MALLORCA 2007

 

“Our first afternoon on the sun-kissed island of Mallorca set the scene for what proved to be an exciting and bird-filled week.  Within an hour and a half we had seen a perched Eleonora’s Falcon, 2 Black Vultures overhead, several ‘Balearic’ Marmora’s Warblers and an Audouin’s Gull!  I can’t ever remember a tour starting so well, we even managed finish our ‘scope views of the Gull before the heavens opened.  The weather was changeable throughout the week, but somehow it never hampered our birding, it always stayed dry for picnics and on several occasions was responsible for some dramatic birding.  Particular highlights were the huge flock of birds behind a distant trawler appearing like a swarm of insects that materialized into some incredible views of over 400 Cory’s Shearwaters, with a blackening sky and the island of Cabrera providing a spectacular backdrop.  At the same time we saw migrating Black Terns passing at sea with double figures of the endangered Balearic Shearwater.  Equally impressive were the group of 10 Eleonora’s Falcons at Formentor lighthouse, the scenery here is some of the best on the island, but add in these impressive, long-winged falcons (some calling overhead) patrolling the coast for arriving migrants and it seemed like heaven!

 

The marshes of the Albufereta and S’Albufera provided many herons and egrets including Squaccos, a Great White Egret and a female Little Bittern.  Ducks included a few Marbled Ducks and some striking drake Garganey.  More specialities came our way in the form of Moustached and Great Reed Warblers, hunting Marsh Harriers, a great selection of waders from Wood and Curlew Sandpipers, to Temminck’s Stint and Kentish Plovers.  During more overcast weather we managed to see all three species of ‘marsh’ Tern in one flock, with two White-winged Blacks being a real treat.

 

In the south, the saltpans held four Greater Flamingo, the fields allowed the opportunity to compare Thekla and Short-toed Larks and we also connected with Avocet, lots of Black-winged Stilts and a flighty Hoopoe.

 

The final afternoon of the trip was the best of all.  As we watched an impending thunderstorm, Dan picked up a Roller sat on overhead wires.  This was impressive enough, but seeing it with a deep purple sky and bolts of lightning behind it really added to the experience.  At the same time low flying groups of hirundines and swifts finally gave us a Red-rumped Swallow.  We had incredible views of Bee-eaters before and after the rain, sheltering at first and then drying themselves.  We also caught up with a couple of Golden Orioles and a brief large Falcon was probably a Saker but sadly it didn’t hang around.

 

A cold day in the mountains was enlivened by fishing Ospreys, close up Tawny Pipits, a couple of moltoni Subalpine Warblers with their distinctive calls and best of all a pair of Rock Thrush, with the male finally giving itself up for prolonged ‘scope views.

 

There are too many other highlights to mention but include more Black Vultures, Red and Black Kites, daily Booted Eagles, close up Crag Martins, Peregrines, Turtle Dove, more Hoopoes and Bee-eaters, Pallid Swifts, breeding Tree Sparrows, Firecrests, Scops Owl, Blue Rock Thrush, scores of Spotted Flycatchers, nominate and endemic Woodchat Shrikes, a Pied Flycatcher at checklist, Common Redstarts, Wrynecks, Stone Curlews, Cirl Buntings, not to mention the orchids, butterflies and scenery.

 

All of the above was made all the more enjoyable by the tasty picnics (I’m not sure I found the perfect sandwich yet but avocado, cambozola, Serrano Ham with a handful of dates comes pretty close!).  Sadly for the drivers we couldn’t partake in the chilled Rose or cold beer!  Last but not least special mention should be made of our hosts.  Each year we are treated like returning friends, and once again they couldn’t do enough to make our stay enjoyable and entertaining.  A week of sheer relaxation and birding!”  James Lidster

 

Bird List:

 

This is a list of all the species seen during the last twenty spring tours to Mallorca.  The fact that Mallorca is a centre of migration in the spring means that some species are not seen every year.

 

Column A = Number of tours this species has been recorded on.

Column B = Number of days this species was seen on the last tour.

Column C = Maximum daily count for this species on the last tour.

