Mallorca 2019 (4 Viewers)

[Mike Montier]

Booted Eagle for me Mike but I have been wrong before...
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

Arrived yesterday staying for a week in Port de Pollenca. Quiet drive north with only 1 red kite of note. Looked in to La Gola late afternoon; grey heron, little egret, chaffinch, blackbird, mallard, pied wagtail, several black redstarts, Sardinian warbler and house sparrows. In Pollenca bay shag, several yellow legged gulls and a single auduoins gull. Had to go into Pollenca this morning, lots of cattle egret in the fields by the road side. Called in car park at boquer valley on the way back. There are dozens of black redstarts, 60-100 starlings, chaffinch, greenfinch, serine and a warbler I was unsure about; feeding on the ground, looked like a willow warbler with a strong yellow line on bottom primary, similar to the marking on a greenfinch but not as broad. Any ideas!
Clear day tomorrow so heading to Albufera

 

[StewB]

Spent my last full day before we return to the UK tomorrow with a second visit to S’Albufera. Two greylag geese roosting in front of the new hide at Sa Roca were a surprise. Best bird was a Temminck’s stint from Es Cibollar 1. It was getting some stick from the Kentish plovers and eventually disappeared. Also from Es Cibollar 1 were redshank, spotted redshank and several avocets. Two ospreys flew towards Alcudia and a greenshank was from Es Cibollar II.

I walked down to the observation tower, which was disappointing for wildfowl but two male marsh harriers were sky dancing over seven females - this seemed to upset a passing booted eagle which had a go at one of the males before moving on.

I called at the Albufereta on my way back to Puerto Pollenca. An osprey flew east along the shore line, but a splendid bluethroat from the observation tower was even better!

A great white egret and two sandwich terns were in front of the hide, and another great white egret and a spoonbill were viewable on the main pools from the platform at the east end of the reserve.

Stew

 

[Mcnswiss2]

A short trip to S’ Amarador.

Bluethroats (2) still showing well behind the dog house.

Birds seen included: Common Snipe, Marsh Harriers(5), Booted Eagles(3), Red Kites, Kestrels, Gadwalls, Red Crested Pochards, Water Rails, Water pipits, Meadow pipits, Stonechats, Serins, Goldfinches, Greenfinch.

 

[Geordie Dave]

Seen at a bit of a distance from sea front this afternoon at Port de Pollenca looking in direction of Boquer Valley 2 vultures, long fingers and upturned wings suggests griffon?. Also close by a falcon thought to be peregrine, saw it dive a couple of times, not bothered at all by vultures. Back to La Gola late afternoon, still plenty of black redstarts around but otherwise quiet. Going to have a day along the coast tomorrow starting at Depuradora then working back to Pollenca via Albufera and Albufereta

 

[Mcnswiss2]

A walk along the Port de Pollensa to Cala Carbo path this afternoon.

Birds seen included Red Kites, Booted Eagles, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martins,Stonechats, Song Thrush, Serins, Goldfinches, Red Legged Partridges, Wren, Black Redstarts, Crossbills, Starlings, Robins, Meadow Pipits, Sardinian Warblers, Cormorant, Yellow Legged Gulls.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

A cold and wet walk around S’Albufereta

Birds seen included Flamingoes(35); Great White and Little Egrets; Purple Gallinule; Water Rails; Shoverlers; Gadwall; Pintails(4); Greenshank; Spotted Redshank; Common Sandpiper; Black winged Stilt; Crag Martin; Hoopoe; Stonechats; Meadow Pipits; Corn buntings.

Bluethroat still showing well at the Tower.

 

[Mike Montier]

Results are in for the winter census of birds of the wet areas here in Mallorca.
I feel guilty every time the locals undertake the census, I should have taken part. I do get notice about it but as all messages come through in Spanish or Mallorcan, I get lazy and don’t translate them and every year I miss out.
I will try to give a link to the GOB website where all the results are shown or maybe Mike or someone else could kindly do that.
No big surprises except a Mute swan at Salobrar and I will post the total number of birds seen and compare to last year.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

