Mallorca 2018 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Happy New Year to all contributors and readers of this thread.
Let’s hope for a bumper year with many more great birds and a few surprises.
Above all, good health to you all and I hope to meet up with many of you in the forthcoming year.
Mike

 

[eagle33]

Happy New Year Mike.

Happy New Year to all contributors and readers of this thread.
Let’s hope for a bumper year with many more great birds and a few surprises.
Above all, good health to you all and I hope to meet up with many of you in the forthcoming year.
Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Happy New Year to Mike and all the contributors and readers. Big Year has started!
Will be there soon

Mike

 

[Michael Schade]

Happy New Year to everyone!

I had a great first birding day - rest of my stay was work so far. Now four days off for bird watching.

My first bird in 2018: A Stone Curlew one minute after midnight in Cala Mondragó!

Mike M: are you around? If so: let’s have a little walk in Cala Mondragó...

Cheers, Micha

 

[Michael Schade]

Today’s highlight was a Raven mobbing a Merlin right above our house in Cala Mondragó. I was surprised to see a Merlin this time of the year. Also nice: A huge flock of Starlings and a couple of Sandwich Terns as well as Turnstones at El Coto Beach (Colonia). Waiting for the first Scops Owl of the year now...

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi to both Michaels.
Look forward to going out together when you arrive Mike. Happy New Year to you and Susan.
Michael. Yes, I went to Mondrago today so started my year list well.
We have guests at the moment but I’m free after Saturday if you are still here.
So much looking forward to getting a good total for January like I did last year. It gives great impetus for the year ahead.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Michael Schade. I sometimes see Merlín around Mondrago in winter and especially around the lighthouse. Last year there was a male which was such a fantastic bird to see. I assume your bird was a female.
I have been hearing two Scops owls calling from Mondrago recently. They should call every night when it’s calm.
Mike

 

[Patrick_m]

Happy New Year and great birding to all.
Thank you Mike for keeping the forum going yet again. I hope we can catch up soon, I need to make an effort to get out of the house more often despite the attraction of waiting for birds around my drinking pool and feeder. It has certainly been rewarding so far (Fieldfare, Hawfinch and Dunnock beeing the highlights) but I think I may have reached the limits of what will show up, at least until migration kicks in.
Anyway, happy birding to all, may this year be a great one.

 

[Mike Montier]

Results of the Bigyear 2017 are in and are as follows:
1st. Mika. 214
2nd Toni. 211
3rd Pedro. 210
4th Nacho 203
5th Mike.M 202
Great to see a female winner, well done Mika and thoroughly deserved.
Thanks go to Carles and Pep for invigilating.
It’s been a great year with lots of friendly competition and fun to be part of.
Full results can be viewed at: bigyearmallorca.blogspot.com.es
I have never been higher than fifth but at least I have now joined the 200 club. That’s without even seeing a Dunnock.
It’s hard work winning with lots of traveling and walking up mountains. Worth every step of the way though, the views from the mountain tops are simply breathtaking. Days at the Albercutx tower are my favourite. Watching migrating Honey Buzzards, sometimes at eye level, is one of those birding moments that you don’t forget, plus you never know what else is going to come through. This is the magnetism that draws me and others back. Driving a long way to see one rare species is no longer so appealing, you know what you are going to see. Here in Mallorca, it’s the not knowing that makes it so exciting.
I very much hope to see some of you here this year.
All the best, Mike

 

[Derek Polley]

Happy new year and good birding. I managed a patch first stonechat yesterday and a garden sparrowhawk today. Working on the social secretary/treasurer re a "holiday" in May.

 

[Merlin]

Happy New Year Mike.

Thanks for all your help and advice.

best regards

Merlin

 

[Mike Montier]

A Slender-billed gull was seen and photographed by Juanjo yesterday flying past the necropolis at Son Real. Winter records of this scarce gull are infrequent.
Also, some Spoonbills are still at the salt pans, Ses Salines, best seen from “Eddie’s Track”. Mike

 

[Ben Nevis]

Happy New Year Mike and all lovers of the Isle of Mallorca B

 

[Mike Montier]

Many thanks all for your good wishes.
A nice walk round Mondrago this morning with Michael Schade was delightful, good to catch up with you Michael
Two Little Grebe, Common and Green sandpipers, Crossbill, Hoopoe, Cetti’s Warbler and a possible Brambling in flight with Chaffinches.
Lots of people swimming in the sea, rather them than me. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Quite a few birders were out along the south coast today. It was quite windy so we were expecting something good but very little out of the ordinary to report.
About 45 Balearic Shearwaters, one Gannet, several Turnstones and a few Sandwich terns. Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Mortitx is apparently very good at the moment with several Brambling showing from the vineyards. There are still good numbers of Fieldfare, plenty of Hawfinch and there are high numbers of Dunnock although I wouldn’t know about that.
Mortitx is also the best place to see Bonelli’s eagles. Mike

 

[chris chapleo]

Great to see the 2018 incarnation of this thread Mike...Im not back in Mallorca until May but as ever cant wait for our visits, and do watch the thread as it helps build a great picture of whats around - thanks! Chris (PS -Very cold north winds in UK today, even in 'sunny' Bournemouth, but did see 2 Hawfinch this morning - part of big winter invasion at moment)

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Chris. Hawfich have been plentiful this winter as have Fieldfare and Brambling. I think I only ever saw Hawfinch three or four times in the UK so it's good that you have enjoyed good numbers too.
Not much news today, it has been pouring with rain all day. I believe one local saw a Great Skua from Porto Colom early this morning and Pep has found another Jack snipe near the airport.
Porto Colom is a really good place for birding and is seriously underwatched. It's a great site for seawatching and for Dartford warblers and Balearic warblers too. Mike

 

[kevinh]

Slender billed gull feeding on the tide line in the bay of Pollensa today. Several Sandwich terms also there.

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Kevin, that’s a great record, well done. One was seen recently at Son Real so surely the same bird. Hope it lingers, they were very scarce last year.
See you Saturday! Mike