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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Mallorca 2021 (3 Viewers)

Thanks derban for reminding me about “my old cock linnet”. It’s taken me days to get that wretched song out of my head and now it’s back again.
Nice Hoopoe.
I love the salt pans and I know you do too so I look forward to meeting up there again next time.
I really love Linnets though, especially when in song during the spring.
All the best,
Mike
 
Awful weather today. We were walking and picnicking but got washed out.
Only news is of some Pallid swift. They usually follow on from the first flush of Common swift.
Looks like the weekend will be wet and windy too so probably not much migration, certainly not at the tower.
Still, you never know what may turn up.
Mike
 
A grey old day but no rain here in the south.
Wood warblers have been passing through and Jason saw and photographed a fine male Montagu’s Harrier just outside Ses Salines.
Mika braved the tower and a good number of Common Kestrel went north along with a few Marsh Harrier.
More news later I hope.
Mike
 
The day started well for Juanjo with two Bonelli’s warblers at Formentor.
The tower produced some raptor migration including the first Honey Buzzard of the year, pretty early and quite a surprise although I have received reports of Honey Buzzard from the 9th April in the past.
39 Marsh harriers went north as did 1 Common Buzzard and 3 Hobby.
I couldn’t get there today but I will be going in the week. There are a good number of birders there at the weekends so I feel my time is better spent during the week so that there is greater coverage. Once a week is normally my ration.
I had a quiet walk this evening near Cala d’Or and saw Northern Wheatear and male Common redstart. It’s the best time of the year for walking, not too hot yet and the wild flowers are spectacular. I can never tire of seeing fields full of poppies.
Mike
 
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Phil A wrote this morning saying that he was at s’Albufera and had seen a female Pied Flycatcher.
As there has been an influx of Collared Flycatcher in mainland Spain, I suggested that he should keep an eye out for them.
Some time later, up pops a photo of a dazzling male Collared Flycatcher!
It’s a very rare bird indeed, almost as rare as one of my predictions being right.
Well done Phil.
I put the news out and my phone was then on fire with questions about the exact location.
I believe quite a few people got to see it, not me though, I was in Ikea.
It was almost as satisfying as seeing the bird myself. Very different from a few years ago when, if a missed a rarity, I would sulk for three days.
Mike
 

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Javi braved the biting wind to be at the tower today.
It was ok-ish with a nice and unusual group of 4 Osprey passing through.
1 Booted Eagle, 12 Common Kestrel and 3 Marsh Harrier completed the day’s tally.
Phil also saw an Oystercatcher from the new hide at Albufereta completing a very nice day for him.
Mike
 
The Collared Flycatcher is still at Albufera this morning along with a good assortment of other goodies including Wood and Bonelli’s Warbler. More details later.
The tower was unproductive.
Mike
 
What a little stunner!

I'll have to make do with my first Swallow of the year on Wimbledon Common this morning, after clearing the windscreen of frost.

Martin
 
I had the choice of either going to the Albercutx tower or the reserve at s’albufera today.
As there was still a fresh northerly breeze, I opted for the lower climes of albufera.
I was sure that the Collared Flycatcher would have departed, but no, it was the first bird I saw after logging in at reception. A world lifer for me and what a stunner.
All the other migrants previously seen by Maties were also still there, two Bonelli’s warblers, a Wood Warbler, a Common whitethroat, (I didn’t see one all last year), a singing Willow Warbler and a Common Redstart.
Bee-eaters called from above and all was well with the world.
It’s a great time of the year to be at the reserve with so much to see.
Poor Adolfo at the tower saw very little, just a Sparrowhawk being worthy of note.
Mike
 

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Biel saw a Short-eared owl at Maria de la Salut.
I called in there on the way home but didn’t see it, perhaps it just flew through.
I did see one Lesser Kestrel.
Mike
 
I had the choice of either going to the Albercutx tower or the reserve at s’albufera today.
As there was still a fresh northerly breeze, I opted for the lower climes of albufera.
I was sure that the Collared Flycatcher would have departed, but no, it was the first bird I saw after logging in at reception. A world lifer for me and what a stunner.
All the other migrants previously seen by Maties were also still there, two Bonelli’s warblers, a Wood Warbler, a Common whitethroat, (I didn’t see one all last year), a singing Willow Warbler and a Common Redstart.
Bee-eaters called from above and all was well with the world.
It’s a great time of the year to be at the reserve with so much to see.
Poor Adolfo at the tower saw very little, just a Sparrowhawk being worthy of note.
Mike
Quite a day Mike!

