Mallorca 2024 (2 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

A big welcome to all visitors. I really hope the weather improves for you. I always seem to feel responsible when the weather turns bad.
It’s due to improve I believe. Certainly, the sharp icy wind has gone which is a great relief, it was difficult to deal with.
I’m going to the depuradora early Wednesday morning with Geordie David I hope, so if anyone is around, it would be good to say hello.
I believe some Bee-eaters are still around.
There is a Lesser flamingo at Salobrar de Campos, in with all those Greater flamingoes.
It may well be the real deal as it has no rings.
As soon as I get more information, I will report. With all this rain, wellies will probably be needed.
Sadly, I can’t get down the path when it’s very slippery but good luck to everyone going.
Personally, I can’t get too excited about it, even though there has only ever been one previous record.
I seem to have given up with lists. I don’t know why, it just happened.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

JTweedie.
Yes, we do report on Menorca and Ibiza but I don’t get much news from there.
I know that both have had some incredible birds present over the years.
I will post any news I get.
I wanted to visit a museum in Menorca but I haven’t yet got round to it.
There is apparently a stuffed example of a Slender-billed curlew. I’ve always wanted to see it.
No chance of a live one sadly, none have been seen for many years now.
Menorca is a lovely Island though and well worth a visit.
Mike

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Hi all.....is it still only possible to get onto Albufera after 10am?....or is there away to access early mornings?....
Thanks in advance.
Jonny

 

[Ian Pollença]

Hi all.....is it still only possible to get onto Albufera after 10am?....or is there away to access early mornings?....
Thanks in advance.
Jonny

Hi Jonny. If you go to Reception and take your Passport or Driving Licence, and give your phone number, you can apply to visit Albufera out of hours. They will give you a pass for the rest of the year. You can then visit before it opens, but the rules have now changed and you can no longer visit after hours. This, I am told, is so the wildlife and birds are not disturbed as much. Happy Birding and looking forward to read what you have seen early doors 😉. Cheers, Ian

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Hi Jonny. If you go to Reception and take your Passport or Driving Licence, and give your phone number, you can apply to visit Albufera out of hours. They will give you a pass for the rest of the year. You can then visit before it opens, but the rules have now changed and you can no longer visit after hours. This, I am told, is so the wildlife and birds are not disturbed as much. Happy Birding and looking forward to read what you have seen early doors 😉. Cheers, Ian

Many thanks for that...really useful, fingers crossed I can get a visit or 2 in lol....

 

[Ian Bell]

You can get a Ferry from Alcudia In Mallorca,to Menorca,If you are ever on the Island.

 

[Scridifer]

You can get a Ferry from Alcudia In Mallorca,to Menorca,If you are ever on the Island.

Did it in reverse last September. A very enjoyable crossing with good views of Scopoli's Shearwaters and quite a few flying fish.

Chris

 

[IanMcG]

A big welcome to all visitors. I really hope the weather improves for you. I always seem to feel responsible when the weather turns bad.
It’s due to improve I believe. Certainly, the sharp icy wind has gone which is a great relief, it was difficult to deal with.
I’m going to the depuradora early Wednesday morning with Geordie David I hope, so if anyone is around, it would be good to say hello.
I believe some Bee-eaters are still around.
There is a Lesser flamingo at Salobrar de Campos, in with all those Greater flamingoes.
It may well be the real deal as it has no rings.
As soon as I get more information, I will report. With all this rain, wellies will probably be needed.
Sadly, I can’t get down the path when it’s very slippery but good luck to everyone going.
Personally, I can’t get too excited about it, even though there has only ever been one previous record.
I seem to have given up with lists. I don’t know why, it just happened.
Mike

Thanks very much, Mike. We're arriving 2nd May for 3 weeks so will hopefully pick up your LK's near Vilafranca. Your info in 2023 for these elsewhere on the island was spot on. And the weather seems to be improving!

 

[TonyCath]

This morning started badly with me taking full responsibility for messing the bus timetable up, two minutes after picking up all my teeth from across the road we reset our schedule.

We had a lovely stop at Santa Magalida then onto all things birding by 10.15 on the Central Plain.

By 17.00 we added 21 birds to the list with a lovely female Hen Harrier right across us.

Then at least 5 Red footed Falcons ticked the box.

However the stars were a pair of Lesser Kestrel that went through mating in front of us.

Nearly 10 miles were covered on foot and 53 ticks.

Tat ta for now

T &C

 

[Cornwall Birding Tours]

Be there first thing in the morning for 4 days!!! Can't wait! Hope to see some of you around!

 

[TonyCath]

In my haste forgot to mention we failed on the Short- toed Lark but we did hear Quail in 3 different locations and we had an interesting encounter with Golden Oriole via Merlin !

 

[Geordie Dave]

On Saturday morning I went to Albercutx Tower to join the GORA raptor group. It was cold and windy and at times visibility was poor. Birds were generally high and distant. We gave up after a couple of hours and headed to Can Cuarassa where there were 2 rollers on the wires but they were always a long way off. I returned on Sunday morning and found 4, one of which came fairly close and gave really good views. There were 3 whinchats nearby but nothing else of note. I had to go to Palma airport yesterday morning and made the return trip the “long way round” via Maria de la Salut. The weather was awful and there was nothing to see. Today has been better in all regards. After a showery start temperatures increased and it turned in to a fairly nice day. Starting at Can Cuarassa we had 2 rollers on the wires and another 2 perched together in a private garden further down the track. I finally managed to see a golden oriole and there were yet more whinchats and 2 spotless starlings on the house roof. Turning to head back a female montagus harrier appeared and we watched it for about 15 minutes hunting over the fields. Next stop was Albufereta with close up views of a purple heron, several common terns and a possible immature Mediterranean gull. 44 species in the day, I’m hopeful the change in the weather stays for the next 10 days.

