Mallorca 2019 (14 Viewers)

[StewB]

Thanks everyone for your good wishes, it means a lot.
What a great little thread this is, where many of us know each other well enough for it to feel personal and friendly. Just what I like.
Mike

Hi Mike, glad you’re likely to be out and about again soon! Hopefully we’ll catch up with you when we’re back out in June. Looks like the migration is gaining momentum - maybe one or two good birds will carry on through to us in the UK!

Take care!

Stew

 

[bob freeman]

Spotted Redshank,Kentish Plover,Greenshank,Green Sandpiper & Avocet S’Albufera last week.

 

[s.g.]

4 hours at Albercutx produced,
Sparrowhawk, Black Vultures 2,Booted Eagles 3, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Crag Martin's, Black Redstarts, Blue Rock Thrust, Balearic Warblers 3, Ravens 2.
Albufereta,
Oystercatcher, first for me on the island.
Spotted Crake, Osprey, Red Rumped Swallow.
Steve.

 

[pereto]

Scops owls in Pollença

Hi everybody,

I have located a pair of Scops owls singing in duet in Pollença, one of them doing a very strange call as well as the normal call. They've been there several nights in the last week (not the very windy nights); I try to check every night I'm around. Anyone interested to come and have a look in the next days?

 

[bob freeman]

Last batch Cirl Bunting from Morticx ,sunrise from Amarador ,Water Pipit & Weasel from S’Albufera.
Hope all visiting Majorca this year have as good a time birding as we had.
May squeeze another visit in this Autumn but definitely back next Spring.

Bob

 

[Benjamin Ofield]

Hi everybody,

I have located a pair of Scops owls singing in duet in Pollença, one of them doing a very strange call as well as the normal call. They've been there several nights in the last week (not the very windy nights); I try to check every night I'm around. Anyone interested to come and have a look in the next days?

I will be visiting for the first time from 21st of April and can not wait!! Scops owl is high on mine and my kids list of must see birds, any information would be great as I understand they have been difficult to see these last few years. Hopefully they stick around.

 

[honeym]

Last batch Cirl Bunting from Morticx ,sunrise from Amarador ,Water Pipit & Weasel from S’Albufera.
Bob

Great pics of the Weasel - in exactly the same spot as I've seen one.
Martin

 

[s.g.]

Salbufera today,
Great Reed Warbler, Nightingale, Moustached Warblers, Common Terns 2, Little Stints 2, Stone curlews, Reed Warbler, Marbled Ducks 4, Reed Bunting, Garganey 30 plus.
Steve.

 

[Mike Montier]

A few Cuckoo are being seen and heard.
Mike

 

[bob freeman]

Great pics of the Weasel - in exactly the same spot as I've seen one.
Martin

Martin
Yes I have also seen Weasel before in this area of S’Albufera on at least two occasions. This was the first time I have managed to catch one on camera here as they usually disappear into the undergrowth giving you only a split second to respond.
There were about eight people on the middle stone bridge at the time but I don’t think that they spotted it running around them as they looked on elsewhere.
Mind you this day was really cold with a biting North wind blowing so maybe this slowed it down a tad.

Cheers

Bob

 

[Mike Montier]

Sitting in a chair this morning in a garden in Cala d’Or when three Bee-eaters flew past. I was quite shocked but others have been seen.
Mike

 

[honeym]

Sitting in a chair this morning in a garden in Cala d’Or when three Bee-eaters flew past. I was quite shocked but others have been seen.
Mike

Can't match that Mike - but did manage 3 Swallow and 3 House Martin here in a chilly London today. Aren't they rather early (your beeaters, that is)? I usually accociate them with late April/early May.
Martin

 

[Mike Montier]

Yes, very early Martin which is why I was shocked. Some were seen yesterday in Consell, Mallorca.
Mike

 

[Mike J Raven]

Bee-eaters

We had our first Bee-eaters on 4 April in 2015, and 9 April in 2017, so a few seem to turn up early most years. Back in Mallorca on Monday for two weeks, so hope for some more!!

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Mike J.
I managed to haul myself round to the lighthouse tonight for a seawatch only to be greeted by a biting wind smacking straight on the nose. It was 20 degrees and from behind glass, a lovely day. Still, I was due to fly to Switzerland today to join Mike Mc Swiss for a week’s birding but my little hiccup prevented me from going. It was 4degrees c and snowing. Another time Mike, I need Wallcreeper!
Despite this, there were excellent numbers of both Scopoli’s and Balearic shearwaters heading south.
Not the thousands that will be pouring past soon but an entertaining time nevertheless. I can’t say the same for Mrs M who hasnt quite caught the seawatching bug yet.

 

[Mike Montier]

Speaking of dates, they can be really useful but also a curse. I often hear people dismissing the report of a bird based solely on the date of the sighting. I keep records of all dates of birds I see but I always remember the exceptions too. On the 23rd November last year for instance, I saw a Woodchat here, an extraordinary date.
I always remember that there are lies, damn lies and statistics.
I also often mention a certain person who went to post a letter one January in Kent....this will only mean something to birders of a certain age but if you were a single observer, which he was, and said that you had found a North American bird which was a first for not only Britain, but the whole of the Western Palearctic, in January on a modern housing estate in the middle of Kent, then there would not be a single birder in Europe who would believe you but as thousands of birders went to see the Golden-winged Warbler, it was accepted without even batting an eyelid.
Any bird can turn up anywhere and at any time.
Food for thought.
Mike

 

[StewB]

I always remember that there are lies, damn lies and statistics.
I also often mention a certain person who went to post a letter one January in Kent....this will only mean something to birders of a certain age but if you were a single observer, which he was, and said that you had found a North American bird which was a first for not only Britain, but the whole of the Western Palearctic, in January on a modern housing estate in the middle of Kent, then there would not be a single birder in Europe who would believe you but as thousands of birders went to see the Golden-winged Warbler, it was accepted without even batting an eyelid.
Any bird can turn up anywhere and at any time.
Food for thought.
Mike

Happy days!

Glad to see you’re back in the field Mike!

Stew

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Mike is back

Glad to see you up and ticking those flying Rats Mike.
Sorry you missed out on the cold, snow, rain and lack of birds in Switzerland.
Get well and see you soon
Mike Swiss

 

[LaGola]

Hello!
Fantastic morning at la Gola: several Barn Swallows, House Martins and at least one Red-rumped Swallow in the group.
Common redstart and lots of Willow Warblers, specially if we compare it to last spring migration here in the parc. There was a Woodchat Shrike (badius subspecies) trying to hunt the willow warblers.
And Ryan Smith (sorry if the name is wrong) has seen 2 subalpine warblers.

Some more bee-eaters were seen yesterday in camí vell de Lluc and Sta Maria.

Regards,
Cristina.

 

[Mike Montier]

A visit to the Central Plain was as joyful as always, I love the place.
No sign of any harriers but several groups of Common Swift went through, lots of Yellow Wagtails freshly arrived and a few hunting Common Kestrels.
Loads of Partridge, Linnets, Pipits and Larks to keep me alert but I didn’t hear any Quail.
The evening would probably be better for any harriers that may be around.
Mike