Sunday 16 September 2012
15th September 2012
My last day and only the chance of a quick dash around the reserve. Sa Roca was disappointing with most birds distant and difficult viewing conditions in very bright sun. From Es Cibollar I hide a Spotted Redshank was showing well and I was pleased to add a final tick to the trip list. I moved on to the second hide and found another 2 Spotshanks but just as I was about to leave a raptor flew distantly past, but close enough to identify another of my target species of the trip - Booted Eagle. Distance and heat haze account for the awful photo!
I recorded a total of 74 species during the week which is pretty good but I suspect the choice of DSLR over scope cost me several more. I was disappointed not to connect with Thekla Lark and surprised not to find any Red-crested Pochard which I understand to be common at S'albufera. If I go back to Mallorca I will definitely hire a car so that I can carry both DSLR and scope, not to mention avoid any loose dogs!
14th September 2012
I decided to try the long cycle ride (about 11 km) around the perimeter of the reserve on my last full day. It looked like being a bit of a mistake when by halfway the most exciting bird I'd seen was a Pochard. When I got to Sa Font things changed when I disturbed a large bird of prey from a small cultivated field it flew away low and it was difficult to make out any features but when it finally came into view it was clearly a Honey Buzzard. In the same area a single Tree Sparrow was associating with a flock of House Sparrows and along the track called Cami d'en Pep a Pied Flycatcher kept flying just out of camera range. I finally got a few poor shots.
The bird of the day though appeared a short while later as I cycled along the Ses Puntes track. A stunning juvenile Montagu's Harrier flew over heading towards the reserve. It attracted the attention of a pair of Kestrels which continually harried it as it flew back northwards. I managed to get a few photos but they are rather disappointing as I didn't have the chance to change the ISO setting.
13th September 2012
Back to normal routine with an early trip to S'albufera. An overnight storm meant that the sky was overcast so viewing from the Sa Roca hides was easier than usual when early morning sun makes things difficult. A Temmink's Stint showed well in front of the 2nd hide as did a Little Egret.
In trees over the river from the Es Cibollar track several very noisy Cattle Egrets had gathered including this juvenile.
The walk to Es Cibollar looked like being a waste of time when I arrived to an empty mass of mud and water, just 2 distant Greenshank in sight. After 5 minutes I was set to leave when an Osprey appeared carrying a large fish and landed at the top of a pole in front of the hide. Though quite distant I started taking photos when 2 Eleanora's Falcons appeared and started noisily mobbing the Osprey.
The walk to Es Cibollar looked like being a waste of time when I arrived to an empty mass of mud and water, just 2 distant Greenshank in sight. After 5 minutes I was set to leave when an Osprey appeared carrying a large fish and landed at the top of a pole in front of the hide. Though quite distant I started taking photos when 2 Eleanora's Falcons appeared and started noisily mobbing the Osprey.
12th September 2012
The only day of the trip when I didn't visit S'albufera as in the morning I decided to investigate Depuradora. Actually very close to the hotel in distance, to get to the site required a cycle ride down the main road to C'an Picafort then back up a minor road to Depuradora. Along this road Dave Gosney's guide suggests looking out for Thekla Lark, Tawny Pipit and Short-toed Lark. In fact the only new bird I encountered was a rather shabby Ostrich which I suspect is not tickable! This bit of road was very reminiscent to me of birdwatching by bike in Greece - every house has a guard dog which charges at you as you cycle past, praying the fence is strong and high enough! About half way to Depuradora I gave up and turned back when I saw a large dog wandering loose on the road in front of me - you car drivers don't know how easy you have it!
In the afternoon we'd decided to take a boat trip around Cap de Formentor. The boat was absolutely packed but as we were amongst the first to board we'd managed to get excellent seats. The boat hugged the coastline as it picked up passengers from various stops in Alcudia. A couple of Audouin's Gulls flew over but several Shags in the sea and perched on a buouy were the first new birds of the trip.
Both shearwaters put in an appearance next with a single Balearic on the sea close to the boat - unfortunately I was in the middle of changing lenses and missed the opportunity! I was luckier with Cory's with 1 flying close enough to the boat for me to get a picture.
Of course Cap de Formentor is best known for breeding Eleanora's Falcons and we were treated to a great display of at least 15 birds flying high on the cliffs. Most photos therefore are of distant birds in silhouette but one or two came close enough to get a bit of detail.
In the afternoon we'd decided to take a boat trip around Cap de Formentor. The boat was absolutely packed but as we were amongst the first to board we'd managed to get excellent seats. The boat hugged the coastline as it picked up passengers from various stops in Alcudia. A couple of Audouin's Gulls flew over but several Shags in the sea and perched on a buouy were the first new birds of the trip.
Both shearwaters put in an appearance next with a single Balearic on the sea close to the boat - unfortunately I was in the middle of changing lenses and missed the opportunity! I was luckier with Cory's with 1 flying close enough to the boat for me to get a picture.
Of course Cap de Formentor is best known for breeding Eleanora's Falcons and we were treated to a great display of at least 15 birds flying high on the cliffs. Most photos therefore are of distant birds in silhouette but one or two came close enough to get a bit of detail.
11th September 2012
My first early start of the week saw me at the reserve gates shortly after 7am. The gates aren't opened until 9am so it was a matter of clambering over a low wall, bike and all. This time I took the track along Ses Puntes in the hope that I'd be able to exit the reserve at the end of the track and get back to my hotel that way. Unfortunately, whilst there is a track it has been fenced off with no entry signs.
