Mallorca 2020 (5 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

With due credit to the Mallorca Raptor Count, today’s totals:
60 Marsh Harrier
5 Common buzzards
5 Booted eagles
1 Sparrowhawk
6 Bee-eaters
3 Alpine Swift.
It’s been a great experience watching all day from the balcony.
Luckily I have good views all around including the sea and mountains.
Seeing my first Alpine Swift of the year today was as good as it gets.
More tomorrow.
Mike

 

[H Johnsson]

With due credit to the Mallorca Raptor Count, today’s totals:
60 Marsh Harrier
5 Common buzzards
5 Booted eagles
1 Sparrowhawk
6 Bee-eaters
3 Alpine Swift.
It’s been a great experience watching all day from the balcony.
Luckily I have good views all around including the sea and mountains.
Seeing my first Alpine Swift of the year today was as good as it gets.
More tomorrow.
Mike

I realise that I´m sitting on wrong place (palma). Must admit that I´m a bit jealous with all birds you see from balcony, garden etc. I would rather be in Sweden where I have much better view see attached photo. Anyway it is always nice to read your reports and photos

 

[Mike Montier]

That’s a nice view!
Lots of action this morning.
Here in the south east, all my sightings are very early, from first light but then they tail off.
I saw two Alpine swifts but then had to go out for essential shopping for my elderly neighbour, and when I returned, two more came through. I reckon I must have missed a few whilst out.
A Marsh Harrier was flying low over fields in alqueria blanca and quite a few Barn Swallows and House Martins went through.
A surprise Great white egret flew past and up the coast.
More later I hope.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

The winds are now very strong so only the hardy are still looking. I had to come indoors but I did wonder what rarities may have been blown in. The winds have been from the east for a long time now so there must be a few good birds around.
Very frustrating then that we can’t go out looking.
We will see what tomorrow brings.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A very quiet day balcony birding today.
My first Common Swift just after first light was promising but for the rest of the day I saw nothing.
There was a biting easterly wind and intervals of rain.
The concept of garden and balcony watching has really caught on in a big way and it’s great to see.
As I have said before, “you can’t keep a birder down”.
I can’t wait to leap out of bed tomorrow for another day because you just never know.
Mike

 

[H Johnsson]

Today was the first time something happens. Wood pigeon is passing over Palma with flock of 5-30 birds.

 

[timsg80]

30 species from my garden in Es Capdella so far, the highlights being a Wryneck and a garden-first Peregrine Falcón. Also a stream of Swallows and Crag Martins and good numbers of Booted Eagles and Red Kites. A Scops Owl has been calling occasionally, but I’m yet to see it.

 

[Rob Williams]

Good to see you're all keeping your spirits up.

Happy birding and hoping the island isn't suffering too much


Rob

 

[Mike Montier]

Despite the rain and freezing conditions with snow on the mountains, I managed to see a good passage of House Martins, Common Swift and a few Barn Swallows.
Also a group of six Grey Herons flew up north and I managed to see a Sandwich tern flying up the coast.
Other species were seen around the Island so I will post details when I hear more.
Mike

 

[Cristina Fiol]

Home birdlist

Hello!
hope you are healthy and keep birding. I'm glad we can meet on the forum.

This is my list; birds seen from home since 16th March(scanning all the surroundings, some times with the scope and when I'm not playing with my 3-years-old daugther or doing homework )
1.Mallard
2.Shag
3.Little Egret
4.Night Heron (heard)
5.Yellow-legged Gull
6.Red Kite
7.Booted Eagle
8.Common Kestrel
9.Scop's Owl (heard)
10.Wryneck
11.Woodpigeon
12.Collared Dove
13.Domestic Pigeon
14.Alpine Swift
15.House Martin
16.Crag Martin
17.White Wagtail
18.Blue Rock Thrush
19.Blackbird
20.Robin
21.Black Redstart
22.Sardinian Warbler
23.Blackcap
24.Chiffchaff (heard)
25.House Sparrow
26.Great Tit
27.Blue Tit
28.Chaffinch
29.Goldfinch
30.Serin
31.Crossbill
32.Common Raven
My husband believes he heard a Cuckoo, but only once.

