Mallorca 2024 (8 Viewers)

[Mcnswiss2]

Hi Chris, This is the address and number I have for them

[email protected]

+34 620 229687

Pere does read this Forum and hopefully can provide updates,etc

 

[Mcnswiss2]

LA GOLA CENTRE OPENS FOR THE 2024 SEASON
🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆
Hi everybody,
I am pleased to inform you that the Birding Information Center of La Gola has reopened and that we (Mallorca Nature Tours) will be running it during the coming months. At the Centre you will find information about our birds and the best birding and nature spots on Mallorca like s'Albufera, Formentor, Dragonera and Cabrera among many others.
We'd love to welcome you to visit the center and to discover the birds of La Gola. Winter is a great time for it.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!!
OPEN: Mon, Wed & Fri 9am-4pm.

Pere

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Pere is also taking responsibility for La Gola

 

[Matthebirder]

A couple of hours late morning at Cuber at viewpoint above reservoir; only 1 Black Vulture. Later at Lluc 15 or so Griffons over ridge to the east while drinking cold beers... A Woodchat tonight in Pollensa Park garden with a Wryneck plus some swifts through. Still Black Redstarts at Boquer house.

 

[Schneppe]

The griffons were drinking cold beers?

Cheers,

Fabian

 

[Matthebirder]

More beers tonight! A Balearic Warbler male was showing reasonably well at far end of the Boquer valley late morning. Only heard the single bird though. Several Redstarts and Black Redstarts. 3 BVs

 

[Matthebirder]

The (presumably same) Woodchat Shrike local 'species' still in Pollensa Park hotel garden at P.Pollensa
Always nice to see.

 

[Geordie Dave]

A quiet couple of days local birding since the weekend with 2 visits to each of Albufera and Albufereta. Weather has remained sunny and water levels on all of the ponds are dropping making it easier to see some of the smaller waders. There were at least 6 little stints at Cibollar 1 and it seems that yellow wagtails have now returned in numbers. There were around 150 flamingo at Columbars yesterday with 2 great crested grebes and a mixture of common and spotted redshanks and green shanks. Highlights at Sa Barcassa pond at Albufereta were 2 yellow wagtails and a water pipit moving in to beautiful summer plumage showing pink chest and grey head and back. There were no hirundines at either reserve. I’ve decided to stay on for another 7 days so there are still plenty of opportunities to add some passage birds to the list.

 

[H Johnsson]

Visit Es Carnatage most interesting was 52 Balearic shearwaters all moving east, 11 Scopolis 7 went west and 4 east and 1 Gannet east. All during 15 minutes (12.20 - 12.35). Six Turnstone and Audouins gull I can´t explain why I always take photo of Audouins maybe because it´s easy or they are just so beautiful or could it be it is "extremly" rare in Sweden or more correct never seen. Two tern was fishing to far away for certain identification but feeling was Gullbilled tern
Next stop Prat de Sant Jordi 5 Little ringed plover on different places breeding?, 1 Water pipit (summer plumage), 2 Yellow wagtail iberiae ssp, 50 Linnet and 20 Starlings, Meadow pipit, 1 Wagtail and 1 Red kite and 1 Booted eagle passing by.
Finally a stop at Bassa de Can Guidet 6 Garganey (4 male and 2 female), 3 Comorant, 1 Shag, approx 10 Wood sandpiper and Stilt, Barn swallow, 2 Hoopoe, 1 Grey heron, Black necked grebe etc.

 

[Matthebirder]

Approx 10 Sandwich Tern off P.Pollensa beach this afternoon and an Oystercatcher this evening.

