Mallorca 2017 (3 Viewers)

[StewB]

I forgot to say that there were so many dragon flies around, they seemed to be everywhere. Photographing them is near impossible with my bridge camera. Many of them were connected in some way that I don’t understand. Perhaps someone could enlighten us! Mike

Hi Mike,

Hopefully Martin will correct any errors..

Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) reproduce in a pretty unique way, with fertilisation happening pretty much outside the body. For this reason you'll often see male and female adult insects "hooked up" (frequently in a "wheel" configuration) - the male grasping the female at the "neck" . Mainly, this enables the female to take sperm from the male's secondary genitalia - where he has placed it from the tip of his abdomen (got a good anecdote about dragonfly genitalia - see below), but also in many species the pair remain connected until egg-laying ("ovipositing") is completed - enabling the male to ensure that only his sperm fertilises the female's eggs.

Odonata are very aggressive, and males have been known to fight to the death over territories and/or females. Again, you'll frequently see a copulating pair with the female dipping the tip of her abdomen into the water surface - the female is ovipositing, and this style is most prevalent in darters (of the family "sympetrum" - as in your photo). Damselflies usually oviposit while still joined, but will sit on surface vegetation while the female deposits eggs on the underside of plant leaves etc. In the larger dragonfly species - emperors for example, the female and male separate and you'll see females ovipositing alone.

In 1995 there was a large influx of yellow-winged darters along the UK east coast. While enjoying the spectacle, we discovered a male darter that we didn't recognise. The insect was caught, taken home, refrigerated for a few minutes (to calm it down) and then my friend Pete (who was the county dragonfly recorder at the time) got on the phone to the then invertebrate expert from Norwich Castle museum. With hand lens firmly focused Pete described the insect's genitalia over the phone (you can imagine the hilarity amongst the other observers). It turned out to be the first vagrant darter to be recorded in the UK for over 40 years! (This sent more observers out into the field, and several others were found). The joke (still repeated to this day), was that this insect "was clinched by its genitalia" (oooh missus!).

If anyone is interested in identifying adult damselflies and dragonflies can I recommend the excellent "Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe" by Dijkstra & Lewington? It's everything a field guide should be.

Stew

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Stew. Many thanks for all the information. I will digest it slowly as I am still on page one with dragonflies and damselflies. I am just going to order the book you suggest to help me further. I wish you had been at Son Real yesterday, you would have had a field day.
Thanks also for your trip report, a nice reminder of our day out together. There were good numbers of butterflies yesterday too but no two-tailed pashas sadly, too late I guess.
All the best, Mike

 

[honeym]

Just to add to Stew's useful precis. The "wheel formation" is normally referred to as "in cop." (i.e. in copula - mating). The other formation is "in tandem", where the male holds the female tightly behind the head. Once in s'Albufera a group of us were out in the field doing plant transects near Ses Puntes and we became aware of a rustling noise. We looked up to see thousands of Common Darters in tandem flying almost due SE over quite a broad front and we assumed that they were heading 'South' and were almost certainly migrating to Africa. I've never seen such a spectacle previously, or since. They 'protect' the females in this was from being mated by other males. Thus ensuring the success of their offspring. It brings a whole new meaning to "taking the missus on holiday".

 

[Mike Montier]

Our last meeting of the season at the Cap this morning. Apart from being huge fun, a Short-eared owl flew in off the sea, my first one in Mallorca after many years of hoping. It was a sweet moment. I didn’t know I could jump that high.
No migration but an adult Gannet flying by was the only other highlight. We will all have to wait until spring now for raptor migration at the tower, Albercutx. Mike

 

[LaGola]

Lesser Whitethroat

Hello!
Last Saturday, after the talk, Juanjo Bazán and Mika Palmer saw a Lesser Whitethroat in la Gola Park.
Yesterday was seen by Pep Manchado, and thanks to them I have seen it this morning. At the same place (bushes before second bridge)

Also some Firecrest, together with Goldcrest and Crossbills very close.

Regards,
Cristina.

 

[Patrick_m]

Please Cristina, tell it (and the Goldcrest) to wait for me, I will come tomorrow.

This morning at Mortitx. A good influx of Siskins, at least 20 in three groups. Lots of Song Thrushes, over 20 in one area. Robins galore. A single Hawfinch, a few Black Redstarts but unfortunately I could not detect any Bramblings, despite the abundance of Chaffinch and other local residents.
Griffons (11), Black Vultures (2), Eleonora (1)

 

[Patrick_m]

No luck this morning seeing the Lesser Whitethroat, although I am pretty sure I heard it calling, twice. Waited around over an hour until Cristina arrived, confirming the spot.
Instead I found a late Pied Flycatcher nearby which it seems should have left a couple weeks ago according to past years records.

