Mallorca 2024 (20 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

Mike.
The photos have been debated.
There is definitely at least a couple of Red kites in there are certainly a few that look like raptors.
Buy I do agree there are some Ravens there too.
Very large flocks are seen here and these look like a typical pattern to me on closer inspection.
There are often raptors in with them so it’s not unusual so it may be safe to say it’s a “mixed flock”.
Chris was there on the spot so maybe he will have more to say.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

And I have only ever seen one Genet.
What a striking and exotic creature it looks too. A real jaw-dropper.
There are lots on the Island but they are nocturnal and very secretive.
I envy anyone who gets to see one.
I’m away to the UK tomorrow but only for 9 days.
I expect I will miss the first migrating raptors which is a shame as I often bag that one.
Still, I will really look forward to getting back here for the real action.
Enjoy your birding, my friends are taking me to Oare marsh which will be fabulous.
Last year I got to see the Bonaparte’s gull which was a bonus.
Mike

 

[C R White]

Spent most of the day at S'Albufera NR on Wednesday, have never seen so much water here in August. Nothing unusual noted but it was very enjoyable watching the masses of Black-winged Stilts and Glossy Ibis especially when they all took flight when a Marsh Harrier went over. An Osprey was seen a couple times and on the walk up towards the power station 2 Black Vultures went over high to the north. On the way back a Little Bittern flew down the main canal.
A quick stop at the Depruadora S'illot on the way back to the hotel saw a group of 40+ Bee-eaters feeding next to the road by the start of the dirt track down to the viewing platform. Another visit to the Depruadora this morning saw a Gull-billed Tern fly over a couple of times before flying towards the main NR and a Blackcap in the bushes by the platform.
Chris

 

[C R White]

And I have only ever seen one Genet.
What a striking and exotic creature it looks too. A real jaw-dropper.
There are lots on the Island but they are nocturnal and very secretive.
I envy anyone who gets to see one.
I’m away to the UK tomorrow but only for 9 days.
I expect I will miss the first migrating raptors which is a shame as I often bag that one.
Still, I will really look forward to getting back here for the real action.
Enjoy your birding, my friends are taking me to Oare marsh which will be fabulous.
Last year I got to see the Bonaparte’s gull which was a bonus.
Mike

The Bonaparte's Gull is back again at Oare the moment, and there was a juv White-tailed Eagle over my patch at Bough Beech today which I need for my patch list. Hopefully it might stick around until Sunday when I will be back home. Enjoy your visit to the UK Chris

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Chris
Bough Beech was my regular patch for many years. I used to go twice a week for a long time and I accrued quite a respectable list, which I have sadly since lost.
I remember Roy the warden and a few other regulars, including a pipe-smoking judge who had one of those expensive telescopes called, Questar, or something like that.
I saw Smew, Little crake, Ring-necked duck and Red-rumped swallow.
Probably others that I’ve forgotten about.
It’s the last place I went birding before coming to live in Mallorca.
Happy Days!
All the best,
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

I see that two Penduline tits have been seen at Albufera.
Quite a surprise.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

After an early start on Wednesday I arrived back in mallorca to 32° of sunshine. A quiet, local day yesterday was spent at Albufereta and surrounding areas. Predictably fairly quiet with few birds about with 200+ cattle egrets, little and great white egrets, purple heron, hoopoe, Mediterranean flycatcher and black winged stilts the highlights. No sign of any flamingo on either pools.

 

[Hugh Ouston]

Just home after 10 days with the grandchildren in PP, and no car. Some pleasures though:
Wading out to the breakwater on PP beach and showing my grandson shags and Audouin's gulls only 4 or 5 feet away.
A dot in the sky while lying on my back on the beach turned out to be a black vulture (as reported above).
Visit to the the Albufereta found the Barcassa lagoon almost entirely dry (this was before the rainstorms). The rest looked ok with little & GW Egrets and purple heron and a few distant flamingos.
One bus/bike tour of Albufera (after the rainstorms) gave only a smattering of migrating waders viz. 20 spotted redshank, one curlew sandpiper, one wood and one common. One ruff (at Colombars with half a dozen greenshank). One osprey - no harriers. Best moment was an adult male little bittern flying up the big canal (too quick for a photo). There seem to be 50 or 60 well grown young flamingos, and lots of adults in all directions (one had a French darvic ring on - KAJA - which I reported), along with the hundred or more Glossy Ibis (yes, they were really rare only 15 years ago), no red crested pochard (which used to be common).
Dropped by Maristany on the way home and the right lake was low and full of little islands of vegetation on which a heron comparison exercise was scattered: night, grey and squacco, little and great white egrets, and a few hardy gadwall and little grebes - and the Coscoroba Swan looking healthy.
A final delight: while waiting for the transfer at 4.30 a.m. at the lit up Duva Hotel, our local barn owl came gliding by and swung round the buildings for a minute - was it picking geckos off the wall?
Over to you, Dave. Back 30th September for a fortnight. That list has a long way to go.