 

[Mike Montier]

I hope Pep or Biel can report about the Lesser flamingo. I’ve just watched a wonderful video of the bird.
Lots of other great birds have also been found there.
I will report more fully when I have more details.
Mike

 

[BielBernat]

I hope Pep or Biel can report about the Lesser flamingo. I’ve just watched a wonderful video of the bird.
Lots of other great birds have also been found there.
I will report more fully when I have more details.
Mike

I will, a nice report is coming, in a while I will post it! Today has been a day to remember!

 

[Roger Baddley]

male and female golden oriele and female montague’s harrier seen in fields and trees from the lane aside Can Carrussa this morning.

 

[TonyCath]

Today was to be a day when we would finally put some faces to names from the forum.
Depuradora or Son Bosc deck was the designated meeting place and it really felt as though I was due to be meeting a true great from the forum the one and only Michael Montier.

Arriving at the Dep at around 08.20ish I met another forum member first, Phil Garnett who just also happened to be from our neck of the woods back home.

Michael arrived a little later and we shook hands it really was great to meet at last. We chatted and Michael had his butties eaten by about 08.37.
Oh we also did some birding I managed two lifers in the form of Whiskered and Gull billed Tern and Michael got the Gull billed as a year tick I believe.
Before we moved on to the main reserve we bumped into two birders that reported a calling Golden Oriole on the drive to the Dep. We stopped at the designated spot but failed to register the Oriole but we did meet with Geordie Dave another forum regular and his brother Mike.
We arrived at the main reserve which was absolutely packed as today was a Bank Holiday and the first day of sunshine for a while.
Within a few minutes we found Cath wandering around and headed to Sa Roca I hide where a Squacco Heron gave us some great views.
We stopped for lunch where Michael unbelievably had a butty left 😁
In Es Ciboller I hide Phil picked up three Curlew Sandpipers.
Our total new birds for today was 12 which gives us a total of 66 for our trip so far.
In summary it was a great day meeting the four lads and two lifers as well.

Thank you lads

T&C

 

[Mike Montier]

I arrived at the depuradora, albufera, at 08.30 as arranged and Phil Garnett was already there, as I expected him to be.
I had the added bonus of meeting Toni there, other half of ToniCath. Very good to meet you Toni, it was great talking away about fishing and birding, whilst lapping up some of the birds on offer.
Lots of Marsh harrier, 3 Purple heron, quite a few Whiskered tern and then, much to my delight, Toni spotted some Gull-billed terns in the next lagoon, one of my target birds. They only stayed a couple of minutes so I was very glad to tick them for the year.
Some very aggressive Black-winged stilts kept the action going which was very entertaining.
We met many other visitors which was great, birders from Sweden, Holland and the UK. I have always said that this is one of the marvelous aspects of out hobby, meeting and talking to people from all walks of life, and from all over the globe.
Geordie David and his brother appeared which enhanced the pleasure of birding with others, I’m so often alone.
We then moved, via a no-show Golden oriole, to the main reserve where we met up with Cath. Lovely to meet you too Cath.
We got great views of a Squacco heron and saw many more species from the rather crowded hides. It was still a great craic though, lots of birds, 65 species in all, and lots of laughter.
I was rather disappointed at not seeing my other target bird, Little bittern, but just as I was leaving, Phil called me back, and we all enjoyed great views of this very attractive species.
Everyone was very kind and sympathetic about my recent run of ill-health and I assured them I was tip-top now.
I had to stop the car many times on the way home with terrible pains in my back and I’m writing this in between waves of incredible pain, kidney stones!
If anyone has had them, please tell me it won’t last long. Ouch, but I keep laughing in between as I can’t believe my luck.
Thanks all for a fantastic day. It was brilliant.
Mike

 

[Luscinia]

Sorry to hear about your kidney stones, Mike. Hope you feel better soon. We just arrived today and picked up Audouin's Gull while lunching at Puerto Pollensa. Then a quick walk round La Gola revealed Common Sand, our first Sardinian warblers and both Spot/Med and Pied fly. On way back to villa tonight got a close stone curlew and sitting in villa writing this listening to Nightingale, Stone Curlew and Sardinian warbler! Oh and lots of noisy Marsh Frogs!
Off to Albufera area tomorrow and Dep so looking forward to our first full day's birding.

 

[Christian Jenkins]

I've been following this thread for a little while, as I'm visiting Mallorca with a few other birders from South Wales from Sunday to Thursday. It's been a great help in our planning, so thanks to everyone who contributes!
Hopefully, we'll get to bump into some of you and say hello while we're out and about!

One question if I may - is it possible to drive up to the lighthouse at Cap de Formentor at the moment, or do you have to park up and catch the bus?

Thanks all!

 

[rachk116]

I've been following this thread for a little while, as I'm visiting Mallorca with a few other birders from South Wales from Sunday to Thursday. It's been a great help in our planning, so thanks to everyone who contributes!
Hopefully, we'll get to bump into some of you and say hello while we're out and about!

One question if I may - is it possible to drive up to the lighthouse at Cap de Formentor at the moment, or do you have to park up and catch the bus?

Thanks all!

This link should tell you everything you need to know about Cap de Formentor.

Aquestes seran les restriccions (i les multes) per anar a Formentor aquest estiu - Punt Informatiu

Tot el que has de saber per anar a Formentor a partir del dia 1 de Juny

puntinformatiu.cat

Enjoy Mallorca, it's a beautiful island and you'll hopefully see some great birds. This forum is a mine of information.

Regards

Rach