Majorca 10^th – 18^th October 2006

by Dave Pearce

Day 1  Calvia, Santa Ponsa 

We flew from Bristol to Palma by Easyjet arriving by mid afternoon at Sandy’s villa on a hill called Son Font above Calvia overlooking Santa Ponsa. We appreciated the fabulous villa and garden and identified Geranium Bronze (which has spread to Majorca from North Africa) and Cleopatra butterflies and then went for a walk over the top of Son Font, a little way up the road. Here we saw Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Robins, House Sparrows, Sardinian Warblers, Great Tits and a Redstart. A Cirl Bunting was singing near Son Font. See pic below.

The most common birds around the villa were Sardinian Warblers and Crossbills. We were surprised to see most days, an adult and juvenile Blue Rock Thrush perching on roofs and telegraph poles along the garden boundary. Stonechats were around each day. A Cirl Bunting was along the bottom of the garden and possibly the same one on the other side of the road. Clearly it was defending a large territory perhaps in preparation for next year? Occasionally the rattle was introduced or ended by another note (perhaps a winter sub-song). A Black Redstart was seen once flitting around a roof and Red-legged Partridges were heard calling one morning. 

We played golf Santa Ponsa No 2 Golf Course. There were many Coots and Yellow-legged Gulls on the course and in the pine woods many Woodpigeons and a few Spotted Flycatchers. A Little Grebe and White Wagtail was also present and in the outskirts of Santa Ponsa a Cirl Bunting was singing.

We went to Salinas de Levante, south of Salobrar de Campos in the south of the island, an extensive series of salt pans (following the directions in Graham Hearl’s A Birdwatching Guide to Mallorca). The most common waders were hundreds of Kentish Plovers and Little Stints (mostly moulting adults but a few juveniles).  Also present were a few Redshanks and Ringed Plovers, Black-winged Stilts, three juvenile Grey Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits, Lapwings, Curlews, eleven Spotted Redshanks, 20 Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers and many Little Egrets, Grey Herons and Mallards. 

The Greater Flamingos (at least 150 which I believe was considered a high number) made a grand sight and they often flew about which was excellent. 

A light phase Booted Eagle (white underwing coverts contrasting with the black flight feathers) flew overhead mobbed by a Kestrel.  An Osprey flew around occasionally swooping down on to the water surfaces. At the southern end of the salt lagoons a Stone Curlew flew up from the quarry and a Thekla Lark was heard and seen briefly. 

We departed from Calvia for Puerto Pollensa via the Cuber Reservoir. A Blue Rock Thrush was seen high on the rock hillside by the first reservoir. There was a vast number of Stonechats and Robins around the Cuber Reservoir, many Goldfinches, a few Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Goldfinches and two Black Redstarts. Also a Grey Wagtail, two Grey Herons and a Kestrel. 

Overhead we had about five passes by a pair of Black Vultures – I think at least two pairs were present. One sat on a peak and gave good views.  It had a dark head and I presume was a juvenile. White around the back of the head seemed to be due to feathers blowing up to expose bare skin. 

We also had two brief views of a raptor with the underwing light coloured coverts and darker flight feathers. It had a large head and held its wings with drooping primaries. At one point it closed its wings and plummeted and also interacted with a pair of Ravens. It was probably a Booted Eagle. 

At the farthest point, beyond the Refuge, I was scoping a distant Kestrel when up popped, close by on a bush of red berries, two warblers – the pair filling the field of view. Red eyes, very grey upperparts with black tertials and with a similar shade of grey below, with a whitish throat.  A pair of Marmora's Warblers! I forgot to look for red on the bill but it could not be confused with a Dartford Warbler as clearly they were adults (red eyes). The guide book (Hearl) says nothing about Marmora’s being seen here although it does refer to them in the high mountains about 5 kms away. The book (Shirihai) notes that the species inhabits relatively uniform, low dense cover from sea level to open montane regions. It is also noted that it is mostly insectivorous, but its diet often includes fruit i.e. the red berries.  

By the overflow car park we had great views of Firecrests, saw a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Flycatcher was glimpsed. Then on to Hotel Pollentia at Puerto Pollensa for three nights.