 

[Hugh Ouston]

Mammal afternote:
on a cycle ride round the lanes behind PP, we saw four hares on a harrowed field. A Spanish fellow cyclist said they were 'liebre'. I had been told before there were no hares on the island only rabbits but there are apparently a declining number (myxi), of 'Granada Hares' Lepus Granatensis. Smaller than the big beasts we see in Scotland but very hare-ey none the less and good to see.

 

[Geordie Dave]

It has been hot again for the last couple of days 32° - 35° and I’ve concentrated on staying fairly close to home with trips to Maristany, Albufereta and Can Cuarassa. Pep had alerted to us to an interesting tern at Maristany which, after some debate, proved to be a Whiskered Tern. Water levels there are very low and there where 10-12 grey heron standing about doing nothing as they are prone to do. About a dozen flamingo were on the pond accompanied by dozens of egrets and up to 150 coot. An Osprey sat on top of a nearby pylon. The Coscoroba Swan stood close by giving great photo opportunities but, sadly, not the chance to include it in the Big Year. Albufereta remains quiet and the mouth of the stream only held a few Audouins gulls. I’ve had a barn owl just behind my terrace in Gotmar and, for last 3 days, 2 wryneck calling; one of which flew past very close up. Tomorrow Albufera!

 

[chris chapleo]

My few days staying just east of Palma was very pleasant, but, as predicted, not very 'birdy'! That said, Audoins Gulls seem very common & confiding (they are such an attractive gull) and Turnstones & Shags also there in good numbers , plus a couple of Sandwich Terns.

So , its farewell to sunny Mallorca for another year and back to somewhat-less sunny Dorset; thanks all for your posts (will keep a slightly envious eye on the thread as autumn roles on)

a few photos over last few days
Chris

 

[Ian Bell]

Mammal afternote:
on a cycle ride round the lanes behind PP, we saw four hares on a harrowed field. A Spanish fellow cyclist said they were 'liebre'. I had been told before there were no hares on the island only rabbits

Hi Hugh.I regularly encountered Hares on my morning walks In the fields In Albufereta In July.

 

[Mike Montier]

Regarding Hares i was told that they were very scarce many years ago when I first came to Mallorca.
I believe it was Pep who posted some details over a year ago now, saying that the population is now much more healthy.
Always nice to see,
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

I met Peter S yesterday morning and we headed off to spend the day at Albufera. It was hot and there were very few visitors around. Water levels were very low at Sa Roca but high at Cibollar and Columbars. I’m not sure why this should be and whether it is due to the management of water levels with sluices? On the walk in the canal side held hundreds of both little and cattle egrets and 1 Squacco heron but we didn’t see any Night herons. There were several western swamphen at Sa Roca including 2 young birds. There was nothing to report at Ses Pardes hide. There were no small waders at Cibollar but 100+ black winged stilts, 10-12 flamingo, a few avocets and an Osprey with a fish on the top of the tall post. We had more success at Cibollar 2 with dozens of ringed and little ringed plover, 2 each of dunlin, sanderling, ruff, black tailed godwit and curlew sandpiper. En route we saw Cetti’s and fan tailed warblers and a single greenfinch. Our final stop was at Columbars after the walk up the track. The water was too high for small waders but we did find around 30 of each of greenshank and redshank with a few spotted redshank among them. We didn’t manage to see any red crested pochard or marbled duck which we thought unusual. We did note how Glossy Ibis numbers seem to be on the increase though. On leaving the reserve we walked towards the mouth of the canal and spent 10-15 minutes scanning the sea hoping for shearwaters but couldn’t find anything. After 6 miles of walking we decided to adjourn for a well earned beer. Around 40 species on the day, 2 year ticks for Peter, none for me but a very enjoyable day out.

 

[Geordie Dave]

After parking next to the Pont Roma I walked up to the locked gates at the entrance to Ternelles Valley. Immediately upon arriving 2 black vultures glided slowly very low overhead and continued to drift north on the light breeze. Shortly afterwards 3 griffons came in to view showing off their light colours in the sunshine. After a quiet few minutes a group of 13 vultures came in to view, drifting over the distant ridge line. I was able to identify a number of blacks and griffons, others were either too high or too distant to be sure of. A single red kite came close by and I saw 1 blue rock thrush and a kestrel. A good return for an hour in the sunshine. I’m yet to see an Egyptian vulture this year but live in hope. The Pont Roma bar and a refreshing cana now beckoned.

