Mallorca 2015 (1 Viewer)

[honeym]

Thanks Mike/Pep
Glad we got there in the end. I hope you get to see them Mike (but isn't the Jack at s'Amarador?).
I also hope both the Bittern and the Jack Snipe stay for a while as I would like to add them to my Mallorca list - and I always like watching them! I located two at my local patch here in London yesterday. They bobbed well all morning.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[jredds21]

Lots of Siskin in the pine wood by albufereta, also lots of firecrest and goldcrest and 2 great white egrets on the marsh

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks jreds, Siskins are irruptive here and not that easy in some years.
Martin, thanks for the location of the Jack snipe, you saved me a journey as I still can't walk well and it would be too far. I will go out locally instead. Glad you have connected in the UK, I have seen very few in my life, Mike.

 

[jredds21]

No problem Mike, saw some siskins up the tower also
All the best John

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Pale Spotted Flycatcher

According to this article
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jav.00859/abstract

the pale Spotted Flycatcher from Mallorca is split from the mainland population. It's now considered a separate species: the Balearic Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa balearica)

Mike

 

[honeym]

Hi Mike
As I read the abstract, they "suggest that insular Spotted Flycatchers could be treated as one polytypic species (Muscicapa tyrrhenica Schiebel, 1910) that differs from M. striata in morphology, migration, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and comprises two subspecies (the nominate and M. t. balearica, von Jordans, 1913) that diverged recently phenotypically and in mitochondrial DNA and but still share the same nuclear alleles".
Therefore nor a separate species but a subspecies of another that has been split on the above grounds.
It will be interesting to read any follow-up papers.
Martin

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Spotted flycatcher

Hi Mike
As I read the abstract, they "suggest that insular Spotted Flycatchers could be treated as one polytypic species (Muscicapa tyrrhenica Schiebel, 1910) that differs from M. striata in morphology, migration, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and comprises two subspecies (the nominate and M. t. balearica, von Jordans, 1913) that diverged recently phenotypically and in mitochondrial DNA and but still share the same nuclear alleles".
Therefore nor a separate species but a subspecies of another that has been split on the above grounds.
It will be interesting to read any follow-up papers.
Martin

Yes indeed

Collins will split them wait and see

Thanks Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Still some good birds being seen, a male Hen harrier at Albufera and the big surprise of a Rock bunting at a drinking pool near Andratx. Very few are seen these days although there may be more around than we know about. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Albufereta now has a viewing platform which will be great. Apparently it is possible to see over most of the reserve, something which was impossible to do before. Can't wait to try it out, it's a really good reserve with few birders. Mike

 

[honeym]

Hi Mike
Is this a different one to the one behind the hotel/apartments that are on the main coast road?
Martin

 

[jredds21]

The new platform is by the pine wood, just off the slip road before the bridge going over the river

 

[honeym]

Thanks.
I look forward to using it next week, if I get the chance.
Martin

 

[Maties Rebassa]

New platform in Albufereta it's not still available. Please don't use it, we are now building it and it's dangerous to go up! Hope will be finished in 1 or 2 weeks. Then will be a very usefull platform, and now Albufereta it's full of birds. Today there were greater flamingos, spoonbill, great white egrets, lots of ducks of many species, harriers, purple gallinules, goldcrests, firecrests, siskins, white winged stilts, greenshanks...

 

[honeym]

Thanks Maties
I thought it would have been a rather quick build since I was there recently. Perhaps I'll see you on Monday.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[phil turney]

Albufereta

Well done Maties and co for the viewing platfo. Hat a great addition and what a good assortment of birds! The reserve is really my local patch as our place is in PP. I've been wandering around it for years always thinking that with proper conservation and more detailed recording it would one day prove to be an excellent little reserve. One of my favourite places is the little road behind the old Posada Verano hostal. The creeks viewable from there often have excellent birds. On summer evenings the sodium road lamps at the Hostal crossroads have dozens of Eleanora's Falcons hawking moths.
Phil

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Phil and Maties. The platform looks great as I was there this morning. It was really misty but most of the birds mentioned are still there. I am looking forward to going up the platform when it is finished, it should be possible to look over most of the reserve from the top. It's a great reserve and deserves more coverage. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

It is now one of the best times to see the Starlings coming into roost at the Albufera reserve. The platform at the Depuradora is quite good. Also, Mortitx is a good winter site with the possibility of Hawfinch and Brambling although they are never easy and in some years here are very few. No news on any Alpine accentors yet, they will be on the highest peaks so again a fairly long trek is required although later on they can be seen on the road to the Albercutx tower. Other winter birds include Merlin hunting over the marsh and some resident species begin to show well including that elusive little skulker, the Balearic warbler. Mike

 

[kevinh]

Short eared owl at salt pans today. Also 2 red kite , 3 marsh harrier, 100+ flamingoes, Thelkla lark and the usual common waders

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Kevinh, where did you see the owl from please? Was it from the Es Trenc road or Eddie's track? Mike

 

[kevinh]

Thanks Kevinh, where did you see the owl from please? Was it from the Es Trenc road or Eddie's track? Mike

I disturbed it at the far end of Eddies track. It flew about 100 metres north and landed behind one of the banks