We set out for Formentor, stopping at the Mirador at K15. Here up to eight Eleonora's Falcons were present making incredible manoeuvres in a strong wind. One second high above then dropping like a stone, then up again and often passing close overhead. Some were dark phase, essentially all dark body and no white cheeks, and some light phase with white cheeks and rusty brown body. Only very occasionally, when they very close, could we glimpse the black underwing coverts contrasting with the rest of the underwing. Also seen were juveniles with a uniform grey barred underwing.  The falcons were often making a nasal squeaky, grating call and had several interactions with pairs of Ravens and occasionally perched on the cliff.  

One falcon seemed to be harrying two gulls close to the sea below. While viewing them through the scope a passerine came into the field of view and was immediately taken by the falcon. I expect the gulls had seen it too and were waiting for it to drop into the sea.  I guess only a few passerines make it unless there is a significant number coming in at one time. Distant Cory Shearwaters were off shore and at the Lighthouse we had very close views of them and many more Eleonora's Falcons. A good many Crag Martins were around the cliffs. 

On the way back we stopped at K17 to walk down the Torrent de Andria to look for Marmora's but no luck. There were a huge number of Robins and a Blue Rock Thrush. See pics below.

We had excellent views of a Booted Eagle and as before (and subsequently) it was the light phase with even less black on the underwing than is shown in Collins. 

Cases Velles was permanently fenced off and we only saw a pair of Blackcaps there (see Graham Hearl’s A Birdwatching Guide to Mallorca). 

Then to the famous Boquer Valley. However, several birders we met during the three days said they had been coming for years and each year there were less passerines than the years previously. Majorca was not what it used to be etc. Presumably there are less migrants because of loss of habitat etc on the continent and the dry Sahel. 

However, we saw about four Black Redstarts, a Northern Wheatear, a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Redstart and a huge number of Robins. Eventually we had excellent views of three or four singing Cirl Buntings.

Day 6  Albufera Marshes

We went to Albufera Marshes but the water levels were high. The CIM hide close to the Reception Centre was the best with various juveniles; single Little Stint, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Golden Plover plus an adult Kentish Plover. Also present was an adult Little Ringed Plover and three juveniles, a few Black-winged Stilts and a Snipe. There were plenty of Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, a few Pochards and a few Little Grebes. A single Audouin's Gull was present. 

About ten Purple Gallinules were seen around the Reserve, about 20 Grey Herons and 100's of Little Egrets. We heard Cetti’s Warblers everywhere and also a few Water Rails. 

On the way to the Observation Tower, where we had several excellent views of several Marsh Harriers, we saw a White-headed Duck and several Red-knobbed Coots – both recently introduced. At the north Es Colombars Hide there were many Black-winged Stilts, Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper. At the Bishop Hide an Osprey sat on a post and was also seen flying. Four Greenshanks, some Lapwings and four distant Great White Egrets were there and we saw only our fourth Hoopoe of the holiday. Surprisingly no Night Herons were seen although 30 were listed by someone at the hotel. Perhaps it is essential to have their roost pointed out although we did look at likely spots. 

I was disappointed with this Reserve. There was no information of what one might expect to see. Most non-birders would leave disappointed and not inspired! There was only a coffee machine. UK organisations would turn this into a money spinner.

We drove a bit further on just beyond C’an Picafort to Son Baulo where we had been told to look for Thekla Lark and Marmora's.  This was excellent habitat with sand and stones with bushes getting thicker away from the sea and relatively unspoilt. A Thekla Lark gave its weak call – ra ta too ee and was scoped from 20 yards. The bill was smaller than the more aggressive looking Crested Lark, and was whiter below and streaked more heavily on the breast. Easy when Crested Lark is not even listed as an accidental for this island, only Thekla Larks are present! A Spotted Flycatcher and a Northern Wheatear were also seen. 

