Mallorca 2015 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Hi Phil, I am sure Martin knows more than me about where best to see the Starlings as he is on site. There are two ways, I always obtain a permit to stay in the reserve after hours, I am not certain that these are still available but I am sure Maties can tell us. I just went to the information centre with my passport and it was free. Failing this, great views can be obtained from the platform at the depuradora where the show is still spectacular. It may not be the best place but it never fails to enthrall. There are differing estimates as to how many birds are present but in a good year there may be up to, or even more than, one million birds. Good luck, I hope you get good views. Watch out for the odd Merlin and Peregrine in with the flock. Mike

 

[Maties Rebassa]

Best places to see the Starlings are platform at the depuradora, platform at Amarador, or camí dels Polls (it depends of the movements the Starlings do that day). Inside the Reserve it's not the best place to see this species.
Hope this helps.

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Maties, very helpful as always. Mike

 

[honeym]

Tonight they didn´t perform much in the way of aerial movements but the numbers were quite spectacular. I stood on the mound near the Es Ras hide and had good but distant views. One flock started to form at Ses Puntes but they soon joined the main flock that formed from several large groups mainly coming in from the south. They settled in the reeds somewhere near the tower hide. There were some raptors with them. At least two were Peregrine but one was smaller and possibly Merlin. Even from that distance the noise could be heard.
I´ll be making daily (strictly speaking nightly) visits until I leave on Friday week.
Finally caught up with the two Wigeon today and managed to pick out a Garganey from among the many Teal to be seen from Sa Roca hide.
Martin

 

[honeym]

On 30 September I saw an Audouin´s gull from Sa Roca hide with a plactic leg ring. I managed to get the number and sent it off. Today I got the results.
It was ringed as a 1 year old on 21/06/2001 on the Isla na Moltona, Ses Salines (Mallorca). It wasn´t reported again until 07/06/2004 in s'Albufera, with two further sightings from there that month. It was next reported on 06/09/2006 on Isla des Porros, Santa Margalida, then three more sightings that year at Es Ras, s'Albufera. Then a change of scenery, turning up on 10/06/2007 at the Parque Natural Albufera de Valencia. Nine months later it was back at Es Ras. On 04/07/2008 it was back where it was first ringed on Isla de na Moltona, Ses Salines. Further sightings in 2008 to 2011 and again in 2014 before concluding with my sighting (now 15 years old).
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Fascinating information Martin, many thanks. I hope I will be well enough to get to Albufera soon but it's looking unlikely at the moment. I hope you have some good fortune with the moths. Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Moth doubt

Hello Martin,
Can you tell me what specie of moth it is?
It was at my house, west of Palma.
Thanks

 

[honeym]

Hi Pep
This is an interesting species. To give it its full name it is Mythimna (Morphopoliana) languida (Walker, 1858). It is mainly an African species but has been spreading northwards. We first found it as new to the Balearic islands in 1999 and published on it (Honey, M. R. & Riddiford, N. J. 2003. Moth fauna (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) of s’Albufera de Mallorca and other areas of the Balearic Islands – towards an up-dated check list of the Lepidoptera. Butlletí Científic dels Espais Naturals Protegits de les Illes Balears 3: 35-39. By coincedance, it was also published as new to the iberobalear area in 2003, based on specimens found on the mainland in 2001, two years after our specimens but published in the same year as our paper. We now get it quite frequently and I´ve recorded several specimens in s´Albufera on this trip. It´s mainly a coastal species, never being recoded much above 200m asl. Could you PM me the exact location as it will be interesting for my records.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Mostly common migrants in the Boquer Valley today except two Siskins. One lonely Greater flamingo at Albufereta and a Sparrowhawk over Calvia is the only news so far. Mike

 

[honeym]

A friend has just texted me. A young female Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ficedula parva, has just been trapped and ringed on Isla del Aire, Menorca.
Ringing at s´Albufera today included several Moustached Warblers, several Robins, a Cetti´s Warbler, a Great Tit, a Kingfisher and a House Sparrow.
Yesterday there was a Grey Plover here but it seemed to fly off SW last night. Maties also saw a Yellow-browed Warbler at the back of the Parc yesterday morning.

Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Two Black storks seen in flight today but I don't know the location yet. Also five Honey buzzard near the island of Cabrera. More news later I hope. Robins and Black redstarts returning now. Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Hi Pep
It´s mainly a coastal species, never being recoded much above 200m asl. Could you PM me the exact location as it will be interesting for my records.
Best wishes
Martin

Thank you for the info, quite interesting for me, it was inside my kitchen, at this place of Palma, aproximately at 100 m asl:
https://goo.gl/maps/Pay8XQxoNj22
Bye

 

[Dave Harris]

Having visited for the first time this year I am following this thread with vigour! A great time was had by all, and hopefully we will return. A few of my photos attached.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Mike Montier]

Nice photos Dave, glad you had a good time. Hope to see you back here one day. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Ps the Black storks were erroneous, sorry, my fault, something got lost in translation! Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Leucistic bunting?

What do you think is it this rare bird seen near Es Salobrar yesterday. Maybe a leucistic corn bunting?

 

[honeym]

Hi Pep
That would be my choice - but it´s an odd-looking bird. We once had a leucistic Coot at my ´patch´ in London - very strange - and a Moorhen with an all yellow bill and shield (there are pictures by someone else here http://www.leedingain.com/2013/04/aberrant-moorhen.html)!
Best wishes
Martin

 

[skippo]

Thanks Maties. And Mike! Disappointing but facts are facts! I will return! And next time get up to the north and see the moustached warbler. It's a great island to visit and such a lot to see. Lucky you: autumn is here in the UK - 11 degrees and cloudy. Only another five months till spring!

 

[honeym]

Not a lot to report from s´Albufera, at least not birds seen by me. Too windy.
Had a few additional Chiffchaff this morning plus one Black Redstart. Three Wigeon, 4 Garganey and 1 Marbled duck on Sa Roca. From the Depuradora had good but distant views of the escapee Golden Eagle. At first over Ses Puntes then flying highish over Es Cibollar near to Puig Sant Marti. Also bumped into Phil there and had a good chat. One juv. Ringed Plover, one Dunlin and a few Green and Common Sand., plus 5 Swallows flying N. Slightly odd. Also my first 2 Song Thrush for the trip. Later at Sa Roca and another juv. Ringed Plover and one Dunlin, plus some good sized flocks of Starlings but they seemed to head off NE so didn´t see much of a display. Some Pipits flew past but too quick to do an id but probably Meadows. Also saw a few small flocks of White Wagtails from the mound, heading over the reserve to the NE. Perhaps there´s a roost in Alcúdia (or elsewhere).
Martin
ps Phil had a Spoonbill in flight from Son Carbonell (hope it´s OK to report it Phil)

 

[Mike Montier]

A young Black stork has been seen at Salobrar de Campos. I made a quick dash there from the supermarket without scope or binoculars but couldn't find it. I will have another go in the morning. Mike