Mallorca 2014 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Bob. Rock thrush is often reported as absent from Cúber but I have seen them most years although I have had to wait several hours sometimes.This is no hardship as there is so much else to see. Similarly, Spectacled warblers are very scarce but do show occasionally from the footpath past the dam and Moltoni's warblers can usually be seen either side of the footpath leading to the dam, about three-quarters of the way down although no reports have been received yet this year. Great photos by the way, I have heard a few Cuckoos this year but I have not had views like yours! Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Having had the biggest ever influx of male Pallid harriers this year, a female has today been seen at the tower at Albercutx so keep an eye on those harriers this week-end! Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Super-close views of Alpine swift at Castel de Santueri this morning, there are at least five, maybe more, surely the best place to see them in Mallorca. Mike

 

[glenkerr]

Some notes from wb Sun 13/4

A very brief summary of some birds seen this week during a tour of the Tramuntana mountains.

Sunday 13/4/14 Cuber & Sa Rateta: Subalpine warbler sp halfway between the car park and the dam up the slope towards the power lines; Nightingales showing well below the dam; Blue rock thrush on the southern slope of Sa Rateta; Black vulture drifting about on the north side of Sa Rateta; Tawny pipit on the Col des Gats; Common redstart about halfway along the north-west side of Cuber reservoir near a stone wall in the trees; Woodchat shrike on the power lines further along; Heard Wryneck near the aqueducts near the car park.

Tuesday 15/4/14 Sa Gubia gorge and Puig Alqueria: Crag martins & Peregrines in the gorge; Blue rock thrush near the summit of Alqueria; Spotted flycatcher on the zig zag track down to Alqueira d’Avail.

Thursday 17/4/14 Puig Massanella from Comafreda: Nightingales on the approach to Comafreda. Wryneck on the edge of a watercourse along the edge of the farm; Crossbill sp in some pines near the Pas de N’Arbona; Blue rock thrush on the southern slope, west of Font S’Avec. Black vulture skulking around the summit.

Friday 18/4/14 Soller: Booted eagle soaring around summit Cordador Gran, occasionally dropping lower to the area between Soller & Biniaraix. Red kite drifting very low across the rooftops on the south side of Soller.

Back home tomorrow, regards, Bruce Kerr, Loanhead

 

[Mark A Spedding]

Am coming on holiday with my family and staying in Alcudia. Ive decided not to stress the wife out by hiring a car so will bird on foot, by bus annd by taxi.
Does anyone have ant experience of biding by public transport in Mallorca?

 

[honeym]

Hi Mark

Not personally but there should be many comments fom others in previous posts in this forum.

If you're staying in Alcudia then access to s'Albufera is easy as you are right on the doorstep. Also on the outskirts, near the old town, there's s'Albufera de Cas Ferrer Nou (this and the others are marked on the new Mallorca Birding map, which is on sale in s'Albufera). There's a bus route that follows the coast road and goes from Alcudia to Puerto Pollensa, which gives you access to s'Albufereta, Can Cuarassa area, La Gola and the Boquer Valley, plus some of the back roads. Head the opposite way and you should be able to get to Son Real.
There are also numerous bicycle hire shops in Alcudia if you fancy cycling.
I'm sure others will respond.
Have a good time.
Martin

 

[hughm]

Hello for the final time this year from the PPHotel- today started with the wonderful vocal efforts of a Great Reed Warbler on the edge of the garden in thick reeds, but it would not venture into view, unfortunately. Later we took the bus to Can Picafort- go right to the far end by the Son Baulo Hotel, and then south along the beach into Son Real. As it is Good Friday there were a large number of locals and tourists around, but I still managed to find a few Thekla Larks and one Tawny Pipit, which did what they all do and flew off hundreds of metres out of range. There were large numbers of Swallows passing through, and offshore about 1km out a good number of Scopoli´s Shearwaters. Tonight at the Scops Owl stakeout there were only 4 viewers, but the owls put on the best show of the fortnight, coming out when there was still a reasonable amount of light. Tomorrow packing and a 1630 departure from the hotel, but I might manage a quick trip to La Gola for one last look. To answer the question about public transport birding Martin has given the main possibilities, and we have been to the Boquer, La Gola, llenaire Road, Cami Volantina, Can Cuarassa, Albufereta, Albufera and Son Real without having a car. The Depuradora is a bit more difficult- a long walk from Can Picafort. There is for the intrepid birder one bus a day at 1000hrs which goes to Soller from PPollensa via Lluc, and might be persuaded to drop you at Cuber, giving 3.5 hours before the return bus. The main areas that need a car are any headlands for seabirds, Salobrar de Campos for flamingoes and waders, ans Castell de Santueri for Alpine Swift. Hope this helps- Hugh Matthews

 

[Mike Montier]

An evening watch tonight at the Far de Porto Petro produced 220 Balearic shearwaters about 80 Scopoli's shearwaters, 2 Pallid swift and a Storm petrel at about 6.40pm. I have been looking for Storm petrels here for twenty years without success and now I have seen two in ten days. Ah well, that's birding! Mike

 

[rachk116]

As Martin (honeym) and Hugh (hughm) have already said, the 352 bus (http://www.tib.org/portal/en/web/ctm/autobus/linia/352) is very good and quite reasonably priced too. Just remember to ding the bell for any stop you require as they don't always remember where you would like to be dropped. We are planning to do the Soller bus from Puerto Pollensa this year but I cannot find this timetable on the TIB website. We have never hired a car before and have always found the local buses very reliable. Last year we saw 94 species and in 2009 we had 82.

