Hi, just stumbled across your forum, looking for where best to hear/see Nightjars in Majorca. I spend a lot of time down south, in the ses Salines/Santanyi area and I hear Scops Owls every night there. We've even seen one flying up or down our street on a few occasions.
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Mallorca 2022 (7 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mike Montier
- Start date
Mike Montier
Well-known member
Hi Lynn.
There are good numbers of Nightjar here in the south. We live in Porto Petro and go to Parc Mondragó in the late evenings. They usually put on a good show.
There are good numbers in Santanyi too. When we visit friends for supper, pretty much every location has Nightjars churring whilst we are sitting outside.
I’m not good with co-ordinates but the path I walk down in Mondragó is called Doblegades.
I will try to find a reliable site for you in Santanyi.
Mike
There are good numbers of Nightjar here in the south. We live in Porto Petro and go to Parc Mondragó in the late evenings. They usually put on a good show.
There are good numbers in Santanyi too. When we visit friends for supper, pretty much every location has Nightjars churring whilst we are sitting outside.
I’m not good with co-ordinates but the path I walk down in Mondragó is called Doblegades.
I will try to find a reliable site for you in Santanyi.
Mike
derban
Well-known member
I popped down to the Salobrar for an early morning walk this morning - and was pleased to see plenty of action involving black-winged stilt, avocet and redshank, yellow wagtail, a marsh harrier having some aggro with two avocets, Kentish and ringed plover, little egret, shelduck, zitting cisticola, Sardinian warbler and distant flamingoes. Nothing to make the heart beat faster if you are looking for anything a bit unusual but I always enjoy getting a decent photo of a familiar species and got one or two flight shots this morning that I was quite pleased with.
Trip round Albufera this morning produced very similar birds to StewB earlier in week and some in similar locations. Again heard Savi’s from first raised platform and also Moustached but saw neither. Did have little bittern here as well as one on wooden bridge near visitor centre!
All 3 egrets, night heron (only 2or 3, lowest ever seen there) and a few flighty purple herons. A ‘possible’ Squaco but dropped in to reeds way too quick to count it. Osprey and Marsh Harrier showed well with possible Booted Eagle.
Did get Great Reed Warbler from one of the early hides on a big section of water.
Serin around visitor centre and 30-40 Flamingos at a distance on west side reserve.
Also got a yellow wagtail type on NE Marsh.
Stilts, both plovers and avocets in fair numbers, lovely to see young stilts but agree with earlier post all in much lower numbers than seen previously but water looked quite high still?
Love this place, never disappoints.
All 3 egrets, night heron (only 2or 3, lowest ever seen there) and a few flighty purple herons. A ‘possible’ Squaco but dropped in to reeds way too quick to count it. Osprey and Marsh Harrier showed well with possible Booted Eagle.
Did get Great Reed Warbler from one of the early hides on a big section of water.
Serin around visitor centre and 30-40 Flamingos at a distance on west side reserve.
Also got a yellow wagtail type on NE Marsh.
Stilts, both plovers and avocets in fair numbers, lovely to see young stilts but agree with earlier post all in much lower numbers than seen previously but water looked quite high still?
Love this place, never disappoints.
StewB
Well-known member
I spent this morning at sites around the edges of the Albufera.
First stop, the bus garage at the start of the road to Son Bosc, where for the first time I connected with tree sparrows at this site. In the end I had a minimum of four birds - mainly on the perimeter fences. A brief stop at the electricity sub-station on the way down produced two bee eaters on a distant fence and a stone curlew (with others heard calling). The gates to the first pool at the Depuradora were open, so I snuck in for a quick look at the water. A crèche of shelduck ducklings totalled nearly 40 birds, there were three broods of pochard, and of course it was little grebe central! The platform was very disappointing, adding nothing to the day’s total - although there were several red-eared sliders hauled out on the concrete edges.
Next stop was S’Amarador. The platform here was very productive, with at least three purple herons flying around, lots of singing great Reed warblers (and I managed to get one in the ‘scope!), and a male little bittern which flew across the pool and into the reeds. Looking in the direction of the old power station I could see some open water. The ‘scope showed nine flamingoes and at least six glossy ibises. Dragonflies near the platform included lesser emperor, Norfolk hawker and black-tailed skimmer.
I went round to Sa Font, and at the sluice dragonfly action was in full swing. There were at least three emperors, two Norfolk hawkers, a single male keeled skimmer, four or five scarlet dragonflies and a few small red-eyed damselflies. I walked round to the orchard in search of waxbills but had no luck, but there were three singing serins,nightingales, fan-tailed warblers and a stone curlew.