Several Moustached Warblers flitted amongst the reeds along the Ses Puntes track along with the ubiquitous Cetti's Warbler. Woodchat Shrike, Zitting Cisticola and Whinchat were all picked up along here. On the return journey a Hoopoe posed nicely for me.
In the late afternoon I thought I'd try the saltpans again. B-w Stilt and plovers were still present and further down the track a Great Reed Warbler perched high up on a reed allowing me a couple of distant shots. Unfortunately the light was all wrong and the bird is just in silhouette.
Several Moustached Warblers flitted amongst the reeds along the Ses Puntes track along with the ubiquitous Cetti's Warbler. Woodchat Shrike, Zitting Cisticola and Whinchat were all picked up along here. On the return journey a Hoopoe posed nicely for me.
In the late afternoon I thought I'd try the saltpans again. B-w Stilt and plovers were still present and further down the track a Great Reed Warbler perched high up on a reed allowing me a couple of distant shots. Unfortunately the light was all wrong and the bird is just in silhouette.
10th September 2012
A quick walk around the hotel complex in the morning (ok, it was only a walk because we got lost on the way to breakfast!) added Goldfinch and Yellow-legged Gull to the trip list. Then, later in the morning it was back to S'albufera to sort out a visitor's permit. Half-way along the entrance track I noticed some large birds perched in bushes on the otherside of the river - presumably absent the previous afternoon - at least 8 Night Herons.
On this trip I decided to try somewhere new and took the track to Es Colombars which in the Dave Gosney guide is recommended for Moustached Warbler. Sure enough one of many small, brown warblers finally showed for long enough for me to identify MW - unfortunately it didn't pose long enough for photos and whilst I saw several during my stay I never did get a photo. Es Colambars itself proved to be disappointingly quiet but the cycle back provided the only swift of the week, a Pallid, whilst a retreating Nightingale was added as I left the reserve.
An afternoon (non-birding) cycle ride down the main road to investigate C'an Picafort took us past the old saltpans at Ses Salinetes where a single Black-winged Stilt was accompanied by a handful of Little Ringed Plovers. Surprisingly was the only B-w Stilt seen during the week
On this trip I decided to try somewhere new and took the track to Es Colombars which in the Dave Gosney guide is recommended for Moustached Warbler. Sure enough one of many small, brown warblers finally showed for long enough for me to identify MW - unfortunately it didn't pose long enough for photos and whilst I saw several during my stay I never did get a photo. Es Colambars itself proved to be disappointingly quiet but the cycle back provided the only swift of the week, a Pallid, whilst a retreating Nightingale was added as I left the reserve.
An afternoon (non-birding) cycle ride down the main road to investigate C'an Picafort took us past the old saltpans at Ses Salinetes where a single Black-winged Stilt was accompanied by a handful of Little Ringed Plovers. Surprisingly was the only B-w Stilt seen during the week
9th September 2012
We arrived in Mallorca after dark and didn't get to our hotel in Alcudia until nearly midnight so my first Mallorcan birds didn't appear until the following morning. Everywhere I go in Europe my first bird, seen or heard, always seems to be Collared Dove so it was a pleasure to pull back the curtains and see a Spotted Flycatcher perched in a tree just beyond our balcony. A walk along the road outside the hotel produced Sardinian Warbler, Cetti's Warblers calling loudly from the S'albufera reserve on the other side of the road and, yes, some Collared Doves. We walked onto the beach and headed back in the direction of the hotel avoiding various German joggers and Nordic walkers in the midst of which sat 3 Audouin's Gulls, quite unfazed by all the activity.
The nature reserve at S'albufera, just a kilometre down the road had been one of the main reasons for picking the hotel and after a day with the family I hired a bike and cycled off to the reserve. A flooded field just before the information centre yielded the first of my target species - Purple Gallinule (Purple Swamp-Hen, if you must). Three of these gorgeous birds were wandering around in full, if rather distant view. The information centre was closed so the next stop was Sa Roca where another of my target species gave themselves up without a fight - at least two Marbled Ducks at the back of the pools with a mixture of eclipse Shoveller and Mallard. Sadly they were too distant to photograph with my DSLR and as I'd decided to leave my scope at home (bike + scope, tripod, camera, zoom lens and bins = disaster) I never got a good view of Marbled Duck.
Before heading home I decided to try for a third target species, Red-knobbed Coot, by walking to the bridge over the main channel. Expecting some difficulty separating this species from common Coot I spent several minutes going through the birds on the river with no luck then, from under the bridge 2 of the birds appeared. One, unfortunately, with a white plastic marker around it's neck, the other far more photogenic.
The nature reserve at S'albufera, just a kilometre down the road had been one of the main reasons for picking the hotel and after a day with the family I hired a bike and cycled off to the reserve. A flooded field just before the information centre yielded the first of my target species - Purple Gallinule (Purple Swamp-Hen, if you must). Three of these gorgeous birds were wandering around in full, if rather distant view. The information centre was closed so the next stop was Sa Roca where another of my target species gave themselves up without a fight - at least two Marbled Ducks at the back of the pools with a mixture of eclipse Shoveller and Mallard. Sadly they were too distant to photograph with my DSLR and as I'd decided to leave my scope at home (bike + scope, tripod, camera, zoom lens and bins = disaster) I never got a good view of Marbled Duck.
Before heading home I decided to try for a third target species, Red-knobbed Coot, by walking to the bridge over the main channel. Expecting some difficulty separating this species from common Coot I spent several minutes going through the birds on the river with no luck then, from under the bridge 2 of the birds appeared. One, unfortunately, with a white plastic marker around it's neck, the other far more photogenic.
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