Mallorca 2023 (5 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

A great report Stew of a very happy time.
We certainly scooted round the Island quite a bit and saw some super birds.
Just out of interest, I have visited the same trees where we recorded the Goldcrests and I didn’t see a single one.
My guess is that they were a newly arrived influx. The south-east isn’t a bad place for migration.
My birding life is made up of many wonderful memories but there are highlights too.
Finding the Lesser Scaup in flight will be one of those that sticks in my mind. Seeing it flying with a Tufted duck, making several circuits of the lagoons was superb, as we picked out the relevant identification features.
They both thankfully then landed not far away and we were able to clinch this first for the Balearics and a new one for our lists.
Thanks for a great time, I’m sure neither of us will forget it.
It’s been many years since I’ve heard the dreaded word .”OÍ” ringing out across the peaks at Randa. I dropped my lens hood in a courtyard and the only way to get it was by scaling a wall. No sooner had I got my leg over, than the bellowing voice of the gardener could be heard ringing out from afar.
It was a devil of a job getting up that wall and I realised that the advancing years no longer allow such violent activity.
I won’t forget that either Stew
Thanks for the memories.
Mike

 

[Scridifer]

A couple of weeks ago Mrs B and I were lucky enough to come over and spend a long weekend with Mike and Mrs M. I've written up some notes of the birds that Mike and I saw. Hopefully this link to the notes will work:
Mallorca Dec 23 report PDF.pdf

Stew

An enjoyable and informative read as ever Stew! Many thanks for sharing.

Chris

 

[BielBernat]

Another Stock dove has been seen near Campanet by Maties.
There have been a few records of this Mallorca rarity recently, including one I saw at s’Amarador last month.
My guess is that some of them get overlooked as “pigeons” generally don’t get a second look.
I find the Stock dove very distinctive, smaller and more compact than a Wood Pigeon with faster wing beats and a shorter tail.

I will be looking more carefully in future but when I saw the albufera one, the flight and overall coloration left me with no doubt.
Visiting birders may not all be aware of its rarity status and therefore may not report them.
Mike

Actually I think there have to be few Stock Doves wintering at the islands.
But yes not many people are checking the common Wood Doves so they can be all around without being noticed....
I spent the last two months checking all of them without success but we'll keep on trying!

Biel Bernat

 

[StewB]

A great report Stew of a very happy time.
We certainly scooted round the Island quite a bit and saw some super birds.
Just out of interest, I have visited the same trees where we recorded the Goldcrests and I didn’t see a single one.
My guess is that they were a newly arrived influx. The south-east isn’t a bad place for migration.
My birding life is made up of many wonderful memories but there are highlights too.
Finding the Lesser Scaup in flight will be one of those that sticks in my mind. Seeing it flying with a Tufted duck, making several circuits of the lagoons was superb, as we picked out the relevant identification features.
They both thankfully then landed not far away and we were able to clinch this first for the Balearics and a new one for our lists.
Thanks for a great time, I’m sure neither of us will forget it.
It’s been many years since I’ve heard the birders dread..”OÍ” ringing out across the peaks at Randa. I dropped my lens hood in a courtyard and the only way to get it was by scaling a wall. No sooner had I got my leg over, than the bellowing voice of the gardener could be heard ringing out from afar.
It was a devil of a job getting up that wall and I realised that the advancing years no longer allow such violent activity.
I won’t forget that either a stew.
Thanks for the memories.
Mike

It was indeed an intense few days! I’d left out the details of the couple of rollockings we got, to protect the innocent.. all part of the fun of birding, and providing stories to embellish in future tellings!

Stew

 

[Mike Montier]

A longer seawatch tonight produced a slightly better total of 83 Balearic shearwaters.
One Yelkouan shearwater also went south, overtaking two Balearic shearwaters as it went.
The sea was quite calm under a cloudless sky but the birds were quite far out.
It’s a wonderful place to be, looking back over the bay of Portopetro makes a lovely picture as the sun fades away over the edge of the horizon.
The numbers will increase in the coming weeks, with Scopoli’s shearwaters normally returning around mid February.
Mike

 

[Ian Pollença]

Bon Dia, Buenos Dias. I'm in Randa and looking for the Ring Ouzel. Anyone good at directions? I'm in the car park next to the church and Cellar Bar Randa. Where do I go from here?
Cheers, Ian