 

H         = Heard only

(H)       = Mostly heard but some seen

(I)        = Introduced

 

A                                                                                 B          C

 

20

Little Grebe

1

1

H

Tachybaptus ruficollis

5

Great Crested Grebe

1

1

 

Podiceps cristatus

4

Black-necked Grebe

 

 

 

Podiceps nigricollis

2

Bulwer’s Petrel

 

 

 

Bulweria bulwerii

20

Cory's Shearwater

4

400

 

Calonectris diomedea

17

Balearic Shearwater

3

10

 

Puffinus mauretanicus

3

Gannet

 

 

 

Sula bassana

13

Cormorant

1

1

 

Phalacrocorax carbo

20

Shag

6

14

 

Phalacrocorax aristotelis

5

Bittern

 

 

 

Botaurus stellaris

10

Little Bittern

1

1

 

Ixobrychus minutus

20

Night Heron

1

4

 

Nycticorax nycticorax

11

Squacco Heron 

3

2

 

Ardeola ralloides

19

Cattle Egret

6

25

 

Bubulcus ibis

20

Little Egret

6

10

 

Egretta garzetta

3

Great White Egret

1

1

 

Egretta alba

20

Grey Heron  

4

2

 

Ardea cinerea

20

Purple Heron  

6

5

 

Ardea purpurea

1

Black Stork

 

 

 

Ciconia nigra

1

White Stork

 

 

 

Ciconia ciconia

4

Glossy Ibis

 

 

 

Plegadis falcinellus

5

Spoonbill

 

 

 

Platalea leucorodia

13

Greater Flamingo

1

4

 

Phoenicopterus ruber

9

Shelduck

3

40

 

Tadorna tadorna

3

Wigeon

 

 

 

Anas penelope

17

Gadwall

4

20

 

Anas strepera

3

Teal   

 

 

 

Anas crecca

20

Mallard

6

30

 

Anas platyrhynchos

5

Pintail

 

 

 

Anas acuta

8

Garganey

1

2

 

Anas querquedula

7

Shoveler 

 

 

 

Anas clypeata

4

Marbled Duck

2

4

 

Marmaronetta angustirostris

13

Red-crested Pochard (I)

4

30

 

Netta rufina

11

Pochard  

 

 

 

Aythya ferina

1

Tufted Duck

1

1

 

Aythya fuligula

3

Ferruginous Duck (I)

 

 

 

Aythya nyroca

1

White-headed Duck (I)

 

 

 

Oxyura leucocephala

14

Honey Buzzard 

2

5

 

Pernis apivorus

9

Black Kite

2

6

 

Milvus migrans

5

Red Kite

1

1

 

Milvus milvus

16

Egyptian Vulture

 

 

 

Neophron percnopterus

20

Black Vulture

3

8

 

Aegypius monachus

4

Griffon Vulture

 

 

 

Gyps fulvus

5

Short-toed Eagle   

 

 

 

Circaetus gallicus

16

Marsh Harrier

6

12

 

Circus aeruginosus

11

Montagu's Harrier

 

 

 

Circus pygargus

7

Sparrowhawk   

 

 

 

Accipiter nisus

7

Buzzard

 

 

 

Buteo buteo

2

'Steppe' Buzzard

 

 

 

Buteo buteo vulpinus

19

Booted Eagle

6

4

 

Hieraaetus pennatus

20

Osprey  

5

3

 

Pandion haliaetus

2

Lesser Kestrel

 

 

 

Falco naumanni

20

Kestrel

7

10

 

Falco tinnunculus

8

Red-footed Falcon

 

 

 

Falco vespertinus

15

Hobby

 

 

 

Falco subbuteo

20

Eleonora's Falcon     

7

40

 

Falco eleonorae

19

Peregrine

7

5

 

Falco peregrinus

20

Red-legged Partridge

4

4

 

Alectoris rufa

13

Quail 

 

 

 

Coturnix coturnix

9

Pheasant

 

 

 

Phasianus colchicus

19

Water Rail

 

 

 

Rallus aquaticus

20

Moorhen

5

6

 

Gallinula chloropus

12

Purple Gallinule (I)

2

2

 

Porphyrio porphyrio

20

C