Mallorca 2025 (8 Viewers)

[Ian Bell]

If I may,I would like to echo the sentiments mentioned to Mike.I was unsure of the birding situation,when I first arrived as a tourist on the Island 15 or so years ago and thanks to Mike,firstly through this forum and then In person,I got to grips with the top places up north.Without him,I would still be plodding around every year,In hope,rather than expectation.From that first Private Message all those years ago,I now count Mike as a loyal and trusted friend and our yearly meets was the highlight of my holiday.
As a Chapter closes Mike,another new one begins and hopefully In the new Chapter,I can repay the debt I owe you,by showing you some of the wonderful areas and birds of the Cairngorms.
As we say In Scotland; "Arra Best Son and hope to meet again soon" Take Care,my Friend

 

[Geordie Dave]

A day out with Mike Swiss today began with a very quiet visit to the Orange Bridge where there was nothing to report. Next stop was to Son Real where an hour in the hide produced nothing before we had 3 calling wryneck just outside. On to a stormy Son Baulo where after much searching we eventually managed to find 5 turnstones, my first of the year. En route to Depuradora we called in at the horse paddocks hoping that 1st March might produce some bee eaters, it didn’t!! On to a very cold Depuradora where the highlights were 2 Iberian yellow wagtails, early??, barn swallow and house martins. We decided to finish the day at Albufera main reserve where the we had 100+ flamingo and avocets, a stunning pale morph booted eagle and several hundred plover in flight together comprising both little ringed and Kentish. 15 marbled duck and several western swamphen, a water rail and red knobbed coots completed the day list. 60+ species seen and an excellent day out, thank you Mike. A pleasure as always.

 

[Geordie Dave]

The Mallorca Big Year seems to have halted.
View attachment 1630968

I am happy if it continues…
I have some 124 Species this year
Please let me know your numbers.
Its all for fun

Mike, happy for you to continue it and to contribute. Following my January visit and my few days here at the moment I’m on 129 after an excellent day yesterday. Safe trip home tomorrow.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Thanks Davey
A few photos from yesterday

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Peter S. Has 101 species for the Bigyear. I will post every month with a few comments on the special or rare birds seen.
Happy for all inputs.
My special bird for last month was the Redwing..if only I could have taken a decent photo!

 

[StewB]

Like many others I came to know Mike M through this forum, initially through queries sent from the UK prior to our regular visits, and then one day I bumped into the man himself when watching a roller along the Can Cuarassa track. Thence began a long and much valued friendship. Being of a certain age we discovered that as younger men we had twitched many of the same UK rarities, and we both knew many of the characters and legends of the day. We also had related professional backgrounds, which led to many deep and meaningful conversations (yes, really!).

As Mike and Jane transition from residents to (I hope) frequent visitors to the island, I wish them every happiness and success. Again like many others, I’m anticipating with pleasure the prospect of hosting them in my home patch, here in Norfolk.

Good luck and thanks my friend, you’ll be a legend in Mallorca for many years to come!

Stew

 

[derban]

The Mallorca Big Year seems to have halted.
View attachment 1630968

I am happy if it continues…
I have some 124 Species this year
Please let me know your numbers.
Its all for fun

Hi Mike, very good of you to keep the big Year alive – as you say it's a bit of fun but it has also given me a bit of focus to get a bit more system in my birding. Anyway, I have a grand total of 90 specias at the end of Feb. With a bit of luck there won't be so many participants so I am hoping to improve my position over last year!😂

 

[Mike Montier]

Thank you all very much.
It just confirms what I said, it’s the people I have met that have made it all so special.
Thank you for your company and friendship.
I’m happy to see that the forum is being kept alive. It has been very dear to me and I would be very sad to see it in decline.
See you next time!
All the very best.
Mike

 

[TonyCath]

Wishing you both all the best Mike on your new adventure.
Maybe one of your visits back will be the first week in May ?
Thank you for all your help and of course keeping this great forum going as already said in previous posts it has helped so many people over the years.
And don't forget the fishing
T&C

 

[Resso Pete]

An enjoyable day out with Geordie Dave starting at Albufera. We met a group of university students from the UK researching what impact tourism is having on the island. We gave them some practical information before doing our usual tour of the reserve.
Our list for the day was 45 species, with several more being heard but not seen! Notably a Moustached Warbler. Whilst at the power station hide we saw an Osprey land on a perch and checking my photos tonight noticed the Osprey was ringed. I've checked and would appear it was done in Sweden!
From there we drove to Albufueta just as the weather was turning murky. Another Osprey seen on the newish nest pole. Our list was 17 species, one less than the number of purple orchids we saw flowering near the low platform. Quite a varied day out.

 

[Geordie Dave]

To add to Peters post above. There was a male hen harrier at Sa Roca this morning, several western swamphen and a yellow wagtail. On the way from Ses Pardes to the main canal we listened to a moustached warbler singing for around half an hour. On returning several hours later we managed a brief glimpse while it continued singing. There were 2 red knobbed coots feeding very close to us on the path. At Cibollar 1&2 around 100 avocets were roosting. On the track to Columbars the newly created platform and the wet area that has been cleared of reeds provided excellent viewing conditions for dozens of Kentish and little ringed plover together with a pair of reed buntings. On arriving at Columbars hide I saw my first spotted redshank of the year. There were also 30-40 common pochard. Throughout the visit we heard 15-20 Cetti’s warblers calling and never managed to see a single one. As we were leaving we found 4 red crested Pochards looking stunning in the sunshine. We called in at Albufereta on the way back to Port de Pollenca. Whilst the main pools and Sa Barcassa were quiet we did see several great white egrets and 2 corn buntings. The birds of the day here though were a water pipit, moving in to summer plumage, and a fly through Squacco heron. Another lovely day on the island when the threatened rain never materialised, the sun shone and temperatures reached around 18°.