In front of the hotel at Puerto Pollensa each morning there was at least one pair of Audouin's Gull walking the sands and being very friendly. In the evening I watched them gathering on the rocky breakwater (with several Shags and Sandwich Terns) a short distance off shore. Eventually there were 30 Audouin's Gulls there. Twenty six adults, one second winter with a grey bill and three juvenile/first winters. A very attractive looking gull and I do not think I am being swayed by Collins stating "still one of the world’s rarest gulls". See pic below.

Day 7  Albufereta Area

We went off via the back roads to the Albufereta area. At “the Beehives” (see Graham Hearl’s A Birdwatching Guide to Mallorca) we could hear a Wryneck but could not locate it but we saw our first Cattle Egret and had close views of Serins. 

At Ulls de Ree “Smelly river” (it was not) there was a single Green Sandpiper and two Grey Wagtails. A Booted Eagle (light phase) circled lazily overhead and we could see the white wing patches on its upper wing. 

A kilometre or so further on we saw two more Green Sandpipers together with a Common Sandpiper and our only Corn Bunting of the trip. 

We walked down (where there was an old farmhouse for sale) to look over the Middle Lake. We had great views of a Fan-tailed Warbler (occasionally heard others during the week), five Great White Egrets, five Marsh Harriers and many Teal, Shoveler and Wigeon together with a few Cormorants. In the middle of the lake there was a single juvenile Greater Flamingo looking very lonely.  

We parked by the bridge over the Torrent de Albufereta (two Kentish Plovers on the beach) and walked over “the limestone pavement” to the mound to view the Egrets and Harriers but nothing new. 

We walked to the east point of the lake along the road with villas and I thought I heard a Tree Sparrow. I was correct (to be fair we were anticipating the possibility here but it is a rare bird on Majorca). There were also many Serins and about 100 Cattle Egrets which had probably just arrived. I should think we saw more than 200 in total. 

We had great views of an Osprey on the way back and a probable Berger’s Clouded Yellow (almost white upper wing but as it flew we could see the orange spots on hind wing). The distribution map indicated that a Pale Clouded Yellow was unlikely. 

Then on to the Observation Tower (new and very good) overlooking the Depuradora de S'Ilot water works – actually sewerage.  It was rather difficult to find! Here we saw two Green Sandpipers, two Dunlins, one Common Sandpiper, one Wood Sandpiper, three Black-winged Stilts and several Marsh Harriers including a male in a tree.   

Suddenly a huge crane glided close by and landed in a field. What a sight! It had lots of white on the upper wing and when it landed it made a very exotic sight with its head topped with a crown of stiff golden feathers, white cheek patches and a red gular sac under the chin. I suspect an escaped Grey-crowned Crane which is an African species (the national bird of Uganda and aptly named there the Golden-crowned Crane). Also in the fields were two Little Ringed Plovers and a Hoopoe. 

Vic said time to go. I had been watching an area of reeds just behind the tower for a lot of the time we were there in the hope of a Bluethroat (although a warden who "checked out" the area with a very small pair of bins said he had never seen one there, but I doubt whether he saw any of the waders either) when suddenly there was one on a post! And a full frontal at that – super metallic blue with a white spot and in the scope. Then down it went before anyone else could get on it. A few minutes later I saw the bird flying away into the reeds showing rusty-red to the sides of its tail. We were just about to go again then another bird flew to an adjacent post.  In the bins it looked slim with hardly any supercilium but in the scope clearly the Bluethroat again and the side view turned into a second or two of full frontal which fortunately Vic had in the scope. Then back to Sandy’s villa near Calvia

Day 8  Santa Ponsa

The final day was spent on the Santa Ponsa No 1 Golf Course. On the birding front there was a warbler in the reed fringes of a lake quietly singing. The song was similar to a Reed Warbler but certainly not one. Faster, higher pitched and more varied with longer notes. After listening to a CD at home almost certainly a Moustached Warbler which was the only target bird we had missed. No obvious Nightingale notes were heard but possibly this was a winter sub song? In addition a Wryneck was heard and a distant Parakeet was seen.  

Day 9  Santa Ponsa

The following day we caught the 11.35am back to Bristol with a total of about 91 species seen or heard. The weather had been superb throughout – like a very hot summer’s day in the UK, with some rain, thunder and lightening only at night. Excellent!