Mallorca 2024 (3 Viewers)

[Dortmundbirder]

We went to the Mountains Yesterday. Around Lluc was a nice group of at least 6 Black and 1 Griffon Vulture Soaring. At Gorg Blau we SAW a Bonellis Eagle, a Blue Rock Thrush was Singing and on a small Island was a lone Great Cormorant

 

[derban]

Just a quick line to say thanks to Matthebirder for his fascinating stories about birding on Mallorca over the decades – S'albufera in 1982 must have been so different! Good luck with your search for butterflies and dragonflies Matt!
I didn't have long at Albufereta, where we met this morning, and consequently saw little of note except a couple of purple heron, and an osprey in the distance. Nevertheless, 22 species in little over an hour is quite respectable. The image of the hoopoe seems to contain so much that is Mallorca: the flowers, the meadow, the dry stone wall, tha water in the background. And apologies for including the cockerel, I just couldn't resist him!

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Hi Matt,
The butterfly lays its eggs on the Strawberry trees
The best site I have is by the refuge at the end of the walk1 in Son Real. I have seen them feeding on the open figs in the orchards past the visitor centre on the right where the picknick tables are.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

[Matthebirder]

Thank you Derban; I hung on at Abufereta as weather looked unstable. Spent an hour on the Mound for butterflies, another unobtainable Swallowtail , at least my 5th fly past. Another hour watching the 2 pairs of KPs from the hide; I don't think you can get better views anywhere else and the chicks are wonderful.
Moved to the northern extension of the National Park from just past the closed restaurant. Don't think I have looked in this loop track since formalised. Had my first of the trip Monarch flying very fast north; at that pace will be on the mainland by now(?) do they?
Moved to the Boquer for an evening stroll, supposed to be a recovery day ! ; only as far as the pinnacles, A lot of very low Crag Martins and a high Eleonora's.
Never thought I would be listening to an England game while Crag Martins buzzed about me! At least the martins were impressive.....
Thanks for the long chat on the platform and tips for Son Real; I always like to remember my '80 trips as the place was wild and completely open; but was greatly at risk of destruction so must remember the earlier pioneers fighting the government to create the National Parks. Biggest loss to me was the end of Casa Veyas - fig fields along Formentor road; we used to wander freely around the perimeter of the fields in spring, I found a Rufous Bush Robin there and the late great Peter Grant ticked it as a lifer......

 

[Matthebirder]

Thanks Mike; that is very useful ; planning on return visit very soon.

 

[stuartelsom]

Thanks Mike; that is very useful ; planning on return visit very soon.

Reading your posts Matt brings back memories of my one and only trip there in March-April 1989. I would love to go back one day...

Stu

 

[Merlin]

Reading your posts Matt brings back memories of my one and only trip there in March-April 1989. I would love to go back one day...

Stu

Stu
Go back NOW! Don't put it off, you do not know what issues, health or otherwise could prevent you from doing so. I have been many times but now my health stops me from going when not so long ago I could have gone almost anytime and sat back and let so many opportunities pass me by. Now it is probably too late for me to go at all?

regards
Merlin

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Thank you Derban; I hung on at Abufereta as weather looked unstable. Spent an hour on the Mound for butterflies, another unobtainable Swallowtail , at least my 5th fly past. Another hour watching the 2 pairs of KPs from the hide; I don't think you can get better views anywhere else and the chicks are wonderful.
Moved to the northern extension of the National Park from just past the closed restaurant. Don't think I have looked in this loop track since formalised. Had my first of the trip Monarch flying very fast north; at that pace will be on the mainland by now(?) do they?
Moved to the Boquer for an evening stroll, supposed to be a recovery day ! ; only as far as the pinnacles, A lot of very low Crag Martins and a high Eleonora's.
Never thought I would be listening to an England game while Crag Martins buzzed about me! At least the martins were impressive.....
Thanks for the long chat on the platform and tips for Son Real; I always like to remember my '80 trips as the place was wild and completely open; but was greatly at risk of destruction so must remember the earlier pioneers fighting the government to create the National Parks. Biggest loss to me was the end of Casa Veyas - fig fields along Formentor road; we used to wander freely around the perimeter of the fields in spring, I found a Rufous Bush Robin there and the late great Peter Grant ticked it as a lifer......