For my last stop I parked by the platform at Es Forcadet and walked down to the Cami des Polls. Dragonfly action continued with many of the species already seen, plus a violet dropwing, my first red-veined darter of the trip (a female), and several goblet-marked damselflies. I disturbed two squacco herons along the channel edge, but one obligingly landed and lingered for a few seconds before flying off. Back at the platform I noted a great crested grebe on its nest, another squacco flying over and two Eleanora’s falcons dashing around above the reedbed.
Stew
First stop, the bus garage at the start of the road to Son Bosc, where for the first time I connected with tree sparrows at this site. In the end I had a minimum of four birds - mainly on the perimeter fences. A brief stop at the electricity sub-station on the way down produced two bee eaters on a distant fence and a stone curlew (with others heard calling). The gates to the first pool at the Depuradora were open, so I snuck in for a quick look at the water. A crèche of shelduck ducklings totalled nearly 40 birds, there were three broods of pochard, and of course it was little grebe central! The platform was very disappointing, adding nothing to the day’s total - although there were several red-eared sliders hauled out on the concrete edges.
Next stop was S’Amarador. The platform here was very productive, with at least three purple herons flying around, lots of singing great Reed warblers (and I managed to get one in the ‘scope!), and a male little bittern which flew across the pool and into the reeds. Looking in the direction of the old power station I could see some open water. The ‘scope showed nine flamingoes and at least six glossy ibises. Dragonflies near the platform included lesser emperor, Norfolk hawker and black-tailed skimmer.
I went round to Sa Font, and at the sluice dragonfly action was in full swing. There were at least three emperors, two Norfolk hawkers, a single male keeled skimmer, four or five scarlet dragonflies and a few small red-eyed damselflies. I walked round to the orchard in search of waxbills but had no luck, but there were three singing serins,nightingales, fan-tailed warblers and a stone curlew.
For my last stop I parked by the platform at Es Forcadet and walked down to the Cami des Polls. Dragonfly action continued with many of the species already seen, plus a violet dropwing, my first red-veined darter of the trip (a female), and several goblet-marked damselflies. I disturbed two squacco herons along the channel edge, but one obligingly landed and lingered for a few seconds before flying off. Back at the platform I noted a great crested grebe on its nest, another squacco flying over and two Eleanora’s falcons dashing around above the reedbed.
Stew
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Thank you very much! I've already planned a dusk walk in Parc Mondrago! I'll see if I can locate the path you mentioned. [We're based in Es Llombards when we're there].
Mike Montier
Well-known member
Hi Lynn
Good luck.
The Nightjars start churring around 21.20 and fly about 10 minutes later.
Mike
Good luck.
The Nightjars start churring around 21.20 and fly about 10 minutes later.
Mike
Mike Montier
Well-known member
StewB
Well-known member
This morning I spent a couple of hours or so along the C’an Cuarassa track. The initial section held the usual corn buntings, fan-tailed warblers and stonechats, and towards the houses a dark booted eagle was getting some stick from the local kestrels.
There was a spotless starling on the chimney pot of the villa named “Pins 16”. It dropped into the garden and out of view (hedges and an imposing metal gate in the way), and then three birds came up into a bare tree. In the end I had at least five birds here. While I was watching the starlings I could hear golden orioles calling. I convinced myself that there were probably two birds, only to discover after half an hour of frustration that one of the starlings was doing a perfect bit of mimicry - he had several GO calls in his repertoire, the little devil, (or words to that effect).
I walked on and followed the track round to the right, where two thekla larks were on the track ahead of me. Rather than disturb them, I turned and walked back.
Stew
There was a spotless starling on the chimney pot of the villa named “Pins 16”. It dropped into the garden and out of view (hedges and an imposing metal gate in the way), and then three birds came up into a bare tree. In the end I had at least five birds here. While I was watching the starlings I could hear golden orioles calling. I convinced myself that there were probably two birds, only to discover after half an hour of frustration that one of the starlings was doing a perfect bit of mimicry - he had several GO calls in his repertoire, the little devil, (or words to that effect).
I walked on and followed the track round to the right, where two thekla larks were on the track ahead of me. Rather than disturb them, I turned and walked back.
Stew
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Mike Montier
Well-known member
The Bigyear so far.
It will all be a bit quiet until some returning waders put in an appearance followed by a few raptors, mainly Black kite, in August, and then what will hopefully be a bird-filled autumn.
Good birding to all visitors, there are a few Brits here at the moment.
Thanks to Pep for his continuing work on compiling the results.
Mike
It will all be a bit quiet until some returning waders put in an appearance followed by a few raptors, mainly Black kite, in August, and then what will hopefully be a bird-filled autumn.
Good birding to all visitors, there are a few Brits here at the moment.
Thanks to Pep for his continuing work on compiling the results.
Mike
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Thanks very much for your help.
