Mallorca 2014 (2 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

A very pleasant morning spent with How at Salobrar de Campos, still very hot and dry but a few returning waders, 7 Dunlin, Little stint and 3/5 Ruff. Also Redshank, Greenshank, Water rail, Red kite and a casual remark from How that there was a Slender-billed gull nearby. After seven years of searching one is found by a visitor on my local patch. Thanks for your company How, it was great fun and thanks also for the photos. Hope to see you again, Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Nigel, glad the information was helpful. 110 species is a very good result, well done. Egyptian vultures are never easy to see here. Do post any other information or photos, it is always interesting to know what has been around. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A photo of the Slender-billed gull just for the record, thanks How. Mike

 

[Scottishwildlifewatcher]

Hi, Im staying in Majorca for two weeks and am planning to visit a few well known birding sites while there such as s'albufera and the salobrar de campos. However I am based in Cala D'Or and will probably be spending a lot of time at the nearby Mondrago Natural Park. Im wondering if anyone has any info or experience regarding the range of species that can be seen there and if there are any particular sites of interest within.
Thanks for any info

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Scottishwildlifewatcher, I live in Porto Petro next door to Cala d'Or and would be happy to give you my list of birds or meet up there for a couple of hours if you would like. The dry months of July and August are not the best for birding but you can expect hundreds of Spotted flycatchers, Stonechat, Cirl bunting, Tawny pipit, a few Swift lingering including Pallid swift, possible Alpine swift, Scop's, Long-eared and Barn owl, Booted eagle, Osprey, Sardinian and Balearic warbler and Hoopoe. The torrent has largely dried up so probably no wildfoul but it is all good walking except that it is now best early morning or late in the day due to the heat. Let me know if I can help more and if you would like to meet up. All the best, Mike

 

[rollingthunder]

wildfoul

Perhaps best there isn't

Laurie:t:

 

[Mike Montier]

oops!

 

[Tully]

Warbler at Cuber resevoir

Mike,
I could do with a little help now that I have started to work through my pics. The first was taken at the dam end of the Cuber near the refuge. Am a bit lost with this one but tending towards female Moltoni's. I'm probably way off so would appreciate a local input.

 

[Tully]

And another of same bird

 

[Tully]

The next one was taken at the far end of the Boquer Valley. Thinking probably Sardinian on this one

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Nigel, super photos. I believe you may be right but you could always post on the Identification forum of Birdforum and see what people think, it is always fun to do so and really helpful.
The third photo (second bird) is a male Sardinian warbler, quite common, but the Moltoni's is rare and only really possible to see at Cúber. All the best, Mike. ps what equipment did you use? great quality.

 

[Tully]

Canon 7d with 400mmf5.6 both new to me acquired 2nd hand so pleased with the results so far. This was my first serious outing with them.

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Tully, pretty sure your bird is Moltoni's, quite hard to see let alone photograph. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Tully, I see that you put your photo on the ID forum and what an interesting discussion. I learnt a lot from that and how lucky we are to have such experts making their observations. Clearly I am not one of them! Juvenile Sardinian warbler it is then. Mike

 

[StewB]

July 2014

Hopefully attached to this post are some notes from Chris and me from our all-too-brief visit to Mallorca in July. Never mind, Tess and I will be back for another short break in September!

Stew

 

[Tully]

Hi Tully, I see that you put your photo on the ID forum and what an interesting discussion. I learnt a lot from that and how lucky we are to have such experts making their observations. Clearly I am not one of them! Juvenile Sardinian warbler it is then. Mike

Will have to dig deeper into my pics to see if I can find anything other than a Sardinian

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi StewB, many thanks for the report which I very much enjoyed reading, everything I would expect at this time of the year but a great list nevertheless. I was very impressed by your sightings of Butterflies etc, always a welcome addition and a reminder for me to look for other things as well as birds.
Tully, I look forward to other photos, Mike

 

[rollingthunder]

It would be interesting to know the current status of SubAlp (Molotoni) on the Balearics. Is there a working figure for the estimated breeding pairs and the distribution, particularly, on Mallorca?

Laurie:t:

 

[honeym]

Hopefully attached to this post are some notes from Chris and me from our all-too-brief visit to Mallorca in July. Never mind, Tess and I will be back for another short break in September!

Stew

Hi Stew
As has been said, a nice report.
Regarding the butterflies, you list Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) but this species is not recorded from the Balearic Islands. Do you have any photographs of any individuals?
Best wishes
Martin

 

[StewB]

Regarding the butterflies, you list Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyronia bathseba) but this species is not recorded from the Balearic Islands. Do you have any photographs of any individuals?

Hi Martin,
That was very diplomatically put, thank you! As I think you may suspect, this is our identification error - it was Southern Gatekeeper, as can be seen from the (hopefully) attached photo. A lesson learned - to re-check field notes before committing to paper!

Thanks again - I've corrected the original report.

Stew