Friday, my daughter back home in Newcastle called to say it had been minus 5 degrees and snowing hard. Meanwhile what a fantastic day first at Son Real. I walked out via the blue route and back via the red route. In the woods next to the small pond 1 crossbill. Further along a single wryneck. In the scrub at the coast Balearic warbler. I then put up 4 stone curlews. Single oystercatcher at the coast and 2 auduoins gulls. On the route back firecrests, red legged partridges, pheasant and 2 thekla larks happily feeding on the ground just a few feet away. Later at S'Amarador 30+ red crested pochard, single great crested grebe, close up views of bluethroat and Cettis warbler.
Could anyone tell me whether the numbers of black redstart are normal for this time of year, I saw up to 50 in a field the other day. Good to see so many marsh harriers around, starting to display.
Finally, I will have to learn how to add photos, I saw a very yellow raptor at Albufera the other day perched in the open and got good views. Very light head, chest and legs; would it be a pale booted angle?
David

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi David. Oystercatcher is a very good bird to see especially this year is they are very scarce at the moment.
In many years, Hawfinch are viewable from the hide at Son Real. They are an invasive species but again, scarce this year.
Pale booted Eagle sounds likely David but a photo would confirm.
Enjoy your birding!
Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Morning walk from Formentor Mirador to Albacutx tower.

Birds seen included Peregrine; Raven; Balearic Wabler, Blue Rock Thrush; Black Redstart; Sardinian Warblers and Song thrushes.

No alpine accentors seen at the tower, but 2 seen well at the Mirador.

Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Results are in for the winter census of birds of the wet areas here in Mallorca.
I feel guilty every time the locals undertake the census, I should have taken part. I do get notice about it but as all messages come through in Spanish or Mallorcan, I get lazy and don’t translate them and every year I miss out.
I will try to give a link to the GOB website where all the results are shown or maybe Mike or someone else could kindly do that.

Link http://www.gobmallorca.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4457

http://www.gobmallorca.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4458


Thanks to all

 

[Mike Montier]

Thanks Mike
Interesting reading.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

Saturday, a gentle walk from Pollenca up to the locked gates at Ternelles Valley. Female blackcap, 5 booted eagles in the air together, 3 griffon vultures together. Later 2 more vultures high in the sky and too far away to identify. Plenty of black redstarts around, male and female
David

 

[Mike Montier]

A walk round my local park today in search of Goldcrest. No luck, just lots of Firecrest. The weather is still relatively mild.
Great close up views of Audouin’s gulls though. They really are very beautiful.
Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

We drove out to Campanment de la Victoria this morning, north east of Bon Aire beyond Alcudia. A first for me and with fabulous views back across Pollenca bay. Saw several booted eagles and a raven. Set the scope up for a brief seawatch and picked up definite shearwater heading north east out of the bay towards the open sea. Very light underneath, long wings, twisting as it flew low to the water. Is this Scopolis?
Called in at Tucan marsh on the way back, lots of little grebe and dozens of crag martins. Other birds included kingfisher, pochard, coot, gadwall and tufted duck plus yellow legged and black headed gulls.
Final stop at Can Cuarassa and a look at the ponds and a walk along the back roads. At least a dozen chiffchaff plus hoopoe, stonechat, tree pipit, pair of pintail, gadwall, teal and marsh harrier.
Travelling back home tomorrow after an excellent week, good weather, good walking and around 100 species seen. Only black spot is that property purchase fell through; the upside is that I have to come back in a few weeks time. Oh dear!!
David

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi David. I think your bird was most likely Scopoli’s from your description and there are very few Balearic shearwaters around at the moment making your sighting even more likely to be the larger species of the two.
Sorry about your property purchase, I hope you have better luck next time.
There was also a Ferruginous duck at Maristany today.
Mike

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Windy up North.
No sign of Ferruginus duck at Maristany.
A Breezy walk along the fields at Campanet.
Birds seen today included: Booted Eagle; Kestrels; Red Kite; Gadwall; Common Pochards; Red Crested Pochards; Little Grebe; Turfted Ducks; Wryneck; Goldfinches; Black Redstart; Song Thrushes; Crag Martins, Robins; Stonechats; Hoopoes and flocks of Chaffinches.

Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

Now back in Uk andf managed to download phone scope photo from Albufera last Wednesday; is this a pale morph booted eagle?
David

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Trip to S’Albufera, Depurdora, and S’Amarador with Bob and Pete from ESRA North.
Excellent views of Little Bittern and Marble Ducks.
Other birds seen included:Osprey,Booted Eagles, Marsh Harriers,Kestrels, Red Crested and Common Pochard, Shovelers, Gadwall, Teal, Purple Swamphen, Water Rails, Redknobbed coots, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Dunlin, Kentish plover, Little ringed plover, Lapwings, Black winged Stilts, Avocets, Great White Egrets, Little Egrets, Night Herons and Grey Herons.

The area around the dog house is flooded..no sign of bluethroats.

A fine day

Mike