Mallorca 2024 (5 Viewers)

[Ian Bell]

What camera are you buying,Mike ?

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Good job I’m buying a new camera on Wednesday.

Mike

what about the new carpets Mike?

 

[Mike Montier]

Carpets can wait. What camera I want and what I can afford are several miles apart.
I wanted a Nikon P950 but have settled, with help from StewB, on a Canon SX 70.
It’s on offer in Palma at a price I can’t resist.
Bridge cameras are a compromise but good photos are certainly possible, even for raptors in the sky.
I hope to post some first photos of juicy images of migrating Honey buzzards.
We will see.
A couple photos attached to show what can be achieved.
Mike

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Carpets can wait. What camera I want and what I can afford are several miles apart.
I wanted a Nikon P950 but have settled, with help from StewB and Mike, on a Canon SX 70.
It’s on offer in Palma at a price I can’t resist.
Bridge cameras are a compromise but good photos are certainly possible, even for raptors in the sky.
I hope to post some first photos of juicy images of migrating Honey buzzards.
We will see.
A couple photos attached to show what can be achieved.
Mike

Very nice and detailed images Mike, good luck with the new camera when you get it

 

[derban]

Carpets can wait. What camera I want and what I can afford are several miles apart.
I wanted a Nikon P950 but have settled, with help from StewB, on a Canon SX 70.
It’s on offer in Palma at a price I can’t resist.
Bridge cameras are a compromise but good photos are certainly possible, even for raptors in the sky.
I hope to post some first photos of juicy images of migrating Honey buzzards.
We will see.
A couple photos attached to show what can be achieved.
Mike

Cameras are always a compromise, aren't they? Judging by the photos, it looks like the Canon might be the sweet spot between all the variables! Good luck with it and don't forget some cotton wool to wrap it in!

 

[Matthebirder]

01 0ct ; Mortix vineyard ; a couple of Cirl Buntings by the wine shop - a nice relaxing location...

 

[Geordie Dave]

A quiet but enjoyable days birding with Peter S and Kevin H began at the Depuradora. Other than 100-200 house martins feeding over the second pond, a few green and common sandpipers and a close up female marsh harrier there was little of note. We moved on to Albufera main reserve. Water levels were too high for any waders and we had to content ourselves with hundreds of teal and shoveler and a handful of marbled duck and common pochard. At Cibollar 1 and 2 water levels were also high. This was fine for the long legged black winged stilts and flamingo but all of the smaller waders were a distance away at the back of pools. We did manage to pick out Kentish and Ringed plover, dunlin, black tailed godwit and several greenshank. Also at the back was a group of 15 great white egrets, the most I’ve seen together here. An Osprey remained on the top of the nearby pole with a fish for the duration of our stay. We had brief glimpses of a kingfisher, the constant calling of Cetti’s warbler and a single nightingale. Peter and I made a brief stop at the screen at Albufereta on the way back to the bar where, you’ve guessed it, water levels meant that, other than about 200 cattle egret, there were no waders to be seen. Our reward for 6 hours in the field was around 30 species followed by 2 pints. There’s always tomorrow!

 

[Matthebirder]

2 0ct, Albufera all day, 6+ Wood Sandpipers around the scrapes near centre. A Bar-tailed Godwit commuting about with stilts, several Greenshanks and 2 Dunlin. A lot of Teal to check through in case of rare ducks.
A Gull-billed Tern imm ranging widely.
Prize goes to the Plain Tiger, though evaded the camera. Migrant Hawkers now dominate the larger dragonflies.
Two Sandwich Terns off PP beach.

 

[sdhearn]

Staying near Algaida for a few days now. Visited the monastery/ hotel on top of the mountain/ large hill called Cura near Randa late afternoon.
Fantastic to see huge numbers of hirundines flying around the mountain often very high up. Impossible to count but in the 1000’s and on a few occasions it was like watching swarming (very large) insects!
An attendant Hobby was also present. Assume these are on the island at this time of year as I doubted myself! Definitely not Eleanora’s Falcon - shorter winged and comparable in size to nearby Kestrel.
Also 2 Blue Rock Thrush singing and a couple of Red Crossbills.

At the hotel near Randa in the grounds was a Pied Flycatcher no doubt passing through, singing Cirl Bunting, Firecrest, Hoopoe, 3+ Red Kite over and plenty of Sardinian Warblers abd and a few Blackcaps.

