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Mallorca 2023 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mike Montier
- Start date
We are not far off our annual trip (prescription) to the great Island and as usual we head up North. On this occasion we do not plan to hire a car but we would like a trip to the Central Plain all the talk of Lesser Kestrel has us envious. If anybody knows if there is a bus to the area we would be very grateful, we are staying five days at Playa de Muro as to be near the s' Albufera, any help please on the bus service?
After five days we move to Port de Pollenca and we would like to get to Mortitx and again if anybody knows if a bus runs up past the winery it would be helpful.
Our target bird list is very low and very ambitious : Golden Oriole, Little Bittern, Lesser Kestrel, Roller, Scops Owl, Short-toed Lark, Spotless Starling, Wryneck and the most elusive bird on the Island, Dartford Warbler. Six of these would be lifers for us both.
Thank You
T&C
After five days we move to Port de Pollenca and we would like to get to Mortitx and again if anybody knows if a bus runs up past the winery it would be helpful.
Our target bird list is very low and very ambitious : Golden Oriole, Little Bittern, Lesser Kestrel, Roller, Scops Owl, Short-toed Lark, Spotless Starling, Wryneck and the most elusive bird on the Island, Dartford Warbler. Six of these would be lifers for us both.
Thank You
T&C
A visit to Son Real today was well worth it. 26 Bee-eaters flying about near the necropolis was amazing. Perching and then grouping together and drifting inland about 3pm
2 pied flys, a tree pipit, 4 turtle doves, 6 woodchat shrikes, 4 spot fly, 3 Thelka larks a turnstone with the shags on the rocks and a tortoise at the pool.
Earlier at albuferata 2 gull billed terns, 3 black vultures along ridge and great white egret
Just back of camera images .
2 pied flys, a tree pipit, 4 turtle doves, 6 woodchat shrikes, 4 spot fly, 3 Thelka larks a turnstone with the shags on the rocks and a tortoise at the pool.
Earlier at albuferata 2 gull billed terns, 3 black vultures along ridge and great white egret
Just back of camera images .
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T&C
All bus info at www.tib.org - central plains a problem I think. Mortitx possible but I'm not sure. A couple of years ago I went to Cuber from Port de Pollensa but can't remember stopping at Mortitx. Bus 231 would be the one if so. Cuber worth a visit.
Neal
Mike Montier
Well-known member
Martin reports a Slender-billed gull at the depuradora, s’Albufera tonight together with a Gull-billed tern.
I called in there on my way home and three visiting birders reported a Roller there yesterday.
One was seen today at the main reserve so maybe the same bird.
Mike
I called in there on my way home and three visiting birders reported a Roller there yesterday.
One was seen today at the main reserve so maybe the same bird.
Mike
Thanks for that Neil, looks like the 316 heads towards the Central Plain and as you say the 231 for Mortitx, much appreciated.
T&C
Kendalbirder
Well-known member
Can Cuarassa 07.30 - 09.15
4 Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat and a Tree Pipit were dotted about.
A Tawny Pipit was giving song flights from the field with the No Entry - Privado sign.
An Adult Purple Heron was having a good Preen and 3 Hoopoe were seen in flight.
7 Bee-Eater and Marsh Harrier went through.
4 Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat and a Tree Pipit were dotted about.
A Tawny Pipit was giving song flights from the field with the No Entry - Privado sign.
An Adult Purple Heron was having a good Preen and 3 Hoopoe were seen in flight.
7 Bee-Eater and Marsh Harrier went through.
rachk116
Well-known member
Short walk along the Boquer to just beyond the terrace before it got too hot. Lots of Redstart, Stonechat, Pied and Balearic Flycathcher and 1 Whinchat just below the terrace. 2 Crossbill flew up the Valley and a few Hoopoe were flying around. Also 1 Willow Warbler on the walk up.
Nice to bump into Kendal birder this morning at Can curassa even nicer to have 7 bee-eaters go over. Just love to hear that call. Whitethroat, whinchat, redstart, pied fly, willow warbler, Red kite, stone curlew, purple heron, woodchat shrikes, cuckoo calling and spotless starling made for a pleasant 90 mins from 7.00am this morning down the track. Pics just back of camera
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StewB
Well-known member
That’s an ambitious target list at the best of times!
Albufera will give your best chance of little bittern; Son Real is supposed to be good for Dartford warbler, although I’ve regularly knocked myself out in unsuccessful attempts to find them there; Son Real is good for wryneck though (especially the scrub near the hide on path 4); it’s good to see reports of calling Scops owl from the Puerto Pollenca area - maybe they’ll get pinned down soon 🤞.
Golden oriole and roller are fairly scarce migrants so you’re in the lap of the gods as to whether there’s any around when you’re there.
Short-toed lark seems pretty thin on the ground in the north (easier in the south in my experience). Possible in the central plain if you can get there.
Good luck!