 

[Kendalbirder]

Leisurely walk around Can Cuarassa from dawn this morning, nothing startling, 2 Whinchat were at the bottom of the Track. 27 Stone Curlew were stood together on the new embankment from the bottom screen and 4 Green Sand on the pool here along with an exotic Bahama Pintail.
2 Kingfisher were chasing each about.
Barring 3 High Grey Heron and a few Swallow trickling through no sign of any passage.
Several Painted Lady on the wing.
A Griffon Vulture and 4 Black showed nicely Spiraling over the Marina yesterday.

 

[Geordie Dave]

I met Peter S yesterday morning and we headed to Maria de la Salut in search of lesser kestrels and raptors in general. Within minutes of arriving a black vulture flew very low over us, appearing to come from off the ground just over a little ridge in the field next to us. It climbed high and very quickly before drifting off on the slight breeze. Later on in the morning, as we were returning to the car, this was to be repeated from the same direction, the bird no more than 30 feet above us. In the intervening couple of hours we saw several more black vultures, 2 griffons, a booted eagle and up to 10 red kites. There were dozens of kestrels in sight at any time and we did manage to separately identify 2 male lesser kestrels among them. While walking we encountered the surprise bird of the day in a low gliding golden eagle being mobbed by red kites. I’m informed that this was Bicinta, the long staying female escapee that has been seen on the island for nearly 20 years now. It was my fourth golden eagle sighting in Mallorca and my second this year. 2 ravens completed the mornings list. Our next stop was at Depuradora, calling in at the horse paddocks enroute where it appears the Bee eaters have moved on. The Dep was very quiet, the water an unfortunate brown colour and the smell not conducive to us having lunch there. 3 common pochard, 25-30 glossy ibis and a number of common and green sandpiper were the only birds of note. Our final stop was at S’Amardor, parking at the doghouse we walked down to the platform. Whilst watching 20+ gadwall we were delighted to see a female little bittern fly from the reeds directly below us to the opposite side of the pools. Another hot and sunny day when the threatened stormy weather did not arrive. It was now time for Aries bar and some much needed fluids. Thank you Peter.

 

[StewB]

Mrs B and I arrived in Puerto Pollenca this morning, and by early afternoon I was in need of some birding. With low expectations I set out for the Albufereta, calling first at the Sa Barcassa screen on Carrer Salvador Dali. There were at least 71 Cattle Egrets along the northern edge of the pool, and I could see one or two waders on the far side from the screen. After erecting the tripod, through the scope I was able to pick out Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, and best of all two Temminck’s Stints.

For the main reserve I parked by the old boat and walked to the observation tower. There was a large Atlantic Blue Crab near the small sluice (an unwelcome invasive alien species from North America) and on the field on the left there were at least 12 Stone Curlews. From the tower there were three Grey and two Purple Herons, and an Osprey standing on the nesting pole. A female Marsh Harrier caused mayhem and flushed about 60 coot out onto the open water. There were several Mediterranean Flycatchers around the pines, but a single bird near the Sa Barcassa hide caught my attention. It was significantly darker on the back and head than the Mediterranean Flycatchers I had been seeing, and was clearly streaked on the breast and was, I believe, a Spotted Flycatcher (the photo below is of one of the Med flycatchers).

I had been hearing thunder, and watching storm clouds approach from the south, so I decided to cut and run. A brief stop to view the offshore breakwaters off Puerto Pollenca beach provided about 20 Shags and a similar number of gulls - a mixture of Yellow-legged and Audouin’s. I managed to park the car and made it to the apartment just as the heavens opened. A rather spectacular storm followed, complete with high winds, thunder, lightning and a deluge. It’s still raining as I write.

Stew

 

[Mike Montier]

Philip Garnett reports a Broad-billed sandpiper at Bassa de can Guidet this morning.
Some locals were there late this afternoon but didn’t see it so it may have moved on ahead of the big storm.
Phil and I have both seen two Broad-billed sandpipers here in Mallorca, the first found by Maties originally at Salobrar and then Pep with the second one at s’Albufera.
I’m constantly amazed that some rare birds turn up year after year. Our very own Iberian grey shrike is a good example, every year for 5 consecutive years, in the same tree!
There are many other examples too.
I see no reason why this bird would not be doing just the same.
It’s just a pity that Phil never takes photos.
Not much chance of acceptance with single observer records with no photos in the UK any more I’m told, and it’s certainly more difficult here I would imagine.
Contentious.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

I’m just back from London and there is no sign of a buyer for our apartment so I guess I will be here for the autumn migration, one of the many great highlights in Mallorca.
I will be at the Cap in the morning, weather permitting, there is an orange alert for tomorrow so we shall see.
The high winds may have displaced a few species so you never know.
Mike