 

[Mcnswiss2]

Back Home after a great time on the Island.
Wonderful to meet old friends and to reconnect with the nature in Mallorca.
It's easy to chalk up 80 to 100 bird species in a few weeks; with close up opportunities to study their behaviour.
The biggest impact was the number of Flamingos in Albufera and Albuferata possibly due to the changing water management. In addition, it was surprising to see several species over wintering such as Purple Herons and Squacco Herons.
I would like to thank all the local birders and GOB for their great work.
A special thanks to Michael Montier (and the great woman behind him) for fun, frolics and for forcing us to keep coming back for more!
Wish him and all of you on the forum, all the best for the future

 

[Ian Pollença]

Back Home after a great time on the Island.
Wonderful to meet old friends and to reconnect with the nature in Mallorca.
It's easy to chalk up 80 to 100 bird species in a few weeks; with close up opportunities to study their behaviour.
The biggest impact was the number of Flamingos in Albufera and Albuferata possibly due to the changing water management. In addition, it was surprising to see several species over wintering such as Purple Herons and Squacco Herons.
I would like to thank all the local birders and GOB for their great work.
A special thanks to Michael Montier (and the great woman behind him) for fun, frolics and for forcing us to keep coming back for more!
Wish him and all of you on the forum, all the best for the future

View attachment 1631412

Great to read all your posts Mike, and as always, your helpful replies too. Excellent pic of the SB Gull. Where exactly is the best place to see it at Salobra? Cheers, Ian

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Hi all, does anyone know of any decent Moltonis Warbler sites other than Cuber? TIA
Jonny

 

[Mike Montier]

Hi Ian
The Slender-billed gull can be elusive as it moves around quite a bit.
I have found it every visit recently.
The best place is to park in the salt works car park, walk down the road towards the beach, scanning all the lagoons on the right.
It is often on the last lagoon, often very near the road, affording great photo opportunities.
Good luck.
Jonny. I’m sure someone can help with sites for Moltoni’s warbler. I’m looking into it in the meantime and will let you know, if others don’t respond.
Mike

 

[Mike Montier]

Jonny
I have asked around and the only reliable place known to us, is Cúber.
Maybe Pep knows other places?
Mike

 

[Josep Manchado]

Jonny
I have asked around and the only reliable place known to us, is Cúber.
Maybe Pep knows other places?
Mike

Hi,
They are all over the Tramuntana mountains forest areas, but the only known exact place is Cúber.
Josep

 

[Jonny Holliday]

Hi,
They are all over the Tramuntana mountains forest areas, but the only known exact place is Cúber.
Josep

Many thanks Josep and Mike..... I kind of thought so. Out at start of May for 2 weeks but it's a family holiday lol......my wife has been with me to Cuber 10 years ago but doesn't like the drive up there much.......we shall see.....

 

[Geordie Dave]

Wednesday, a local day for local people. I spent the morning around Port de Pollenca. At Can Cuarassa there were plenty of stonechats, goldfinches, greenfinches, Cetti’s warblers, a single black redstart, a low flying pale morph booted eagle, with 2 more flying high, 2 male marsh harriers, an adult and a sub adult. Further down the track I found one spotless startling in a tree near to, but not on the roof of, Pins16. As I started to make my way back a large grey/white bird with black wingtips floated across the track, left to right and over the adjoining hedge. In the immortal words of Pink Floyds Comfortably Numb, “I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye, I turned to look but it was gone”. Except is wasn’t! I raced to the end of the hedge to scan the scrub to the right and immediately refound a male hen harrier working it’s way low to the ground back and forth and gradually moving south towards Albufereta until disappearing from view; “a distant ships smoke on the horizon”. I did manage a couple of poor record photos but in truth I was happier just to watch and enjoy the bird. At the beginning of the track I turned right to investigate the pools and screens along the other track. At the final, new, pool that was extended last year I disturbed 15 stone curlew from the embankment formed when the excavated material was piled there. As I was watching a kingfisher landed in a bush for a couple of seconds in front of the screen. Next stop was the low platform by the pool at the back of the Port Blue Resort hotel. Here 2 flamingos and a great white egret were in the water with 3 stone curlew on one of the little islands. Just as I was leaving 2 marsh harriers appeared, working their way over the wetland. Another large, brown bird flew very low into the long grass/reeds. I only managed a very brief view and I’ve no idea what it was. I was desperately trying to convince myself that it was a bittern but had to put it down as “the one that got away”. My final stop was at Albufereta and a walk through the wood and around the mound. I was greeted by the sight of around 20 serins. I found another 12 stone curlews in the field to the right of the tower and 3 in the rough ground behind the finca. Sa Barcassa was very quiet, one little ringed plover, green sandpiper and common sandpiper. On the mound there were fan tailed warbler, corn buntings and several Cetti’s warblers. All in all a successful day with hen harrier the bird of the day.

 

[Geordie Dave]

Further to my previous post. The hen harrier was my 4th sighting of the year. All males and all in a relatively small area. Once at Can Cuarassa and Albufera and twice at Albufereta. Are these of the same bird or is this evidence of several wintering in the area. In January 2024 I had a single ringtail at both Albufera and at Sa Barcassa at Albufereta.
Finally, last night at around 10pm a Scops Owl was calling continuously and very loudly near my place in Gotmar. I heard it again at 6am today. I didn’t hear any during my visit in January.