 

[Mike Montier]

Only just got your message Ian.
I will phone you.
Mike

 

[Ian Pollença]

Thanks ever so much for ringing me Mike and giving directions. I can see 5 Ring Ouzel now in the bushes. 2 came down to drink for 2 minutes giving good views, even sliding down the plastic sheeting of the pool edge and trying to scramble back up which was great to watch. Several Song Thrush around too. There is a persistent male Black Redstart constantly chasing a female around but she simply is not interested; likewise a male Blackcap chasing a female who again shows no interest. Love is in the air?

 

[Mike Montier]

Nice one Ian, so pleased you connected with the Ring ouzels. Great birds.
Yes, love is in the air for many species which I’m told often pair up before the end of the year.
I guess all species are different though.

Only other news is of a possible Great-spotted cuckoo seen at sa Barrala by Biel.
As I said a couple of posts ago, I have been there nearly every day and I’m still hoping for the big one.
It’s a large area so I’m sure quite a few rarities get missed.
I will be going as much as I can, bearing in mind we have quite a few visitors staying, including a couple who I took to Sa Barrala last year for the Calandra larks.
Looks like we will be going again this year.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Pep seems to have had a great day, firstly by seeing a very unseasonable Spotted flycatcher (tyrrhenica) at La Gola and 2 Slender-billed gulls there too.
Later, a young common crane in fields near the depuradora, albufera.
Also seen out of season, a Woodchat.
I saw one on January 10th this year, perhaps leading to the conclusion of possible over-wintering birds.
I went up to San Salvador today in the hopes of seeing an Alpine accentor or two, but no luck. The place was awash with loud music, barbecues and large parties.
Each to their own I say, but I didn’t stay long.
On the way down, a likely candidate was sitting on the boundary wall but it hopped off.
In view of the extreme shortage this year, the chances are that it wasn’t one.
Maybe still time yet.
Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Today i have been whole day by the north, starting at Cala Sant Vicenç looking for a Puffin, it never appears, but sometime i will found it just there floating on the water.
After failed the puffin (normal) i have had a nice day with some very interesting observations:
At la Gola i met a Balearic Flycatcher (formerly spotted flycatcher ssp Balearic) it is very very late for them, so it seems he is spending the winter in La Gola.
At the bridge of the Albufereta i found these 2 noisy Slender-bill gull, whole time screaming.
At the Depuradora it was a lonely, very young crane, eating continuesly on the fields behind the observation tower.
There was also 4 Tufted ducks, all the time together; 1 Merlin trying to chase some bird; also a very earlier Garganey male and a very very late, out of season swallow.
A complete day with 81 species found along the day.
Happy New Year to all

 

[Mike Montier]

Happy New Year to you too Pep and thank you for all your posts and help on this forum.
I hope you get your Puffin.
I’ve only ever seen one, at the Cap de Ses salines.
It was reported the day before by seasoned sea watcher Krister.
I was there the next day before dawn and it flew across the water with some Balearic shearwaters.
I may never see one again but I hope to.
My birding Pal Philip Garnett saw a large group of Puffin, many years ago, from Formentor.
One day, let’s hope.
Mike.

 

[Geordie Dave]

The weather at home today is dreadful, giving the opportunity to download and manage photos taken from my several trips to Mallorca this year. Looking through them has reminded me of the many great days out birding that I have enjoyed this year. Some on my own but many with birding pals that I have been fortunate to meet in recent years. I tend to avoid July and August and concentrate on January, March, April/May, September/October before a final winter visit in late November/December. I hope that by doing this I am visiting in the best birding months of the year and so it has proved. I’ve managed 202 Big Year species together with another 5 that are considered to be introduced/escapees. Despite this I’ve missed out on Hawfinch, Brambling, Dunnock, Spoonbill, Crane and Oystercatcher all of which I fairly confidentially expected to see. Highlights have been Bee Eaters, Roller and Golden Oriole in the spring, Pacific Golden Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper and Marsh Sandpiper, a good collection of raptors including all 3 vultures, up to 60 Eleonoras falcons at Albufera, Lesser Kestrel and Red Footed Falcons in the central plains, Bonellis eagle with juveniles and Honey Buzzard and Hobby at the Cap, 6 Caspian Terns together at Albufereta, 150 Mediterranean Gulls in Pollenca Bay, Slender Billed Gulls at Albufereta, watching and listening to Nightjar at Son Bosc with Kevin, seeing Balearic and Dartford Warbler on Fishermens Walk and Moltonis at Cuber. Best of all was the humble curlew, which breeds in my field here at home, providing my 200th bird of the year in the company of guide mentor and friend Mike Montier. My many thanks to Mike M, Mike S, Kevin, Peter, Stew and Phil A (aka Mallorca Old Gits Birding Club) together with Derban, Pep Manchado and the many visiting birders we have had the pleasure to meet and share time with. I’m back in just over 2 weeks time to start all over again on this beautiful island where anything might happen; I’m greatly looking forward to it. Best wishes to all contributors and readers of this forum. Have a peaceful and healthy 2024. Happy New Year. Feliz ano nuevo.

