Mallorca 2021 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Another thing I forgot, I went out onto the balcony early this morning before going to Son Real, and I heard a Common Buzzard calling.
Common Buzzard is on the increase in Mallorca, there are now more than ten pairs.
They certainly bred in Mondragó last year.
I have been to the park quite a few times recently but I have not seen or heard them so it was a welcome sound today.
Let’s hope they breed again this year and I will be going to the park regularly to check.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A big storm has ripped through Mallorca taking a few trees and roofs with it.
We had no power for a couple of hours.
Fatima found some House martins at Can Guidet, the first migrants that I know about.
Phil photographed a superb adult Bonelli’s Eagle at Mortitx this morning before the storm broke.
Mortitx is one of the best sites for seeing these magnificent eagles.
Mike

 

[derban]

I popped down to the Salobrar de Campos yesterday evening to see if anything interesting had blown in. It hadn't, but I saw this little scene – I always thought avocets were elegant, restrained creatures (unless you are an aquatic invertebrate, I suppose) but this is more in the nature of attempted murder...

 

[honeym]

I read somewhere that a swallow had been seen.

Yes, Avocets can be really agressive. Watched something similar at Minsmere many years ago while doing an Acorn Camp for the National Trust on Dunwich Heath.

 

[Mike Montier]

I will never look at Avocets in the same way derban!
I have seen many Coot being very aggressive but never witnessed much by the black and white dazzlers before.
I had a very long walk up from Sóller today. The villages en route are some of the best kept on the Island, absolutely beautiful locations with some fine markets and shops.
I saw a few Black and Griffon vultures but much of the bird life was still sheltering from the tail end of the storm.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Maties and Marina have produced an article about the dragonfly sightings for 2019 which will be published in the G.O.B. magazine soon.
Marina has kindly offered to translate it to English for us aficionados.
Stewb introduced me to this delightful group of Odonata and I know there are many people who would like to receive a copy.
As soon as I have the original, I can send it to anyone who is interested.
I will post details here, hopefully with a link to save having to send them all individually.
Dragonflies have proved to be an additional interest here on the Island and I have really enjoyed learning from scratch with lots of help from Stew.
Mike

 

[StewB]

Maties and Marina have produced an article about the dragonfly sightings for 2019 which will be published in the G.O.B. magazine soon.
Marina has kindly offered to translate it to English for us aficionados.
Stewb introduced me to this delightful group of Odonata and I know there are many people who would like to receive a copy.
As soon as I have the original, I can send it to anyone who is interested.
I will post details here, hopefully with a link to save having to send them all individually.
Dragonflies have proved to be an additional interest here on the Island and I have really enjoyed learning from scratch with lots of help from Stew.
Mike

That’s really good news Mike! Dragonflies and damselflies provide another level of interest when birding on Mallorca, and I’ve had a lot of fun exploring hidden areas in search of adult insects. The more that information and knowledge develops the better! There are now a couple of really good European fieldguides available - Dijkstra &Lewington which set a very high benchmark, and more recently a new photographic guide by Smallshire and Swash. Either really helps with identification and is worth packing!

Really looking forward to seeing the fruits of Marina and Maties’ labours.

Stew

 

[Mike Montier]

A Common gull has been found by Gala in Mahon, a rare bird here in Mallorca.
I have only ever seen one, along the coast from Palma where I am headed tomorrow to see what the wind has blown in.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A bracing walk along the sea front east of Palma today.
Still very windy and wet but an Osprey low over the car as I got out was entertaining, especially as the local gulls were giving it a hard time.
Seven Turnstones were feeding along the shore, a very colorful Cormorant was close in but there was no sign of any Red-breasted Merganser which have been frequenting this area for some time. The sea was very rough so they may have been sheltering elsewhere.
No other news today, we are just waiting for a few more migrants to arrive.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

The sea was alive this morning with huge rafts of Balearic shearwaters.
I’m looking forward to my regular seawatch this evening to count just how many pass by for the south.
Mike

 

[StewB]

The sea was alive this morning with huge rafts of Balearic shearwaters.
I’m looking forward to my regular seawatch this evening to count just how many pass by for the south.
Mike

Clickers at the ready!

 

[Mike Montier]

Haha! If only Stew.
I don’t know what happened to all those Balearic shearwaters I saw this morning. There were hundreds. Tonight, a miserable 79 went south. They must have gone elsewhere to feed.
That’s Seawatching I guess. It was also very cold. I’m now thawing out with a nice hot cuppa.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Never mind though, I’m going to s’Albufera tomorrow and hope to add to my year list. So far, I’m on my lowest count ever. I went a bit mad last year so I said I would take things easy this year.
Fat chance.
Mike

 

[Ian Bell]

Go For It,Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

A delightful day at the main reserve of s’Albufera.
It’s always good to be there and walk slowly around the reserve, popping into all the hides. Only three people allowed in each hide but as we had the place to ourselves, it was not a problem. We met Phil A there and between us, we saw some great birds.
30 Glossy ibis were nice as was a group of 6 Spoonbill, the most I have ever seen.
A Great crested Grebe showed well, a Little bittern called and we had the briefest of views.
A few Night heron, Purple swamp hen, Snipe, Black necked Grebe, Great White egret and Wigeon completed the list, along with many Teal and some Marbled Duck.
All in 20 degrees of sunshine.
As soon as I got home, I was out on the balcony hoping to see the tail end of the Balearic shearwaters going south.
My new clicker nearly caught fire as it registered 273 in a very short space of time. They must have had the wind up their chuffs as they all went through like bullets. There were obviously more earlier that I missed.
More tomorrow I hope.
I’m very sorry for all the regular visitors who are not here to share these great days. It’s a terrible shame. I just hope some of you will be able to get here at some point later in the year.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

News just in of a Great spotted cuckoo found by Jason and seen in flight near Cala Sa Nau, in the south-east.
I hope he posts details of this exciting find, they are spectacular birds to see, especially in flight.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

I went to the Cap de Ses Salines this morning. It was very windy with a big sea and large waves crashing into the rocks.
I know some seawatchers like high winds but personally I find it very annoying. Salt spray covers the lenses every few seconds and it’s hard to stay on any bird for long without the scope being blown all over the place.
As soon as I got there, a Kingfisher whizzed past and out to sea which I thought was odd. Then I saw a Shelduck far out to sea but I don’t ever remember seeing one at this site before.
I then saw a Caspian Tern. Having seen one recently I was not so surprised. A bird was seen and photographed on Ibiza a couple of days after my initial sighting so I’m not sure if it was the same bird returning or another.
I saw it twice more as it seemed to be flying up and down the channel between Cabrera and the Cap.
I don’t think there has ever been a winter sighting before so it’s very unusual. It’s an official rarity here so I have been ultra cautious. I’m doing my best to get a photo but it’s near impossible in today’s conditions.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

I also visited Sa Barrala where the Bimaculated Lark was found on the 31st December. Few people saw it so I was just wondering if it was still around.
The Pine bunting has been a long-stayer so I was hoping the Lark might be too.
I located the flocks of Skylark but they have moved to a bare field nearby.
No luck today though, the area seems to be a training ground for hunting dogs so there was a lot of disturbance. It was also very windy but I will give it another try soon and live in hope.
Pep had an exciting find today so I hope he posts later.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

The Cap this morning.

 

[Mike Montier]

Also our local bats were out last night and I have already seen three species of butterfly; Red Admiral, Cleopatra and what looked like a small white.
There is a Hummingbird hawk moth on my balcony as I write.
Mike