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Mallorca 2021 (3 Viewers)

Mika reports a Spotted Crake and a Grasshopper Warbler this evening at s’albufera (cami de ses puntes) , Maties reports a Great bittern I believe near Alcudia and finally, Lalo has just seen a Woodcock near Costitx.
All records are with due credit to the various WhatsApp groups which are either in Spanish or Mallorquín so I do sometimes get things wrong with translation.
Things are obviously hotting up. It’s the most exciting time of the year, just not knowing what’s going to turn up next.
Salobrar tomorrow so my Hopes are high.
Mike
 
The Salobrar this morning with Mike – thick with birders at first, reporting there was nothing to be seen. Well, "nothing" including the usual suspects, flamingoes, avocets, black-winged stilts and so on, plus the guaranteed appearances of a number of marsh harrier and two red kites. But patience was rewarded with this lovely yellow wagtail, a glossy ibis making his escape, and then a pair of black-tailed godwits put in an appearance, as did four ruff and some little ringed plover, which for me were more than enough reward. I will see if any of the distant waders provide recognisable photos and if so I will post them later on. It was a highly enjoyable morning, as always great company, good chat and interesting passers-by. Thank you again Mike for the IDs. I wouldn't have had a chance on my own!

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A lovely morning derban and thanks for posting.
That’s a cracking photo of the Wagtail.
It’s nice just to amble along, talking and seeing some great birds. I would add that you found all of them!
I didn’t even flinch when news came through of an adult male Pallid Harrier past the tower this morning. Details later.
I got home to find three Hoopoes squabbling over what I assumed was a female.
I know I mentioned this before, but during this time, Hoopoes can be heard emitting a harsh rasping call not unlike a Jay. As I have received two or three reports of Jays being heard here, my guess is that Hoopoe is the culprit. Jay has never occurred in my time here.
Mike
 

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That's a very fine hoopoe, Mike. The closest I get to one of them is when our neighbour Rainer says it has been picking insects off his window shutters to wake him up in the mornings. Here are some more smudgy shots of the birds from this morning plus the wagtail giving itself a good shake - three ruff, the little ringed plover, yellow eye ring just visible, the black-tailed godwit and the mystery wader - some kind of sandpiper?


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That's a very fine hoopoe, Mike. The closest I get to one of them is when our neighbour Rainer says it has been picking insects off his window shutters to wake him up in the mornings. Here are some more smudgy shots of the birds from this morning plus the wagtail giving itself a good shake - three ruff, the little ringed plover, yellow eye ring just visible, the black-tailed godwit and the mystery wader - some kind of sandpiper?


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A Green Sandpiper for me Derban.
 
83 Marsh Harrier past the tower, Albercutx, and away up north this morning.
Also 1 Hobby, 1 Merlín and a Sparrowhawk.
The undoubted star of the day was a splendid adult male Pallid Harrier.
More tomorrow I’m sure.
Mike
 
Thanks Derban, puzzling over birds’ identities, and in my case not always resolving the puzzle ;)reminds me how none of us is perfect, we all have cracks and imperfections, and as the great Leonard wrote : “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”(y)(y)
 
Extraordinary coincidence, I only quoted that yesterday. “There is a crack in everything”.
I have always been a huge Leonard Cohen fan.
I always give myself such a hard time for making mistakes but I’ve learnt from every single one.

The tower is going well so far with a Short-toed snake eagle being seen. One of my favourite bird names. Lots of Marsh Harrier too.
Full report later.
Just been looking back on my old notebooks and found my first ever Honey Buzzard, nearly 30 years ago. How time flies.
Honey Buzzard will be here is high numbers I hope, typically towards the end of April.
Mike
 

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I believe Pep and Biel have seen another Pallid Harrier. This time a young bird.
I hope Pep has some photos, it will be an interesting bird to see in detail.
Now is the peak time for these magnificent raptors to be passing through. There seem to be more records these days, partly I believe due to better awareness, but also I understand that their range is expanding.
Also, a Whiskered Tern at Salobrar, I’m going again later tomorrow.
Woodchat shrikes have been seen and a Wood Warbler recorded.
Exciting times ahead as migration is only just beginning to peak, I look forward to Bee-eaters, Golden orioles and many other regular goodies.
I am heartened to see that there are many more birders in the field with most of the hot-spots being covered on a regular basis.
More birders means more birds. Great news,
Mike
 