Stew
Yes Stew it is very ambitious and I think we will need the help of the Gods but we are very positive and realistic with which is the hardest list we have ever put together. We will give it a good go and there may even be a surprise or two along the way and there will be lots of laughs, cakes and pies
Sorry Neal I spelt your name incorrectly in post 486
Thank you
T & C
Geordie Dave
Well-known member
To add to StewB post 491; I saw lesser kestrel and short toed lark on central plains a few days ago. I had 1 golden oriole at can Cuarrasa a couple of days ago in the same garden that I saw 5 together this time last year. There are spotless starlings at Can Cuarassa. The best views I’ve had of Dartford warbler were on fishermens walk at cal San Vicenc where I had 5 or 6 in January. There are little bittern at Albufera and I’ve had some success looking into the ditch that runs in front of Albufera next to the hotels at Carrer Bateman near the orange bridge. Roller was seen at Depuradora a couple of days ago. Good luck.
Penultimate day in the North of the island and a motor along the Ma-10 and back just for giggles. Just dropped in by Mortitx after 6 and found the Black Vulture and 2 Bonelli's Eagles waiting.
A final stage from Depuradora to Llenaire beckons tomorrow, no racing just enjoying the spectacle we hope à la TdF.
Fins la propera
A final stage from Depuradora to Llenaire beckons tomorrow, no racing just enjoying the spectacle we hope à la TdF.
Fins la propera
Mike Montier
Well-known member
A delightful evening spent at my local lighthouse in Porto Petro where the setting sun gave a gorgeous light over the sea and the town.
I arrived at 7.30pm to be greeted by a group of birds on the rocks, obviously newly arrived.
A quick set up of the scope revealed 9 Northern wheatear and what dazzling birds they are.
They moved up to the top of the rocks making me believe that they had just landed there. Shame I didn’t see them coming in-off the sea.
On the sea there were the usual thousands of shearwaters pouring through to the south in a never ending stream.
I didn’t count tonight though, I’m giving my clicker thumbs a rest.
Then, in the gloom, there appeared my target bird, a diminutive little darling, the European Storm petrel.
I absolutely love them as they fly through, sometimes pausing to dance on the water. For this reason, I believe they were named as such from Saint Peter. Might not be true of course.
I then went to my local Nightjar site but didn’t see or hear anything. It’s a little early yet but they are due any day now.
One year I only saw one Nightjar but last year there were at least 7.
I’m hoping for a bumper year again but you never know.
I’m always hopeful that one year I will hear, and/or see, a Red-necked nightjar. It’s not impossible as I had one likely candidate many years ago, but in all the gloom, it’s quite hard to identify this crepuscular, cryptically camouflaged bird of the half light.
I live in hope.
Mike
I arrived at 7.30pm to be greeted by a group of birds on the rocks, obviously newly arrived.
A quick set up of the scope revealed 9 Northern wheatear and what dazzling birds they are.
They moved up to the top of the rocks making me believe that they had just landed there. Shame I didn’t see them coming in-off the sea.
On the sea there were the usual thousands of shearwaters pouring through to the south in a never ending stream.
I didn’t count tonight though, I’m giving my clicker thumbs a rest.
Then, in the gloom, there appeared my target bird, a diminutive little darling, the European Storm petrel.
I absolutely love them as they fly through, sometimes pausing to dance on the water. For this reason, I believe they were named as such from Saint Peter. Might not be true of course.
I then went to my local Nightjar site but didn’t see or hear anything. It’s a little early yet but they are due any day now.
One year I only saw one Nightjar but last year there were at least 7.
I’m hoping for a bumper year again but you never know.
I’m always hopeful that one year I will hear, and/or see, a Red-necked nightjar. It’s not impossible as I had one likely candidate many years ago, but in all the gloom, it’s quite hard to identify this crepuscular, cryptically camouflaged bird of the half light.
I live in hope.
Mike
Geordie Dave
Well-known member
After a drive down to Palma this morning to drop my wife off at the airport I arrived late morning at the Depuradora. The local farmer has been cutting the grass on all of the fields behind the platform and there were few birds about. No sign of the cuckoo or the pratincoles of recent days. I took my time going back along the Son Bosch road hoping for bee eaters but didn’t find any. From there I headed to Maristany where water levels are dropping. Other than a few swifts and house martins there was nothing to report. I stopped off at the scrape behind the Port Blue Resort Hotel just outside Port de Pollenca and my first turtle dove of the year made it all worthwhile. I finished the afternoon at La Gola and had 6 bee eaters overhead. Peter Shaw saw 10 or more on the coast road at the south end of PP at lunchtime, perhaps the same birds (his photo, not mine). All in all a quiet and hot sunny day.
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H Johnsson
Well-known member
Lucky you I spent two hours walking at Mortitx sunday without Bonelli which was the target bird that day.
I have to take a new trip coming week
Right above the vineyard entrance on this occasion. Best of luck
