Mallorca 2014 (1 Viewer)

[honeym]

s´Albufera evening up-date:
I was surprised to see quite a few people in the Parc but not many birders, at least not first thing. It was, however, pretty quiet bird-wise. From ECI just 2 Greenshank, one Spotted Redshank and a Wheatear. ECII just one Spot. Red. Sa Roca was better with 33 Spotted Redshank, Kestrel, Glossy Ibis, 1 Lapwing , Osprey and several Marsh Harrier.
Late afternoon at Sa Roca there were 4 Little Stint, 6 Dunlin, now 3 Lapwing, 6 Greenshank plus the Slender-billed Gull dropped in for about 20 minutes. Two Ruff and the Great Black-backed Gull dropped in among a small group of Yellow-legged. However, it only stayed long enough for me to reach for my camera to get a size comparison photo before it flew off. The one saving grace is that it is still about so I hope to see it again ad next time I´ll have my camera ready. ALso 1 Whinchat in the field. Steve came in just too late to see the S-b Gull but he´d had 3 Black-necked Grebe up near the Es Columbar hide.
I forgot to mention that a group of German birders were adamant that they had seen a Bittern emerging from the reeds on the 22nd September. Certainly one to look out for as I´m fairly certain that they are no longer breeding here.
Martin

 

[eagle33]

they don't half shift too, nearly got taken out a couple of times ;-)

QUOTE=honeym;3080855]It´s much easier being the driver - they´re not the ones hanging out over thin air at every corner but sat safely in the middle of the road. I had the front passenger seat once - never again - but I´d happily drive there any day. They´ve even taken the walls away at some of the sharpest corners to let the buses swing out and round!!
Martin[/QUOTE]

 

[s.g.]

Slender billed gull again at far end of salbufera with 2 G W Egrets, 2 Purple herons, 100+ L egrets, 3 Black necked Grebe.
Late evening at as roca, 3 L Stint, 5 Dublin, 4 Greenshank, 28 spotted redshank, Ruff, Glossy Ibis, Juv Flamingo showed for 5 mins just befor dark.
Steve.

 

[eagle33]

thanks ian, hybrid I recon.

Resembles an eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard - not sure if there's something else in it or just the partial eclipse. That 'tail' feather looks as if it maybe a broken primary.

 

[honeym]

I know that the island needs rain but it could have had the decency to wait until I had left. As it is, it seems set to be pretty wet for the rest of this week.
It eventually stopped raining late afternoon so I ventured out to the Sa Roca hide. There were a few hardy souls in there, several Brits (including Steve) and three local birders.
The Slender-billed Gull put in an appearance, much to the joy of the local birders although I know one had already seen it. There were the usual 6 Dunlin and 4 Little Stint plus 1 Temminck´s Stint, a Curlew and a Ruff. Also had good but brief views of a Kingfisher.
The forecast is not good for tonight but I´ll risk putting the moth trap out as the bulb is well protected. Hopefully I´ll get something interesting.
Martin

 

[s.g.]

A walk around the quiet areas of sabufera produced,
7 wood sands, 3 green sands, 4 common sands, 2 curlew sands, 4 Little stints, 2 ringed plovers, 12 L. R. Plovers, 78 kentish plovers, 6 Dublin,
Steve.

 

[Mike Montier]

Two Bluethroats put in an appearance at the depuradora albufera today, and at least six Red-rumped swallows are still at Ses Planes Calvia. They have been there over four weeks so must surely have bred. Mike

 

[honeym]

I´ve not been around s´Albufera much today but I´ve heard that there was a Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Montague´s Harrier, several Pipit species including a fly-over Richard´s, two Great White Egret and two juv Flamingo at s´Albufereta.
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Blimey Martin, that's quite a day! All pretty rare, I have not seen Black tern this year and certainly not Caspian. Richard's pipit too? About time Albufera had a bonanza though, Mike.

 

[honeym]

Let´s see what tomorrow brings - otherwise it will be off to s´Albufereta, just in case!
Had a short time at the Depuradora looking for Bluethroat (but failing). Had a few Common Sand., 1 Wood Sand., a few Whinchat and Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Kingfisher, a few Marsh Harrier including a nice male.
Martin

 

[IanF]

Cala Bona this morning - Audouins Gull x9, Shag, Little Egret , Common Sandpiper.

GW Egret, Cattle Egret c.30, Little Egret , Kestrel + Red Kite and Turtle Dove seen on ride from airpot to Cala Bona yesterday.

 

[Mike Montier]

Several thousand Common Starling just flew in off the sea in the south-east, Mike

 

[IanF]

Cala Bona this morning by Ave. Magnolia -Stone Curlew x6,Hoopoe 8+, Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, Red Kite, E. Falcon. Willow Warbler from hotel balcony.

 

[honeym]

Have just done my final trip out to Sa Roca hide as I leave Mallorca tomorrow morning, heading back to London.
The Glossy Ibis was still around but the Marbled Duck have increased their number as the planned release must have taken place today. One of the local birders did a count and had 35 in total. Some of the new ones have green plastic leg rings and numbered metal wing tags. We saw 35, 40 and 41 but there may have been more. One of the birds that´s been here all along has an orange plastic leg ring on the right leg - no doubt an earlier release. I´ll try to find out.
We had a hunting Peregrine making a couple of forays but everything stayed put so it went away with empty feet.
The usual Dunlin and Little Stint were joined by 1 Temminck´s Stint.
I hope those still here continue to send reports as it will brighten up autumnal days in London and I hope they and anyone yet to arrive have a fantastic time.
"That´s all folks" - until my next visit.
Martin
ps I did finally bump into Mike -almost literally as I was in the car. We had a brief chat and an even briefer view of a Two-tailed Pasha butterfly - Charaxes jasius. If memory serves me correct, my first sighting in the PArc.

 

[Wimpy]

Speaking to a lady up the Boquer valley today who said she had seen several Sabine's gull in a gull roost by the harbour near the police station in Alcudia. Is this possible?

 

[Mike Montier]

No. Not sure what they would have been though, can't think of anything to get them confused with. Mike

 

[rollingthunder]

Apart from juv Kittiwakes and Little Gulls?

Laurie:t:

 

[Mike Montier]

both of which are super-rare here. I wonder what made her think they were Sabine's? Were any distinguishing features seen? Just interested to know what they could have been. Hope she reads this thread and can respond. Mike

 

[Wimpy]

She even gave a brief description,flatish heads,black legs? Anyway we are going to go over that way today.

 

[Wimpy]

Visited the harbour and saw yellow-legged and Audouins gulls. Then by chance I met the lady as she was leaving the visitors centre at s'Albufera. I said that I had gone to the harbour to check for Sabine's gull and saw nothing but ......... At which point she said "Oh did I get the name wrong?"

So that's sorted Audouins they were.

Just got to the visitors centre as a few spots of rain started. Much thunder and lightning to the north over Porto PollensA when all of a sudden a lightning bolt hit the metal structure of the outside shelter, splintering a wooden beam and scaring the $hit out of the twenty souls who were underneath!!!!!

After that an excellent day, marbled duck, stone curlew in flight, moustached warbler, Little bittern and a full supporting cast. Cuba tomorrow.