Casa Veyas!! My first trip to the island (1990 I think) we went there....lots birds, found a lovely male R B Shrike there, the only one I have seen the island. There were certainly a lot more birds, saw several Marsh Sands, a Black Stork over Boquer, R T Pipits on that trip, although Audouins took some effort at Porto Colom back then!

 

[Matthebirder]

Reading your posts Matt brings back memories of my one and only trip there in March-April 1989. I would love to go back one day...

Stu

Thanks Stu; with all the recent splits you need to tick them all again!!

 

[Merlin]

Casa Veyas!! My first trip to the island (1990 I think) we went there....lots birds, found a lovely male R B Shrike there, the only one I have seen the island. There were certainly a lot more birds, saw several Marsh Sands, a Black Stork over Boquer, R T Pipits on that trip, although Audouins took some effort at Porto Colom back then!

Jonny

My first trip to Casa Veyas was in 1980 and what a wonderful place it was, a flock of about two hundred 'yellow' wagtails landed including some black headed, bee eaters dropping in, warblers and flycatchers everywhere and a Rufous Bush Chat behind the farm where the dogs were and meant to be very scary and intimidating to deter people from walking there. My last visit there a couple of years ago was not quite so productive but it is still a special place with so many memories.

regards
Merlin

 

[Matthebirder]

21 Jun; an eight hour slow walk around Cuber Reservoir. Having not seen the Moltoni's warbler at Cuber under the new taxonomic segregation I had this one on my priority list! Back in the day the Cuber Sub-Alps were just list padders coming second place to the star birds the Spectacled Warblers and Rock Thrushes so were often not given much time. Sub-Alps were commonly seen in the migrant hotspots particularly Casas Veyas (as discussed above).
So a fast walk to the dam before it got too late ; but nothing was happening! Once it warmed up all of a sudden there were several 'sub-alps' buzzing around in the trees below the dam ; there were males, females/imms maybe 6 birds.
Standing very quietly near the furthest trees in the shade the birds were coming and going continuously. A male sang a few times. So can I be convinced by the shades of pink/red/salmon/brick-red etc. used to sort out Western, Moltoni's & Eastern. The males I studied today certainly appeared salmon pink, and the song sounded like the Colins App.
So quite what all the Sub-Alps were years ago we will never know; I managed a couple of shots as attached. One bird had a bath in the wet area below the porter-cabin end of the dam, too far for photos.
A nice close Tawny pipit was just down the Right hand path from the entrance. Dozens of showy Nightingales and an invisible Wryneck. Didn't do the raptors though saw both vultures and a few Booted Eagles.
Several 100 Yellow-legged gulls on the reservoir; all checked as is my habit.
(A fast flypast fritillary type butterfly may have been a Cardinal?)
Matt

 

[honeym]

My first day largely spent catching up from no sleep and getting the car sorted out and stocking up with beer..... Mid pm onwards at the Albufereta familiarising with the butterflies ; a lot of Clouded Yellows and Common Blues. For gull enthusiasts a very approached 3rd Sum in front of Pollensa Park hotel on the beach. I have previously struggled to catch up with this age group here. A likely age type to make it to the UK so a good education bird. I can only manage BOC images I'm afraid.
Also a lot of Med. Flycatchers about, one almost came into my car in the Pollensa Park carpark! Tricky to photograph well though.
View attachment 1585828View attachment 1585829

They should, apparently, be P. celina ---- not Common Blue.

