Mallorca 2022 (1 Viewer)

[Mike Montier]

Happy New year to everyone. I hope you all celebrated well last night and don’t feel too bad this morning.
Mallorca has awoken to a grey and misty start but it all begins again today.
Just the customary beach party today so not much birding.
May I wish you all a very happy and healthy year with lots of good birding.
I hope also that some of you will be able to come to this great Island during the year and I look forward to meeting up with you and saying hello.
All the best
Mike

 

[timsg80]

Happy New Year!

In an unimaginably good start to the year, this Red-flanked Bluetail appeared in my neighbour's garden this morning. I initially didn't have my camera, and after an anxious sprint home I grabbed it and had to wait another hour and a half for it to reappear, and here it is! I believe it's the fourth for Mallorca?

Hopefully an omen for a good year ahead!

 

[Mike Montier]

News just in about a Red-flanked bluetail in es capdella.
I will post further news as and when but I rather thought one would be over-wintering somewhere.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Wow!
We cross-posted Gregor.
Many congratulations on this mega.
I will get there as soon as I can.
Is there access to the site without troubling your neighbour?
Mike

 

[timsg80]

Wow!
We cross-posted Gregor.
Many congratulations on this mega.
I will get there as soon as I can.
Is there access to the site without troubling your neighbour?
Mike

Thanks Mike!

I'm going to try and find out the answer to that question right now!

 

[Mike Montier]

With thanks and due credit to G.O.R.A., here are the figures for autumn migration at Cap de Ses Salines.
It’s always interesting to see which species was the most numerous.
There were some great birds but not spectacular numbers and no real surprises.
I spent far too much time there, often for little reward in terms of results, but just sitting there is enough for me. It’s a happy place.
It all begins again at the tower at Albercutx and I will be going there as much as possible and reporting.
Maybe see some of you there.
Mike

 

[derban]

Happy New Year to you too Mike and all the others on here. Just wanted to say that this forum is much appreciated and to thank you for the good work. With a very little luck I'll be back on 4 Jan., so I hope to be seeing you soon!

 

[Geordie Dave]

Mike Happy New Year to you and Jane. Many thanks for keeping the forum alive last year, often single handed. Let hope travel restrictions are eased in 2022 allowing us to visit more often and with less testing etc. I’m back on 15 January for a fortnight and look forward to catching up again.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Happy New Year to all those who have kept this forum alive!
Great News already about the RFBT..the New Year starts with mega bang!
Go Mikey..Its your Year!

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Mike.
“My Year” is getting less likely as each year passes.
I needed Spectacled warbler to stay in contention three years ago.
I climbed up Puig de Teix, which is about the only reliable site, and it was a round trip of 7 hours.
“Trip” is the appropriate word as I fell over a few times, once quite badly. I realised that my mountaineering days were over. Very foolishly, I was on my own. Not recommended.
I will give it my best shot this year though, and we will see how it goes. It’s marvelous fun just trying to keep up with those young guns.
See you here soon, we will go get those Dartford warblers.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Philip.G. went to the site of the Red-flanked bluetail today but didn’t see it in two hours.
He said it was a beautiful setting with lots of common birds. Any further news would be appreciated Gregor.
I also saw Jason on my now regular visit to the salt pans and the fields of Sa Barrala. There was no sign of any Golden plover so an evening visit may be better.
There were three Red-throated pipits in the fields early morning including a spanking adult bird complete with red throat.
The others were probably first winter, I have seen two away from this site so either they move around a lot, or there are more.
The flocks of larks, pipits and buntings do indeed move around a lot and are very flighty in general, rarely staying put for more than a couple of minutes at a time.
It was a grey and cold day so the usual raptors were not so much in evidence.
Son Real tomorrow so I’m hoping for some Hawfinch.
Mike

 

[StewB]

Just to add my best wishes for 2022, and thanks to Mike for all that he does to keep the forum going and encouraging the birding efforts of visitors and residents alike on the beautiful island!

I’ll add my hopes to others that things can return to something resembling normal this year and that travel becomes a bit more straightforward.

Stew

 

[Mike Montier]

A very long walk around the delightful Son Real reserve today and at last we saw a bit of sunshine. I have never enjoyed mixing organised walks with birding, nobody seems keen to stop and look at things, as if we are in some kind of competition or something. Either way, it really annoys me, no doubt as much as I annoy them. Our friends today were very tolerant and understanding though so I can’t complain.
Two black vultures overhead were nice.
The hide provided views of crossbill, siskin and a brief glimpse of a nervous hawfinch. Some good year ticks but I would have preferred to spend more time just looking at birds.
I called in at Maria de la Salut on the way home for the common cranes but despite good directions from Pep, I failed to locate them. Perhaps they had gone to roost.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Results are in for the BigYear Mallorca 2021.
The very worthy winner is the seemingly unstoppable Pep.
He devotes himself to many diligent hours in the field and can often be found at dawn or dusk, scanning the surroundings for a glimpse of the next rare or scarce bird.
Only very recently when I was at Randa, looking for Ring ouzel, Pep emerged to join me, just a couple of days after breaking his arm.
So, well done Pep. I hope I can give you more of a run for your money this year, I didn’t fare so well last time.
Also worthy of note are the Brits, Phil Ackers, Geordie David and Mike Swiss. Considering how little time they were able to spend in Mallorca, they did rather well.
Maybe this year that long standing record will tumble. It will be interesting to see.
The main thing is, to enjoy the birds and birding and we certainly did just that.
Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Back on the Island in time to Start the New Big Year!
No problem with the trip - the Staff at the Airport were very helpful and efficient.
The weather today was not ideal but managed to visit Maristany.
Water level high reflecting the recent rainful.
Several hundred Crag Martins swooping down. Other Birds seen included:
Common Pochards, Shoverlers, Mallards, Gadwall, Little Grebes, Coots, Moorhen, Water Rail, Kestrel, Yellow legged and Black headed gulls, Cetti warblers, Serins, Chiffchaff. Nice to see several Tufted Ducks.
The count has started.
Good to be back!

 

[Mike Montier]

Welcome back Mike.
Looking forward to meeting up with you soon.
Not much news. The Red-breasted merganser is still being seen at Cala Gamba but there has been no further sighting of the Red-flanked bluetail despite quite some effort.
It’s out there somewhere!
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Salobrar yet again today but this time in the delightful company of fellow Brits, Mike Swiss, Philip Garnett and Philip Ackers.
After a freezing first hour or so, the sun eventually popped it’s head up and we gradually thawed out. It really does get cold here.
Lots of great birds, large flocks of Golden plover, Starling, a good variety of raptors, Mistle thrush and quite a few good year ticks.
No sign of the Temminck’s stint but a couple of lone plovers which gave us a very hard time against the light. There were some Grey plover which were easier but we are still debating a few of our sightings.
I think Phil Ackers has some better photos which I believe he will post here.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Another photo from today by Phil Ackers.
My head hurts.

 

[Phil Akers]

Morning all.
Yes Mike, it was a great day out yesterday at the Salobrar. Good fun and some great birds.
We thought that we had found the elusive American Golden Plover; sharing a pond with a couple of Grey Plovers but it looks as though we will have to keep searching.

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Phil.
It was a great day out which is what matters, lots of fun and as usual, a steep learning curve.
I certainly came away a wiser man.
Thanks for your company, see you soon.
Mike