Stew
 
Patrick was at Albufera today and logged the first Eleonora’s falcon of the year.
These sleek and agile hunters are emblematic of Mallorca and I’m often asked where best to see them.
In the spring they can be seen, often in big numbers, from various locations on the Island. I have seen them on the central plain, Son Bosc, Son Real, Albufera, Albufereta, Can Cuerassa and many other locations.
They then move to less accessible places to breed like the rocky cliffs and a Islands around Mallorca.
In the autumn they are best seen from Formentor where the young birds are on the wing.
Eleonora’s falcons vary in types from light morph to dark.
In late autumn they can be watched leaving the Island from Cap de Ses Salines.
They are beautiful, graceful and expert hunters, grasping insects in flight. Hours of entertainment are guaranteed and I watch them in awe.
I’m looking forward to seeing them again, hopefully along with a few Red-footed falcons.
Mike
 
It’s snowing!
Only in the mountains apparently but even down south here, there is a sharp northerly wind.
Four intrepid birders, Pep, Lalo, Susana and Pedro, braved the tower this morning but they didn’t last long.
They moved to casas vellas but didn’t stay there either.
Respect to them for trying but it’s a day for being indoors today for the less hardy.
I’ve been looking back at old records and photos of past days out in Mallorca. It’s always fun looking back but I’m also looking forward to late April and May migration which is always an action-packed time.
So, no news sadly. I would think that when the weather changes and the winds swing round again, we will have a field day.
Just a couple of Montagu’s harriers knocking around and some Lesser Kestrels are staying in the central regions.
Many of the recently arrived migrants will be staying on for a few more days I reckon.
Mike
 
It’s snowing!
Only in the mountains apparently but even down south here, there is a sharp northerly wind.
Four intrepid birders, Pep, Lalo, Susana and Pedro, braved the tower this morning but they didn’t last long.
They moved to casas vellas but didn’t stay there either.
Respect to them for trying but it’s a day for being indoors today for the less hardy.
I’ve been looking back at old records and photos of past days out in Mallorca. It’s always fun looking back but I’m also looking forward to late April and May migration which is always an action-packed time.
So, no news sadly. I would think that when the weather changes and the winds swing round again, we will have a field day.
Just a couple of Montagu’s harriers knocking around and some Lesser Kestrels are staying in the central regions.
Many of the recently arrived migrants will be staying on for a few more days I reckon.
Mike
We’ve had northerlies here in Norfolk for a few weeks now, so migration is extremely slow and many birds are being held up here. Hundreds of Brent geese remain along the North Norfolk coast and lots of fieldfares inland. Hopefully things will change for both of us soon, and birds will come from you up to us. Snow though.. that’s quite something!

Stew
 
Some late news.
A Little Crake at Magaluf, reported by Pep, also a female Hen Harrier there.
A Spotted Crake at Salobrar, found by Jason.
A Jack Snipe at Magaluf, reported by Pep and Biel I believe.
They also saw a second Little Crake, but a female this time.
Also a Little Tern at Cuidad Jardin on the south coast.
Mike
 
Also 11 Mediterranean gulls at Cuidad Jardin and 2 Oystercatcher.
Jason also reported 33 Lesser Black-backed gulls from Salobrar, a very big total for Mallorca.
 
Lots of news coming in today now that the weather has improved.
Pep, Jason and Maties are on the Island of Dragonera and have found some great birds.
I hope Pep posts later with some more details but it looks like they have logged an Orphean Warbler.
At the tower the highlight was a Pallid Harrier. A couple of Hobby and Marsh harriers were the supporting cast.
I just had a short visit to the salt pans but they were very quiet.
Greater Flamingoes are building nests and displaying courtship behavior but this has happened in previous years without results.
It would be great to see them breeding here. Heaven knows, there are enough of them here. You’d think at least one couple would know how to do it.
Mike
 

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Some of the birders who were at the tower today are having a celebratory lunch having seen two Pallid harriers. As far as I know, it’s the first time this has occurred.
More news later.
Mike
 
Confirmation of today’s totals at the tower, thanks to Lalo and The group:

2 Pallid Harrier, (the first occurrence of more than one bird in a single day)
2 Black kite
2 Osprey
11 Common Kestrel
5 Hobby
16 Marsh Harrier
3 Montagu’s Harrier.

Mike
 

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