 

[Ian Pollença]

Recent sightings include Bar T Godwit and Gull-billed Tern at Albufera. Whinchat and 2 Black-necked Grebe at The Dep. Montagu's Harrier at Pla de Lanzell and Booted Eagle. At Mortitx great views of a Bonelli's Eagle circling low over the Reservoir at Mortitx whilst being mobbed by 20 Crag Martin. 8 Griffon Vultures and 1 Cinereous Vulture circling together. 1 Pine Martin and 2 Rock Thrush flew right over my head making a racket. Yesterday at Albufera, nice to bump into KevinH, PeterS and Dave for a good catch up. Saw my first lapwing for a while. Today, another visit to Salobra de Campos and what a wonderful place it is! Derban, now I know why you love it. 1 x Curlew, a few Ruff, 1 x Golden Plover, 2 Bar T Godwit, 4 Spoonbill etc. I'll be back!

 

[Mike Montier]

sdhearn.
A couple of Hobby have been seen today not far away, they pass through at this time of the year.

Ian. A very nice report. Spoonbill have been very hard to see this year so well done.
I was going to the Cap after art class tomorrow, being there at a very tardy 1pm but I might head for Salobrar instead.
Mike

 

[derban]

Recent sightings include Bar T Godwit and Gull-billed Tern at Albufera. Whinchat and 2 Black-necked Grebe at The Dep. Montagu's Harrier at Pla de Lanzell and Booted Eagle. At Mortitx great views of a Bonelli's Eagle circling low over the Reservoir at Mortitx whilst being mobbed by 20 Crag Martin. 8 Griffon Vultures and 1 Cinereous Vulture circling together. 1 Pine Martin and 2 Rock Thrush flew right over my head making a racket. Yesterday at Albufera, nice to bump into KevinH, PeterS and Dave for a good catch up. Saw my first lapwing for a while. Today, another visit to Salobra de Campos and what a wonderful place it is! Derban, now I know why you love it. 1 x Curlew, a few Ruff, 1 x Golden Plover, 2 Bar T Godwit, 4 Spoonbill etc. I'll be back!

I have only seen a spoonbill there once on my first visit, when Mike M was showing me the ropes, my first birding trip ever!

 

[Matthebirder]

3 Oct; following the early morning storm, Boquer had a few Redstarts, a Pied Fly, 2 'spotted' type flycatchers and a Chiffchaff. 2 or more N Wheatears

 

[sdhearn]

Had a trip out to Vilafranca this afternoon. Thanks again to Mike Puxley for the dropped pin.
Only a hour or so there so probably a lot of birds missed. Non birding wife pretty patient but there are limits when there’s not much else about!
Didn’t see the Iberian Grey Shrike and looked at most of the fig trees in the vicinity!
There were a few Northern Wheatears perched in and around the fig trees and in the fields. Around 10 Wheatears altogether.
Lots of raptors, many distant. I’ll definitely bring my scope to Mallorca next time.
One Booted Eagle right over our head, a female Marsh Harrier and lots of Kestrels and Red Kites. Didn’t pick out any Lesser Kestrels though or rarer harriers, sadly.
A few Thekla Larks by the roadside calling obligingly and 3 Red-Legged Partridges.
Palma tomorrow for a few nights so probably no more birding! 😔

 

[Matthebirder]

2 Oct cont'd ; Water treatment works -Albufera mid afternoon. Black-necked Grebe, Peregrine and what I'm trying to convince myself was a Black Kite, though was looking into sun virtually. It Was attacked by a RedKite so compared alongside.

 

[Matthebirder]

Correcting date to 3 Oct!; and adding 59 Audiouins from hotel on reef off the Pollensa Park just now....

 

[Mike Montier]

A quick trip to Salobrar produced 51 Black-winged stilts, 34 Greater flamingoes, many Avocet, 23 Redshank, 9 Little egrets, Curlew and Red kite, Booted eagle and Marsh harrier.
Sadly, the Spoonbills were nowhere to be seen but I did see the lone Golden plover.
It was very windy so I guess some species may have been in hiding.Mike

 

[Geordie Dave]

After the stormy weather last night and early this morning it was a delayed start to walk from Gotmar to the Llenaire road and around Cami Volantina before heading back along the coast. With the winds having subsided and the sun out it was a very pleasant 26° blue sky morning. Birding was quiet with 3 dark morph booted eagles, 2 red kites, common kestrel and a group of 200+ goldfinches the only birds of a note. A very enjoyable 6 miles walk. Tomorrow Mortix awaits.

 

[sdhearn]

I had a brief visit to Bassa de can Guidet on the way back to the airport to return the hire car. Thanks to the new WhatsApp group for this location as I would never have known of this place.
Again a scope is really needed as most of the birds were towards the back of the reservoir. However I could see lots of Pochard, Shoveler and Mallard and fewer numbers of Teal.
There were numerous small grebes and I could pick out around 40 Black-necked Grebes and possibly higher numbers of Little Grebes.
Also a Booted Eagle and Red Kite over and a few Barn Swallows trickled through.
Definitely bringing my scope the next time we’re in Mallorca!

 

[Mike Montier]

sdhearn
Hope you had a good trip home.
Thanks for your posts and well done with the Hobby.
Mike