My best wishes!:t:
Cristina

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Cristina. A nice list there and a stunning male Blue Rock thrush. Lovely.
Hope you are all keeping well.
Mike

 

[timsg80]

Full list from here so far:

1. Cattle Egret
2. Yellow-legged Gull
3. Booted Eagle
4. Red Kite
5. Peregrine Falcon
6. Common Kestrel
7. Red-legged Partridge
8. Stone Curlew (heard only)
9. Scops Owl (heard only)
10. Wryneck
11. Crag Martin
12. Swallow
13. House Martin
14. Sardinian Warbler
15. Blackcap
16. Chiffchaff
17. Great Tit
18. Chaffinch
19. Greenfinch
20. Goldfinch
21. Serin
22. Black Redstart
23. Robin
24. Blackbird
25. Song Thrush
26. Linnet
27. Blue Rock Thrush
28. Cirl Bunting
29. Hoopoe
30. Woodpigeon
31. Collared Dove
32. Stonechat
33. House Sparrow

Very excited to see what the next couple of weeks of migration bring to the garden!

 

[Mike Montier]

A very frustrating day with lots of raptors moving through to the north from Sant Salvador which I can see with my telescope.
Marsh harriers began the proceedings and I saw quite a few local birds too, Kestrel, Peregrine, Red Kite and Booted Eagle.
There then followed a long lull with clear blue skies and no birds.
When I resumed later, I saw three beautiful Alpine Swift and then the raptors came. I saw groups of them circling over the monastery and moving off north. Most of the birds I could identify were Booted eagles but a number of them were too distant. A possible Bonelli’s Eagle and a larger eagle species too.
Then came the House Martins followed by Barn Swallows.
Just when I was about to pack up, a nearby Blackbird sang. It was definitely the best thing I experienced all day.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks for your list timsg80, very impressive.
Mike

 

[timsg80]

Thanks for your list timsg80, very impressive.
Mike

Thanks Mike, I would love to see some of your Alpine Swifts or Marsh Harriers!

Highlight of the quarantine so far today, this beast, one of two circling over the garden:

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks timsg80.
I would happily swap a couple of the Alpine Swift for two of those monsters.
Nice photo, they must have been quite low?
Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Confinement

After 2 weeks of confinement at home, and coordinating with other 21 birders trying to control the migration, these are my numbers from home (I see a very little slice of sky on the west of Palma):
1 Cattle Egret
2 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Black vulture
4 Booted Eagle
5 Red Kite
6 Buzzard
7 Peregrine Falcon
8 Common Kestrel
9 Marsh Harrier
10 Swallow
11 House Martin
12 Crag Martin
13 Swift
14 Sardinian Warbler
15 Blackcap
16 Great Tit
17 Greenfinch
18 Goldfinch
19 Blackbird
20 Spoonbill (17)
21 Raven
22 Hoopoe
23 Wood Pigeon
24 Stonechat
25 House Sparrow
26 Ringed turtle dove
27 Pigeon

The more interesting sighting was the 17 spoonbills and the black vultures, who these days without people are overflying Palma.

 

[hughm]

Hello again after a long absence- and sadly my return to Mallorca seems to have been delayed for at least another year. Nice to hear from Cristina- I really miss La Gola-nice to hear that little Cristina is doing well with home schooling at 3 years old.
I do have an idea to run past you, Mike- I managed 17 spring visits to Mallorca starting in 2000, and I kept diaries and of course bird records for all my trips. Would it be of interest to do round-up of a week at a time for all the 35 weeks I have been there, so as to give a flavour of spring birding for those who yearn to be back or who have never been? I always had to come in the school Easter holidays so it was often a bit early for some species to be seen- for example I only saw Eleanora's in two of the years (with very late Easters). I even go back to the days of the long-lamented birders meetings at the Pollentia Hotel. If I did one week each day it would last for just over a month- and cover most of this spring. I am happy to be guided by you all- regards- Hugh Matthews- Northampton

 

[timsg80]

Thanks timsg80.
I would happily swap a couple of the Alpine Swift for two of those monsters.
Nice photo, they must have been quite low?
Mike

Thanks! We’re on the edge of a valley, so sometimes when Vultures fly over it they’re almost eye-level with the house!

More House Martins through this afternoon, and my first Willow Warbler of the Spring in the garden. I’m determined to add Alpine Swift to the garden list this spring!

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Hugh
Sounds like a great idea and I for one would very much like to see your records.
Obviously bird news here is a bit thin so it would be an interesting diversion.
I had an early start this morning and I have seen over 1,000 mixed shearwaters going north up the coast, mostly Scopoli’s. The sea is super calm and it’s sunny which makes a change from all the cold wet days we have had recently.
Mike