 

[Mike Montier]

Well done everybody, some nice birds there, especially the Oystercatcher Mat, quite difficult to catch up with here.
I’m out of action for a while so I especially value your sightings.
It’s rather ironic that I said I no longer go to the Albercutx tower for fear of falling over, and a couple of days later, I fall over!
Rather badly this time, a couple of cracked ribs and a badly damaged arm.
I will be out there again as soon as possible and certainly in time for peak migration, it’s a fabulous place to be birding when the migrants hit the Island.
Mike

 

[BielBernat]

More beers tonight! A Balearic Warbler male was showing reasonably well at far end of the Boquer valley late morning. Only heard the single bird though. Several Redstarts and Black Redstarts. 3 BVs

Hi Matt!!
Are you confident about "several redstarts"?? Are you speaking about Phoenicurus phoenicurus?
This would be the first record for the islands this year!!
Also first Oystercatcher record of the year!

 

[pereto]

I also wanted to ask for some advice for Gina, a friend from Dorset. She posted below on Mallorca Nature Tours but has not had a reply. Any suggestions at all for help guiding them would be much appreciated - thanks - Chris:

"I will be staying in Mallorca for a work meeting but have persuaded a group of 4 in addition to myself to go birding on Thursday 11 April. We will be staying at Villa Moscari, near Campanet.
Would you tell me if you have availability to guide us please? How much would it cost? We will have a car if that helps.
I think I am the only one with birding experience but the others are keen to learn! I would, of course like to visit S’Albufereta reserve and anywhere else to make a day of it.

In addition to a day on 11 April, I wonder if you might be able to take me for half a day. My colleagues leave earlier than me on Monday 15 April so I have an afternoon on my own at the airport. I would love to go birding for a few hours then if that might be possible"

(PS I think she might mean Albufera not Albufereta!)

Hi Chris,
I replied to Gina early this week.
Pere
PS: thanks Mike Swiss for sending Chris my contact details.

 

[Matthebirder]

Hi Matt!!
Are you confident about "several redstarts"?? Are you speaking about Phoenicurus phoenicurus?
This would be the first record for the islands this year!!
Also first Oystercatcher record of the year!

Yes Common Redstart; male in sheep field by Boquer carpark; different male over the Boquer house wall with a Black Redstart ; another male and female at the Balearic warbler site later; maybe some overlap but valley was very busy with birds. Many Robins , Song Thrushes & Serins moving through
Oystercatcher was still calling in front of Pollensa Park at 21:00; new one for me I think for Mallorca....

 

[Ian Bell]

Well done everybody, some nice birds there, especially the Oystercatcher Mat, quite difficult to catch up with here.
I’m out of action for a while so I especially value your sightings.
It’s rather ironic that I said I no longer go to the Albercutx tower for fear of falling over, and a couple of days later, I fall over!
Rather badly this time, a couple of cracked ribs and a badly damaged arm.
I will be out there again as soon as possible and certainly in time for peak migration, it’s a fabulous place to be birding when the migrants hit the Island.
Mike

Hope you make a quick recovery Mike and are back out In the field soon.

 

[Mike Montier]

3 common swift just flew over my balcony which will keep me in the birding loop.
My first this year.
I never forget the first ones of the year, a great moment in the birding calendar.
I always sit and reflect on the journey they have just undertaken.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

Having dropped Mrs Geordie at the airport first thing yesterday I decided to head back north again through the central plains so headed towards Manacor then on to Villafranca, Petra and eventually to Maria de la Salut. One of my favourite places on the island. There were quail and corn buntings calling and overhead a collection of marsh harriers, red kites and booted eagles. I saw at least 12 kestrels and thought 2 were candidates for Lesser but without my scope couldn’t be sure. From there I went to a very quiet Depuradora, S’Amarador and Sa Font on the edges of Albufera where there was little to report. Next was Maristany where there were 7 swallows and a single house martin together. My final stop was at Albufereta where yellow wagtails were the birds of the day. Today I headed to Albufera to meet Kevin H and we spent 6 hours across the reserve. Water levels continue to drop and more mud is being exposed. 3 garganey, 2 yellow wagtails and a little stint were the pick of the birds at Cibollar among several hundred avocets and 40-50 shelduck. A purple heron and 4 purple swamphen the best at Sa Roca. We also had several little ringed plover and greenshank. The walk up to Columbars hide produced 100+ flamingo with several full breeding plumage adults arriving, 2 great crested grebes and a collection of red, spotted and green shanks. On leaving the reserve we walked down to the end of the canal and the beach and soon picked up shearwaters moving both north and south across Alcudia bay. In 20 minutes of watching we saw 50-60 in equal numbers of Scopolis and Balearic but we had none of the hoped for gannets or terns. 22° and blue sky all day, what’s not to like about this beautiful place.

