Mallorca 2010 (1 Viewer)

[Clive Griffin]

At Albufera yesterday. The Depuradora yielded a Bluethroat, Hen Harrier (ringtail), several Reed Buntings, at least 5 Fan-tailed Warblers, Sardinians, Chiff-chaff, about 20 crag Martin, Water Pipit, Snipe, 15 Shelduck, 2 Green Sandpiper. Oh, and a second Black Swan has joined the first long-staying one! At least, I assume this second is a recent addition, and I wonder if it is it's mate, and how they managed to find each other?
2 Spoonbill were still at the CIM, with 2 Golden Plover, 12 Dunlin, 4 Greylag, 1 White Wagtail among the normal inhabitants.
At Bishop 1 were 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Spotted Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 3 Wigeon, Snipe, Black-winged Stilt and good numbers of Cormorant, Teal, Shoveller, Coot, Lapwing.

Recently at Es Calo (Betlem) were wintering Goldcrest, and a Redwing was seen.

 

[Clive Griffin]

Albufera on 13th November - 2 Wrens were seen next to the CIM hide. I didn't realise at the time that these are a scarce bird for Albufera. It is not on the official list for this period.

 

[StevePreddy]

Mallorcan locality - Amara gorge?

Hi

I'm wondering if anyone here might be able to help me. I'm computerising the data in some old notebooks from European holidays and have come across a location called the "Amara gorge" which I can't track down using Google. Does anyone know of this site? I visited it twice and saw Booted Eagles and Ravens, so that might narrow it down, as I guess these species may not be found everywhere on the island. Based on the previous & next entries in my notebook, it seems like it could be either in the Bunyola/Castell d'Alaro/Lloseta area, or somewhere in the Arta peninsula.

Steve

 

[Mike Montier]

I am going to Boquer on Sunday with some people who have lived here for over 40 years so will ask them. I have never heard of it! I will post their response together with a list of birds.

 

[Mike Montier]

Also with the cold weather further north (having today got back from the UK!) we could enjoy another bumper year for thrushes. Let's hope so. Also a surprise or two would be nice, how about Waxwing?!

 

[LaGola]

Mallorcan locality - Amara gorge?

Hello Steve and Everybody,
I was thinking if "Amara gorge" could be actually "Torrent d'Almedrà" o "clot d'Almedrà"?
It is near Tossals Verds (Lloseta).

Cristina.

 

[StevePreddy]

Hi again

I think I may have worked out where this is. I remember that we saw Booted Eagle in the gorge that lies immediately east of Castell d'Alaro, and these aren't in my notebook ... unless the Amara Gorge entry refers to them, and so I think this must be the site. Maybe "Amara" was "Alaro" misheard or mistranscribed? Does anyone know what this gorge is really called?

Thanks

Steve

 

[Mike Montier]

Nobody here has heard of it! As you say, it may have been mis-heard or mis-read. Hope you work it out ok.

Boquer very quiet today but high winds did not help. 3 Booted eagle, 2 Ravens, 5 Crag martins, many Black redstart and other common passerines.

 

[Clive Griffin]

Hi Steve. The site mentioned by Cristina is just east of Castell d'Alaro, and seems the most likely. On my map it is spelt "Almadra".

 

[Mike Montier]

Salobrar de Campos today: a fine sunny morning (sorry UK!) 107 Cormorants, 23 Flamingos, 232 Golden plover but just one Grey plover, 3 Snipe, Spotted redshank, Kentish plover, Fan-tailed warbler, 2 Booted eagle, 3 Marsh harrier, I fine ring-tail Hen harrier, 5 Kestrel, 141 Lapwing and one Osprey. As usual I had the whole place to myself. I would quite like some company now and again!! It is just such a fantastic place and during migration anything can turn up so roll on the spring.

 

[Mike Montier]

Son Real today, dawn 'till dusk! 67 species in all including: Fieldfare, Redwing and Mistle thrush which are sometimes hard to see in Mallorca. Ring-tailed Hen harrier, 2 Marsh harrier, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Balearic warbler, Crossbill, Red-breasted merganser in the bay,(usually only 2/3 records per anum) 4 Turnstone, Dunnock (scarce), Sandwich tern, Crag martins, Booted eagle, Peregrine, Serin and Siskin. A good day except no Dartford warbler. Cuber tomorrow!

 

[Mike Montier]

I meant 57 species, sorry!

 

[Mike Montier]

Cuber today. 4 Black vulture, 3 Booted eagles, 2 Red kites, one Kestrel and one Peregrine. Water pipit, not much else

 

[Mike Montier]

A census of vultures has just been completed here and it seems good news. 53 Griffon vultures (still here after an major influx two years ago) and over 100 Black vultures which is great news indeed. Otherwise, quite a few Crane flying around, Flamingos still at Salobrar de Campos, Redwing and Fieldfare, Black redstarts everywhere, huge flocks of Serin and terrific displays of Starling every evening.Brightens up even the dullest winter day, not that we get many of those!

 

[John Muddeman]

I recently came across this thread and after having read it all through (!), thought it would be useful to note a few bits and bobs.

Unfortunately it's been a few days since I did it, but I remember records being noted for (probable) western olivaceous warbler (Balearic rarity), lesser whitethroat (National rarity) and "orphean" warbler (Balearic rarity, I think...) among them all. It would be good for these to be written up and sent to those at GOB to look at.