 

[osprey31]

Hi rachk116, hope this helps.
http://www.tib.org/portal/en/web/ctm/autobus/linia/354

As has already been mentioned there is a bus (coach) service which runs along the coast road from Puerto Pollensa (Boquer Valley/La Gola/Albufereta etc) via Alcudia, Playa de Muro (Albufera - look out for the big white hotel Esperanza Playa just before the bridge, bus stop is just over the bridge & the Albufera entrance is across the road)
& down to C'an Picafort (Son Real close to the Son Boulo hotel)
Be warned the service is run by a coach, & can prove very popular, but you can walk to Albufera from Alcudia in about 3/4 of an hour.

 

[rachk116]

Hi rachk116, hope this helps.
http://www.tib.org/portal/en/web/ctm/autobus/linia/354.

Thanks osprey31. Can't believe I didnt see it before. Think I may need to get my eyes tested.
Rach

 

[Mark A Spedding]

Thanks everyone all this is quite reassuring for me and the missus who was quite stressed at the prospect of me hiring a car abroad!
I see that there is a Scops Owl site this year. Does anyone know whereabouts this is?

 

[rachk116]

Thanks everyone all this is quite reassuring for me and the missus who was quite stressed at the prospect of me hiring a car abroad!
I see that there is a Scops Owl site this year. Does anyone know whereabouts this is?

Go to this link - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2723742#post2723742 - post #233. Its well known so you should see other people there. Good luck.
Rach

 

[Clive Griffin]

Possible Roller yesterday on the road to Betlem. At least, I saw a large bird flying away from me which was kingfisher-blue in colour, I don't know what else it could be! I searched for an hour but couldn't locate it again. Otherwise, not many migrants around here, some Alpine Swifts over Arta, a couple of Spotted Flycatchers, Willow Warblers and a Woodchat Shrike. Small Heath butterfly and quite a few Swallowtails.

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Clive, the date is perfect for Roller and I can't think of anything else it could be so well done, the only one I have heard of this year so far, last year was good with several records. Three Montagu's harriers at the tower this morning and a Hen harrier too. Mike

 

[bob freeman]

Hi again still here on Majorca but not really much to report these last few days.
Red Rumped Swallow seen at Can Cuarassa on Good Friday morning along with six Whinchat and another flyover of about half a dozen Bee eater .
Boquer Valley approach to Finca held good numbers of Pied Fly on Saturday but still no sign of Spotted Fly which were in abundance up at Cuber last week.
No show on the Scops Owl the last few nights but heard calling briefly at around 2230 .
Quick visit to Can Cuarassa yesterday and possible Honey Buzzard over,really Yellow looking Pipet seen perched up alongside Corn Bunting in one of the road side bushes ,can only think it was Tree or Meadow Pipet going by my Collins Guide,and Moustached Warbler seen perched up on Heather with a couple of Stone Curlew making a brief appearance too.
I tried to find The Depuradora Strech of water at Albuefera yesterday afternoon but no luck,how do you get access to this place ? I walked down the long path and past the ruined buildings to the left but a locked set of gates seemed to block the way,I could see the water treatment works in the distance
so knew I was close to it.
Attached shot of possible Honey Buzzard and Pipet.
Just hearing Scops Owl calling now 0630 in its usual tree.
Bob

 

[bob freeman]

Pipit

 

[Richard Prior]

"Attached shot of possible Honey Buzzard and Pipet."

Hi Bob,

In your photos I think you've got a Marsh Harrier and a Tree Pipit.

Cheers

Richard (in the rainy Alps)

 

[honeym]

Hi Bob

The Depuradora is best accessed from the main road leading to Sa Pobla from the Can Picafort roundabout (MA-3431 according to the Mallorca Birding map). Head inland along that road until you get to a big shed (coach garage) type thing at a right turn (the second turn along that road). Head down that road, over the hump with houses both sides, then another house on the left. After that there's turning on the left with a binoculars sign on a chain-link fence. Take this and veer right when the track splits and this takes you to the elevated viewing platform, where there's room for several cars to park (if eneryone is sensible).
The track you mention (the Ses Puntes track) takes you to a locked gate and the parc prefer people not to climb over or around it. It leads past a recently deserted finca on the right, then a chain across the track. The Depuradora works entrance is on the right and the track I mention above is further along on the right.
I hope this helps.
Martin

 

[bob freeman]

Richard
Thanks for bird ID on Tree Pipet & M.Harrier,been out again today and had a bit of a Leonard Cohen feeling only other way around,think I saw a Vulture (Griffon )but it could have been an Eagle.
Martin thanks for Depuradora directions I will give it a look tomorrow.
Walked the Son Amur Lluc path today as wind looked a bit strong up Cuber Res way,loads of Pied and Spotted Flycatcher seen also Whinchat,Nightingale, Redstart,Booted Eagle,Blackcap,Firecrest,Cirl Bunting and possible Griffon Vulture.Suprise of the day was a Pine Marten which was keep going into the water culvert running under the road,far to quick for me to manage a photo I am afraid.
Some really splendid Finca up that neck of the woods too what a great place to live for those lucky folk.
Vulture pic attached

Cheers

Bob