MJB
Well-known member
I've experienced excellent Starling mimicry of Golden Oriole near Tiszafüred in Hungary, but that didn't prevent other birders ticking a 'heard' GO...
MJB
Mike Montier
Well-known member
That started me thinking about all the “birds” that have been ticked over the years which turned out to be other things MJB.
I’m sure there are a few dodgy ones out there and maybe someone will start a thread on the main pages of Birdforum. It would be fascinating to see what gets recalled.
I have a few, a Short-eared owl that turned out to be a cow-pat, a well ticked Red-footed falcon which flew up eventually revealing its true identity, a kestrel, but by that time many happy birders had been and gone.
Lots more I’m sure.
Got me thinking now.
Mike
I’m sure there are a few dodgy ones out there and maybe someone will start a thread on the main pages of Birdforum. It would be fascinating to see what gets recalled.
I have a few, a Short-eared owl that turned out to be a cow-pat, a well ticked Red-footed falcon which flew up eventually revealing its true identity, a kestrel, but by that time many happy birders had been and gone.
Lots more I’m sure.
Got me thinking now.
Mike
StewB
Well-known member
I recall Bryan Bland (a top Cley birder) recounting a story from a North Africa birding trip. “I got this thing in my ‘scope, but it was so distant in the heat haze that I couldn’t tell if it was a displaying great bustard or an Arab on a bike”.
Stew
MJB
Well-known member
As an accomplished raconteur, Bryan's rendition of that event grew with every telling; the audience was convulsed with laughter!
MJB
StewB
Well-known member
This morning I dropped Mrs B at Pollenca for some retail R&R and drove round to the Roman Bridge car park, crossed the road, and walked up the Ternelles Valley approach road as far as the security gate, and back.
It was a little overcast and cool, and clouds were swirling around the peaks, so the walk up was fairly uneventful, although there was a lot of crossbill action near the top - mainly family parties as far as I could determine.
I stood around for almost an hour about 40 metres from the gates until the weather suddenly improved and the first raptor appeared, a peregrine around and over the stacks on the left. At about 11.30 two black vultures rose from lower in the valley to head off south. A little later two booted eagles were over the distant slopes and a third appeared from the south. Two ravens were kronking around.
On the walk down there was more action than earlier. Firecrests, more crossbills, and two blue tits were the highlights. Dragonflies had appeared on the roadside concrete water tanks - violet dropwing, emperor, black-tailed skimmers and ovipositing scarlet dragonflies all showing nicely.
I spent the afternoon on the apartment sun roof, reading and dozing. At about four o’clock I spotted a distant raptor over the peaks in the general direction of Cala St Vicenc, which turned out to be an (the?) Egyptian vulture. A few minutes later a booted eagle, persued by the local kestrels appeared in roughly the same direction.
Stew
It was a little overcast and cool, and clouds were swirling around the peaks, so the walk up was fairly uneventful, although there was a lot of crossbill action near the top - mainly family parties as far as I could determine.
I stood around for almost an hour about 40 metres from the gates until the weather suddenly improved and the first raptor appeared, a peregrine around and over the stacks on the left. At about 11.30 two black vultures rose from lower in the valley to head off south. A little later two booted eagles were over the distant slopes and a third appeared from the south. Two ravens were kronking around.
On the walk down there was more action than earlier. Firecrests, more crossbills, and two blue tits were the highlights. Dragonflies had appeared on the roadside concrete water tanks - violet dropwing, emperor, black-tailed skimmers and ovipositing scarlet dragonflies all showing nicely.
I spent the afternoon on the apartment sun roof, reading and dozing. At about four o’clock I spotted a distant raptor over the peaks in the general direction of Cala St Vicenc, which turned out to be an (the?) Egyptian vulture. A few minutes later a booted eagle, persued by the local kestrels appeared in roughly the same direction.
Stew
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StewB
Well-known member
A personal one for me. A juvenile greater and a Chilean flamingo had been seen on Breydon Water in Norfolk. We went to see them (well, you never know, one day a greater will be countable in the UK), and from the bank near the bridge I picked up two whitish things in the shimmering heat-haze about three miles away, and proclaimed that I thought I’d got the birds. Long story short, when we were finally close enough for a proper ID they turned out to be a mute swan and an old traffic cone..
Stew
southernsteve
Well-known member
I've been looking at Birding Tourist's Guide Majorca and I'm trying to work out access to the back of S'Albufereta using Google Earth. The book shows two tracks off Cami dels Bracals, but I can't see anywhere nearby to park. Can anyone suggest anywhere to park up, or can you drive up these tracks? MTIA
StewB
Well-known member
I’m pretty sure that there isn’t any public access to the back of the Albufereta. There is a platform (which you can see from the public viewing platform off the coast road) but that is for use by staff for surveys etc.
Stew