 

[Merlin]

Having dropped Mrs Geordie at the airport first thing yesterday I decided to head back north again through the central plains so headed towards Manacor then on to Villafranca, Petra and eventually to Maria de la Salut. One of my favourite places on the island. There were quail and corn buntings calling and overhead a collection of marsh harriers, red kites and booted eagles. I saw at least 12 kestrels and thought 2 were candidates for Lesser but without my scope couldn’t be sure. From there I went to a very quiet Depuradora, S’Amarador and Sa Font on the edges of Albufera where there was little to report. Next was Maristany where there were 7 swallows and a single house martin together. My final stop was at Albufereta where yellow wagtails were the birds of the day. Today I headed to Albufera to meet Kevin H and we spent 6 hours across the reserve. Water levels continue to drop and more mud is being exposed. 3 garganey, 2 yellow wagtails and a little stint were the pick of the birds at Cibollar among several hundred avocets and 40-50 shelduck. A purple heron and 4 purple swamphen the best at Sa Roca. We also had several little ringed plover and greenshank. The walk up to Columbars hide produced 100+ flamingo with several full breeding plumage adults arriving, 2 great crested grebes and a collection of red, spotted and green shanks. On leaving the reserve we walked down to the end of the canal and the beach and soon picked up shearwaters moving both north and south across Alcudia bay. In 20 minutes of watching we saw 50-60 in equal numbers of Scopolis and Balearic but we had none of the hoped for gannets or terns. 22° and blue sky all day, what’s not to like about this beautiful place.

Geordie Dave,

I have mixed feelings when I read your report, first of all I so much wish that I was with you on what was appears and is a great trip, however I have to accept that my my personal health prevents me from 'joining' you at a place that I love so much. It is still great to hear of your trips so please keep them coming.
It cheers me up substantially.
regards
Merlin

 

[Matthebirder]

Last post for this season as back home now; I have quickly processed some of the Spotless Starling photos from 18 Mar (as discussed above) and will sign out with this one; thank you for sharing locations and updates.

 

[Geordie Dave]

I met Phil A this morning and we went up to Albercutx tower to meet the local GORA raptor migration monitoring group arriving just before the road was closed for a film crew to take over. We spent 4 hours at the tower in beautiful sunshine with views of Port de Pollenca, the Formentor peninsula, the whole of Pollenca bay, Albufereta, Albufera, Puig Major and Castel del Rei at Ternelles. All we needed were raptors but first in view were 10 or more house martins, some barn swallows, sand martin and best of all an alpine swift which gave close up views for around 20 minutes. Just below the tower on arriving we had at least 4 Balearic warblers in the scrub together with a lovely male blue rock thrush. Raptor watching eventually started and 2 black kites, sparrowhawk and 2 peregrines were probably the pick of the 9 raptor species observed. On returning to the bottom of the road we had to get back through the secure road blocks before returning to the Port. My thanks to the lads from GORA for their excellent company. Given that I speak no Spanish and indeed struggle with English at times we somehow managed to share an excellent morning together. I’ll be back there again next month when perhaps migration will be even busier. Gracias Biel, Pep, Dani y Juanyo.

 

[Merlin]

Last post for this season as back home now; I have quickly processed some of the Spotless Starling photos from 18 Mar (as discussed above) and will sign out with this one; thank you for sharing locations and updates.View attachment 1566643

Mat

Great photos.

regards Merlin