 

[Geordie Dave]

…..and may be some more?

 

[Geordie Dave]

The cuckoo was at Depuradora for a few days in April giving excellent views.

 

[Mike Montier]

Lovely collection of birds there David. That’s what birding here is all about.
I echo your sentiments entirely, great company, lots of laughs, all conducted on this beautiful Island.
I really couldn’t ask for more.
I will have a go at putting highlights of the year on here although I don’t think my photos are up to your standard.
There are quite a few on your list that I’ve failed to see so I hope to be giving it all another bash, starting on January the first.
I went to Sa Barrala yet again today but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
One day.
Mike

 

[hughm]

Nice pix- but where was the White Stork?.........

 

[Geordie Dave]

Nice pix- but where was the White Stork?.........

The white stork was first seen in early April. It appeared at Albufera around 17, 18th, I think and stayed for a few days. From my notes I saw it on 20th. It was sat in the “Osprey nest” in front of Cibollar hide. It was also visible from Carrer del Bateman, the road to the orange bridge in front of the hotels. I think it was around for another couple of days. I remember going back a couple of days later and not finding it. The sight of it sitting on a nest might have thrown you!!

 

[Mike Montier]

There has been a rare bird on the last day of the year for the last three years.
Not today though.
So, that’s it then.
I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who reads this thread, it is very dear to me and I feel very gratified by the amount of interest shown.
I am deeply involved with the bird life here and I’m very fortunate to have met so many of you, some of whom have become friends. It’s all been the most fantastic fun and I have learnt loads and as a result, I have become a better birder.
Thank you to all contributors to the thread, always great to hear about your sightings and days out. The thread would be much poorer with your sightings and comments.
Some super photos have appeared too, they get better every year.
There is a lot of knowledge and expertise on here too so it’s a great learning experience for us all.
Thank you to the locals, notably Pep, Maties and Biel. Your input has been invaluable and informative.
We therefore end the year wiser and more competent birdwatchers.
I hope to see many of you in the coming year. I’m already excited about the future and what may turn up.
Mike

 

[derban]

There has been a rare bird on the last day of the year for the last three years.
Not today though.
So, that’s it then.
I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who reads this thread, it is very dear to me and I feel very gratified by the amount of interest shown.
I am deeply involved with the bird life here and I’m very fortunate to have met so many of you, some of whom have become friends. It’s all been the most fantastic fun and I have learnt loads and as a result, I have become a better birder.
Thank you to all contributors to the thread, always great to hear about your sightings and days out. The thread would be much poorer with your sightings and comments.
Some super photos have appeared too, they get better every year.
There is a lot of knowledge and expertise on here too so it’s a great learning experience for us all.
Thank you to the locals, notably Pep, Maties and Biel. Your input has been invaluable and informative.
We therefore end the year wiser and more competent birdwatchers.
I hope to see many of you in the coming year. I’m already excited about the future and what may turn up.
Mike

Bad luck Mike - but we go again with a clean sheet starting tomorrow! And thank you so much for running this thread and sharing memorable days out with me. Thanks also to all the others I have met while birding over the past few years in Mallorca. I have indeed become a wiser and more competent birdwatcher, now no longer a complete beginner, more of an enthusiastic novice. Best wishes to all on the forum, we‘ll be back soon and I hope to see you then.