 

[Matthebirder]

22 Jun; Thanks for the correction; I will check the current status now the football is over!
Today has been a full day of Dragonflies around the SW corner of the Albufera ( Amarador & Sa Font). The target was the Black Pennant; but not a hint in ideal weather conditions. Plenty of Norfolk Hawkers an Lesser Emperors and a few Keeled Skimmers at Sa Font sluice.
I did however find a couple of Small Red Damsels (see attached) ; for any keen dragonfly people, they were in the same spot , one morning and the other late pm just through the hand gate/ cattle grid beyond the Amarador platform in the gap in the reeds behind the hand gate. A tricky species in the UK and definitely one you have to look hard for.
A lucky fly over Squacco and a lone pale swift in the evening from the platform I'm considering as Pallid; certainly not one of the regular Albufera swifts that congregate. I haven't seen Pallids over the town or marshes.
Rain tomorrow so will see what happens; hoping for clean rain to wash the car of the massive dust wash-out a few days ago; looks like the cars have been driving in the Red Centre....

 

[Geordie Dave]

I’m arriving back in Mallorca in the morning for 3+ weeks visit. Expecting the birding to have quietened down a bit and there to be less visiting birders around. Nevertheless looking forward to some great days out and hoping to catch up with those that are there. I’ve been checking my notes from last June/July and also re reading the Forum pages from this time last year just to whet my appetite. There are a few target birds to go after including nightjars at Son Bosc and as always you just never know what might turn up.

 

[honeym]

I quot Split from the common blue P. icarus based on DNA analysis. It replaces that species in S Spain, N Africa and the Canaries. The limit of its range in S Spain and the interaction between these species is not well understood.e:

 

[Mike Montier]

I’m looking forward to going out birding together David. I need a lot more year ticks than you do. That’s for sure.
I have not been able to get out much recently but I hope to make up for that this autumn.
It seems a bit early to talk about that but I have found some great birds in July and August.
At the Cap, Black kites come through on their return migration and I have found a couple of young Rollers doing the same.
Waders can be very good at Salobrar too with some rarities being found in August.
It’s always hot of course and I’m normally in the UK for August but not this year.
See you soon
Mike

 

[Matthebirder]

23 June; with 'cold' grey overcast weather, the conditions were ideal to spend the morning in the Albufera hides (no dragonflies or butterflies on the wing!). Four Gull-billed Terns (a single and then a three) on the scrape from Sa Roca 1 hide. Squacco Herons were frequently flying around and one bird was feeding within metres of Sa Roca 1 hide. Following a late lunch watching the F1 race from Barcelona to keep up my record of not missing a race 'live' or without knowing the result, since 1996, the brightening evening was spent at the Albufereta. Clouded Yellows started flying around at 19:00....
There is something special about Squacco Herons

 

[John emerson]

23 June; with 'cold' grey overcast weather, the conditions were ideal to spend the morning in the Albufera hides (no dragonflies or butterflies on the wing!). Four Gull-billed Terns (a single and then a three) on the scrape from Sa Roca 1 hide. Squacco Herons were frequently flying around and one bird was feeding within metres of Sa Roca 1 hide. Following a late lunch watching the F1 race from Barcelona to keep up my record of not missing a race 'live' or without knowing the result, since 1996, the brightening evening was spent at the Albufereta. Clouded Yellows started flying around at 19:00....
There is something special about Squacco Herons View attachment 1587031

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Matthebirder
I thought I was the only nutter who never misses a Grand Prix.
I once stood on the pavement in France, watching an entire race on a TV through the front window of a house in the village.
None of the bars in the village were showing it, just the football.

Puig de Teix is about the only place I know of to see both Spectacled warbler and Rufous-tailed Rock thrush.
A local has just climbed up the top but no joy.
They both used to be seen at Cúber many years ago. I sat near the refuge hut every visit to have lunch and once with Phil Garnett, we watched the Rock thrush performing nearby.
They could also be seen near the quarry but not recently.
I don’t know why this should be.
Mike

 

[Matthebirder]

Thanks Mike M we seem to have a few things in common!
I am at Son Real for 2nd visit currently; have been loitering in the area of the Refuge and beach towards the viewing platform hoping for Two-tailed Pasha as per info from the chaps. The sun has hardly broken through yet which isn't helping; it is a wonderful location and I can see why it is highly rated in the appropriate season . I have a well ripened Pear ready in case I find one, forget the left over wine...
Will update progress later.
M