo. I will confirm. Mike

I got really excited by this View at S'Amarador S'Albufera but the sun can plays intesting tricks.

However look what else turned up ( Apparently an escapee)

Sigh

Other birds seen today included Sandwich Terns, Spotted Redshank, Goldcrest, Great White and Little Egrets.

A wonderful day after the winds of yesterday

Enjoy St Antoni's Festivals

[Mike Montier]

Hi Brian. Martin is right, stick to the main roads and I feel sure you will be ok. I remember when I first came here, I got lost all the time but the roads are very well signposted. As you leave the car park, stay right all the time and you will find yourself on the motorway to Palma. You then stay right for the via cintura and there is a road after some way clearly signposted to Pollensa. I'm assuming you are going there! I hope you will be ok, car hire can be really cheap off season, I know Kevin gets some amazing deals so I'm sure he will help here. Mike

[Mike Montier]

Yes Mike, sadly I think your bird is a Hen Harrier, five fingers showing and the collar is also better for Hen. Shame. I'm not sure where the Pallid was seen, I will ask Juanjo. Mike

[Mike Montier]

Mike, yes that's Bicinta (two jesses on the legs originally) then one fell off and it was called Unicinta and now that the other was has come off it is now known as Sincinta. It's been around a while now but still a nice bird to see. Mike.

[Mcnswiss2]

Originally Posted by Mike Montier

Yes Mike, sadly I think your bird is a Hen Harrier, five fingers showing and the collar is also better for Hen. Shame. I'm not sure where the Pallid was seen, I will ask Juanjo. Mike

I wish...I think it is the Marsh..the tail is plain

I did not see the white band at the back

Another photo

Sigh

[Mike Montier]

Back to school for me then, I only looked at the wing tips and collar, will I never learn? Mike

[Mike Montier]

I went to Salobrar de Campos today. Part of "Eddie's Track" is still under water and impassable without wellies. Some of the smaller waders have moved to the salt pans viewable from the road to Es Trenc beach. Plenty of Flamingos, Redshank, Kentish Plovers, Shelduck, Grey Plover and Little Stint.
The polo pitch at the back of the reserve, Sa Barrala, is well worth keeping an eye on. The fields are full of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Lapwing, Linnet, Song Thrush, Black Redstart and Stonechat. I feel sure that during migration, lots of good birds pass through but coverage is minimal. Mike

[Mike Montier]

There was also a census of wintering birds carried out at Salobrar and surrounding areas at the weekend which makes for interesting reading. It can be found at gobmallorca.com>forum under "forum aus". Mike

[StewB]

Originally Posted by Mike Montier

Hi Stew, many thanks for that, I will keep a copy and let you know about all butterfly and dragonfly sightings that I think may be of interest. Mike

Thanks Mike - I'm particularly interested in dragonfly/damselfly records and where I might see them!

Stew

[StewB]

[quote=honeym;3512302][quote=StewB;3511996]

Hi Stew
Thanks for these.
I've just been through your Odonata list and compared it with the list of species recorded from the Balearic Islands on the Fauna Europaea website, and my notes on the Odonata.

Hi Martin,

Very many thanks for this - much appreciated. Unexpectedly coming across violet dropwing and black pennant on the island in 2014 made me realise that there didn't appear to be an odonata list for Mallorca. I make no great claims for mine, but it does seem worth trying to bring together apparent records from other sources to identify the possibilities when I'm on the island!

I've produced an amended list (attached).

Apologies to others for cluttering up the bird forum with dragonfly posts!

Stew

[Mike Montier]

Hi Stew, please don't worry, all things Mallorca are of great interest! I know many people who very much enjoy Martin's input on moths and insects and they often tell me how much they have learnt.
I and others have posted questions about wasps, snakes, beetles etc. and we always get an answer. Personally I have found it extremely interesting and satisfying to find new things like the stick insect I recently posted.
It's especially good to have other things to look at when bird life is quiet. I guess nearly all birders take an interest in general wildlife too.
Many thanks, Mike

[Mike Montier]

A very cold front has moved through the island today and it has been snowing over much of Mallorca, even at sea level.
The front has brought many Starlings and thrushes apparently, including the possibility of a Siberian Thrush. If I get any more news I will post immediately. Mike

[Mcnswiss2]

Originally Posted by Mike Montier

A very cold front has moved through the island today and it has been snowing over much of Mallorca, even at sea level.
The front has brought many Starlings and thrushes apparently, including the possibility of a Siberian Thrush. If I get any more news I will post immediately. Mike

Very Strong winds, Snow and sleet in the North.
How do birds survive this battering?
All I have is my Majorca Daily Bulletin to keep me warm and hopeful for the future.

[J Bennett]

Hello everyone, I have a question, at 2230 every night a bird starts calling outside my window in Esporles but I have not been able to identify it yet. I assume it's a type of Owl but it doesn't sound like the Skops owl that is relatively common in these parts. The sound sounds like a low toned digital telephone ringing but without the normal ring tone that has spaces between the rings, if that makes sense, Ha.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Josep Manchado]

Originally Posted by J Bennett

Hello everyone, I have a question, at 2230 every night a bird starts calling outside my window in Esporles but I have not been able to identify it yet. I assume it's a type of Owl but it doesn't sound like the Skops owl that is relatively common in these parts. The sound sounds like a low toned digital telephone ringing but without the normal ring tone that has spaces between the rings, if that makes sense, Ha.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Do you think it could be a kind of frog? they are singing a lot these nights, previous to the cold wave.

[J Bennett]

Thanks Josep, I suppose it's possible but the animal has been there for over a year and there are other frogs down the valley on the other side of the house in Summer that sound different. I will try to make a recording the next time there is no wind and post it but it is a temperamental thing that stops calling at the slightest movement or sound of noise, I think it is looking directly into our bedroom, ha.
John

[Josep Manchado]

Originally Posted by J Bennett

Thanks Josep, I suppose it's possible but the animal has been there for over a year and there are other frogs down the valley on the other side of the house in Summer that sound different. I will try to make a recording the next time there is no wind and post it but it is a temperamental thing that stops calling at the slightest movement or sound of noise, I think it is looking directly into our bedroom, ha.
John

Sorry I mean not a frog but an balearic toad (bufo viridis), it is very different from frogs and sometimes around palma i get very confusex when they start to sing in January.
You can listen it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF-6_HgjOkg

[J Bennett]

Thanks for that Josep but the calls I hear a deeper and are in sets of 1 or 2 second durations but again I am not ruling a toad out. I actually heard it just after your last message when we had the TV on but when I stopped the TV to listen closer it stopped like it always does. I will get a recording somehow soon though.

[Mike Montier]

Long-eared Owl? You can listen to a recording on the net. Let us know! Mike

[Mike Montier]

There is a mega rare Thrush in the Tramuntana mountains but the finder will not release details of where it is. I don't understand why. Hundreds of people go into the mountains every weekend to walk, usually with children, but the maximum number of birders here who would go to see it would be about six people. That's a big twitch here. I would always respect finders wishes but unless the bird is on private land, I cannot think of a valid reason for withholding the information. All a bit frustrating. It's possibly an Eye-browsed Thrush. Mike