Much less migration of raptors today with this fairly strong north wind. Just 13 Marsh Harrier and 8 Common Kestrel.
Juanjo saw 16 White stork coming in-off the sea at Cap de Ses Salines. It’s been a strange year for this species, many more than normal being seen.
Maybe they will stay to breed one year but as far as I know, they haven’t reproduced.
The same goes for Greater Flamingo. Despite nest building and courtship behavior, none have been successful.
Glossy ibis on the other hand, have recently colonised Mallorca as a summer breeder with around 10 pairs at S’albufera.
I think also there were some Bee-eaters recorded by Juanjo at the Cap.
Mike
 
Another bonanza in the north today with a male Montagu’s Harrier, a Short toed Eagle, Egyptian vulture and other assorted goodies. Details later.
I didn’t have time to go north so I went to the Cap de Ses Salines..along with half of Mallorca. I have never known it be so crowded, even in the height of summer. It was absolute chaos trying to leave as the road was blocked with crazy drivers.
Compensation came with a fine Short-eared owl alongside a Black Kite.
These owls are not at all easy to see in Mallorca.
 

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9 species of raptor seen up north today.
Black Kite 2
Short-toed Eagle 1
Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 2
Booted Eagle 2
Common Kestrel 10
Hobby 1
Marsh Harrier 29
Montagu’s Harrier 1
Also local birds of prey like Egyptian vulture, Bonelli’s Eagle, Red kite etc. so it is possible to see over 10 different species in a day.
2 Black-eared Wheatears were seen, one by Adolfo and the other by Pere at Llenaire.
An Oystercatcher was seen as well as a Collared pratincole.
Phil A had a good day by seeing a Common Tern, Mute swan at Maristany, Garganey at the depuradora and a slim Harrier species.
Some Nightingales are singing.
I’m sure there is more, so if I remember, I will post later.
Mike
 
There are still at least 4 male Lesser Kestrel near Vilafranca. I will go again tomorrow as I’m still hoping to see an early Red-footed Falcon, another of my all-time favourites, gorgeous birds, both male and female are so striking and watching them hunt on the central plain is one of the highlights of the year.
Some more common migrants are arriving including Woodchat, Bee-eater, Common redstart, Tawny Pipit and Wood and Willow Warbler.
Mike
 
Not much news today, the cold weather has returned along with northerly winds.
Any attempts to watch migration in the north were quickly abandoned.
Just a few reports of Nightingales and the first Turtle dove that I know of, reported by Jason.
I’m at the Cap again in the morning so I hope migration gets under way again.
Mike
 
Not much movement today. Firstly Patrick was in the north, Juanjo in the south at the Cap. Just a few Common Kestrel and one Marsh Harrier at Albercutx and nothing at the Cap. Juanjo left and I took over. I saw my first Woodchat but there were no migrants.
I did see 2, possibly 3, Bonelli’s eagles circling over their usual territory which is just west of the lighthouse.
Just off for an evening walk around Mondragó hoping for some passerines.
Mike
 
A very pleasant evening walk around Mondragó but a notable lack of migrants. The big surge of few days ago has dried up no doubt because of the strong northerlies.
A couple of Woodchat brightened things up a bit but I look forward to flycatchers, Warblers, Nightingales and Turtle doves. They should arrive very soon as the weather has changed back to more favourable conditions.
At least Woodchats are easy to photograph.
Mike
 

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I went to the Salobrar again this morning, bright and early after scraping ice off the windscreen. And I was rewarded by my first decent photo of a hoopoe (well, sharp, properly exposed), almost opposite the hotel, a fine linnet (keep singing the song Mike), plus several birds in flight. There were also a number of waders but I will have to sort through my photos to get a better ID on some of them. I think there were about four ruff plus some the jury (me) is still out on. I have learned a lot about waders in the past few months, especially with different plumages. Still a long way to go though.
 

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