From memory, lesser whitethroat used to be more regularly seen on Mallorca than anywhere else, and not surprisingly given the eastern position within Spain, and has gone from national rarity to non-rarity and back again, with very few recent records. Well worth sending it to GOB who can forward it to the national committee if they see fit.

While I'm definitely out of date now on the Mallorcan scene (despite very intermittent contact with Lalo Ventoso over the last few years), I would also like to point out that all records of scarcer species such as rufous-tailed rock thrush ((basically??) gone now) and spectacled warbler should also be sent to GOB. Indeed, even sending short trip reports with species lists is always an excellent idea so that someone, somewhere, if they want to, can get back to you for details. What may be standard for visiting birders to see may well not be for locals (though Mallorca's pretty well covered these days).

E.g. I've also seen comments of Eleonora's falcon's in March - mid April, but traditionally there was almost never a record before the last week of April. And someone's lovely description of seeing a series of raptors at Cuber was terrific, yet the Eurasian hobby they saw used to be a Mallorcan rarity...

But I'm also glad to se that there are a few resident British birders again on the island after something of an absence. Maybe the Mallorca Bird Report will reppear one day??

Regards, John

 

[Mike Montier]

Excellent, thanks John. I think everything you say is correct. I have seen Olivacious only (briefly) once. Never seen Lesser whitethroat, seen Rock thrush only once (Cuber) never seen Spectacled despite extensive searching and you are right that Eleanora's are now seen much earlier than previously. Hobby are not too unusual, I have seen several, ditto Merlin and Sparrowhawk. It is interesting how the status of some birds has changed, and sometimes back again!, in such a short space of time.The Island is covered better than ever maybe but there are still huge areas uncovered. I rarely see other birders even at prime sites during migration but I am in the South which is less well covered. There are three resident, or semi-resident, British birders now and we go out together. The great thing is it is very exciting not knowing what will turn up, Mallorca is full of surprises but it is also great to be part of a birding culture which is growing and changing. I hope some of the 70's and 80's visitors return to be part of these changes and see that it is still a great place to enjoy a birding break.

 

[Mike Montier]

PS I also have been birding with Lalo, a great bloke and we have seen some good birds. If only I could understand what he was saying!! As for a British Yearly Report I am not sure, lots of work no doubt, but if the locals agreed then I might give it a go!

 

[John Muddeman]

Hi Mike. Thanks for the reply.

Yes things do and have changed. E.g.the three raptors you mention are much more frequent than before, but then perhaps it's also in part thanks to people like Lalo who has set up a regular recording system for migrant raptors at the key viewpoints such as the base of the Formentor Peninsula).

I still wonder what slips through the net though, not just on Mallorca, but on Menorca and especially Ibiza and Formentera, which are very much less well covered/visited by foreign birders. I must look to see what's available for Menorca on the web, but I bet it's far less than for Mallorca despite also being very interesting.

I don't know if you've seen an old MBR, but they were mainly Graham Hearl's in the 'good old days' when Mallorca was the Med island hotspot for visiting British birders. Lesvos has clearly taken its place nowadays, but there's still plenty of stuff to see and find on the Balearics. But clearly, Graham (and others) realised that so much stuff was being lost and before the Anuari Ornitologic really got itself established as the principal outlet for records, did a fabulous job of starting to collate this info. The suggestion of compiling a new one in English was actually slightly tongue in cheek, but I still think numerous good records go astray by people not even knowing that someone's interesting in collating them and having some obvious link to an English (and/or other foreign language) speaking rep - preferably on the island - would certainly help. Assuming someone would be happy to take on the task, of course...

Regards and good birding. The continued bad weather further N might well help to drive some more stuff down...

 

[Mike Montier]

One waxwing in Asturias so maybe I will get my Christmas wish after all, getting closer all the time, just a wee bit further and East a bit...

 

[Mike Montier]

Review of the Year: No doubt that raptors were the stars, still over 40 Griffon vultures here after the invasion a couple of years ago, Honey buzzard always put on a good show, there were good numbers of Red-footed falcons in spring, Eleanora's always arrive at this time and stay to breed, Lesser kestrels were higher in number than usual, 7 Short-toed eagles arrived and some stayed for the summer, they were seen both at Cuber and the central plain, a couple of Pallid harriers were seen, Black vultures are always around the mountains, now over one hundred, Red and Black kites, wintering Hen harriers, very high counts of Marsh harrier, and rarities included Bonelli's eagle, Ruppell's vulture and a Long-legged buzzard.

Also brightenig up the summer were Bee-eaters, Golden orioles,Woodchat shrikes and Rock thrush. Other top birds were Pallid and Alpine swift, Bluethroats,Flamingos at Salobrar and the ever charming Hoopoe's. Scop's, Long-eared and Barn owls can usually be seen on our regular midnight walks and Nightjar never fail to impress.

Warblers are well represented in Mallorca but are real skulkers, patience is needed! Balearic are perhaps one of the most enigmatic and a delight to see. Albufera is the place to go, many of the European warblers are usually around.

At last I saw a Rock sparrow but again failed to see Alpine accentor. Still, I guess I have to have something to go for early in the New Year, it just means climbing a mountain! Ditto Hawfinch.

I just can't recommend Mallorca highly enough, it is brilliant and my thanks go to my British birding mates, Clive and Phillip, for being with me on some of the most memorable birding of my life.

The locals are very friendly and helpful and am now managing to speak some Spanish. I have been to a couple of lectures and the future looks bright for birding Mallorca with some exciting developments coming soon.

I wish you all happy birding in the New Year and hopefully see some of you here.

Roll on 2011, I just can't wait.