Then on to Boquer. Nothing of note there. Lots of the usual birds, Robin, Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Green and Gold Finches, Blue Rock Thrush (2), Booted eagle overhead, heard a couple Balearic Warblers near their usual spot.

 

[Mike Montier]

Philip has just found a female Greater Scaup at Bassa de Can Guidet, a very rare bird for Mallorca. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Just a note on how the Bigyear is going this year.
Four Birders have seen over 200 species which is difficult to achieve here. I have never made it but I may well do this year. I’m on 194 without seeing quite a few common birds. It’s great fun and as a result, much more is now known about many species in Mallorca.
In with the Hawfinch invasion, a number of Brambling have been seen. I’ve never seen one but a forthcoming trip to Lluc may settle that score.
At least one Yellow-browed Warbler is still at Porto Colom.
I am going to Albufera tomorrow so I will post our sightings. Mike

 

[s.g.]

Heron was really hungry, came back for another.
Steve.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Cuber and Lluc.

I am so pleased to be back.Not sure if I can catch up with your 200 BY list Mike, but it is fun to try.

So many people today at Luc and Cuber. 12 Griffon Vultures, 1 Booted Eagle, I Kestral and 4 Ravens seen.

And fast small raptor..Eleonora but this is very late?

Unbelievable number of Robins. Are they all passing through?

Hope to catch up with you guys soon

Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

No luck this morning seeing the Lesser Whitethroat, although I am pretty sure I heard it calling, twice.

Then on to Boquer. Nothing of note there. Lots of the usual birds, Robin, Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Green and Gold Finches, Blue Rock Thrush (2), Booted eagle overhead, heard a couple Balearic Warblers near their usual spot.

Followed Patrick today..no sign of Lesser Whitethroat and similar stuff at Boquer ( a few minutes visit as stuff to do).

Booted Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Song thrushes, Green and Goldfinches, Black redstart, stonechats and Sardinian warblers seen and red legged partridges heard. Did I forger a trillion Robins?

Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Waiting at the Roman Bridge in Pollensa ( more stuff to do). Overlooking Ternalles Valley. Distant views of 3 Black Vultures, 4 Griffin Vultures and 2 Booted Eagles. What is the situation regarding the Valley?
Before to visit you had to book on line and only 20 visitors per day were allowed. But now you need a guide? Is that true

Mike

 

[Patrick_m]

A couple days ago I set up a new bird drinking pool at the back of my property (we have a small patch of wild olives in the middle of neighboring fields) and to satisfy my insatiable curiosity I added a night IR camera to see what I was missing out. I had recently heard a concert of 3 Scops and the usual Stone Curlews and Red Partridges so I was keen to experiment with the night camera.
It did not take long but the results were beyond my expectations. I did not jump as high as Mike but probably close! The short-eared Owl came in three nights in a row at very different times, so I now need to figure out how I am going to see it daytime or better take a picture!
This led me to wonder how much bird life is out there we don't know about, given that the local reports on this Owl show that it is not very common at all, yet my patch is the most common there is on the island. Maybe I just got very lucky, time will tell, the camera is still running...
Just in case you are wondering. The PIR camera is very unobtrusive to the birds as they cannot see the infrared light needed to take the picture. This picture was one of a series when the Owl stayed about 5 minutes at the pool, completely undeterred by the camera.

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Patrick. A drinking pool has to be one of the best things anyone can do in Mallorca. You only have to look at all the photos Juanjo has taken at his small pool near Andratx over the years. Some mega rare birds have turned up like Rock bunting and many other species too. I only wish I had the facilities to do it, we live in an apartment.
Keep that camera on! Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A great day out at Albufera today with Phil. Several Bluethroats still at the depuradora, a few sandpipers and many Marsh harriers.
On to the reserve and Phil found a Pectoral sandpiper. I just got it in the scope when every bird in sight took off. I thought I had relocated it and I now have 83 photos of a distant Temminck’s stint. Phil was not amused.
Over 70 species in all and superb weather, Pintail, Little Bittern, Golden Eagle, and lots more great birds. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Viperine snake seen. Mike

 

[Patrick_m]

Correction on my post below, the Owl is a long-eared, not so uncommon after all.

 

[Derek Polley]

Cuber and Lluc.

I am so pleased to be back.Not sure if I can catch up with your 200 BY list Mike, but it is fun to try.

So many people today at Luc and Cuber. 12 Griffon Vultures, 1 Booted Eagle, I Kestral and 4 Ravens seen.

And fast small raptor..Eleonora but this is very late?

Unbelievable number of Robins. Are they all passing through?

Hope to catch up with you guys soon

Mike

Now I know why you can't go birding in Basel!! 😂

Enjoy Majorca I was there in May and had a ball.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Blimey ..he is stalking me..Cheers Derek we will go birding together I am sure..May the bird of paradise land on your shoulder

Mike