Mallorca – April 2017 Report includes bird photos : Real Birder

INTRODUCTION

Once again I spent a week in Mallorca with my wife and daughter, now an annual feature, staying in the Prinshotel La Dorado which overlooks the S’Albufera Natural Park. Convenient because you can see the reserve from the balcony of the hotel, and five minutes walk takes you to the entrance gate. The weather all week was a mixture of sunshine and clouds with a strong north-easterly wind blowing for part of the week. Most of the time was spent in the S’Albufera apart from three trips to Son Real, Bocquer Valley and Lluc. I was joined each day for a few hours by Comghal McQuillan, a fellow birder from Lurgan, Co. Armagh.

TRIP LIST & SIGHTINGS DETAILS

	English Name	Species	Area	Notes
1	Cory’s Shearwater	Calonectris diomedea	Alcudia Bay	Several in bay during strong east winds
2	Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus ruber	S’Albufera	One bird at northern end of the reserve
3	Gadwall	Anas strepera	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
4	Mallard	Anas platyrchynchos	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
5	Garganey	Anas querquedula	S’Albufera	3/4 birds all week from Cibollar hides
6	Marbled Duck	Marmaronetta angustirostris	Ses Salinetes	4 birds seen during the week
7	Pochard	Aythya ferina	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
8	Red-crested Pochard	Netta rufina	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
9	Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
10	Shoveler	Anas clypeata	S’Albufera	Seen twice in the reserve
11	Teal	Anas crecca	S’Albufera	Seen twice in the reserve
12	Red-Legged Partridge	Alectoris rufa	Son Real	3 birds seemn around finca
13	Great Crested Grebe	Podiceps cristatus	S’Albufera	A pair were seen on main channel
14	Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
15	Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis	Alcudia Bay	3 birds seen in Alcudia Bay
16	Shag	Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii	Alcudia Bay	2 birds seen offshore
17	Little Bittern	Ixobrychus miutus	S’Albufera	Seen 3 times during the week.
18	Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
19	Great White Egret	Ardea alba	S’Albufera	Several seen during the week in the park.
20	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
21	Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
22	Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
23	Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea	S’Albufera	Common, seen all week
24	Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides	S’Albufera	One bird seen, possibly early for this bird
25	Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus	S’Albufera	One seen on the 21st, only sighting.
26	Eurasian Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia	S’Albufera	One seen flying over reserve
27	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	S’Albufera	Birds seen all week at the reserve
28	Booted Eagle	Aquila pennata	Bocquer Valley	2 birds seen at the Finca
29	Spanish Imperial Eagle	Aquila adalberti	S’Albufera	Adult seen on the 22/4 was a surprise
30	Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
31	Black Kite	Milvus migrans	Palma	One on the road near airport
32	Red Kite	Milvus milvus	S’Albufera	Several seen during the week
33	Egyptian Vulture	Aegypius monachus	S’Albufera	5 over the S’Abufera on the 22/4
34	Griffon Vulture	Gyps fulvous	Lluc	1 bird seen overhead at Lluc
35	Eleanora’s Falcon	Falco eleanorae	Bocquer Valley	Pair seen on the 19 /4
36	Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus	S’Albufera	Bird seen hunting over reseve on 19/4
37	Common Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	S’Albufera	Several birds seen in and around Park
38	Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
39	Red-knobbed Coot	Fulica cristata	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
40	Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio porphyrio	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
41	Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
42	Collared Pratincole	Glareola pratincola	S’Albufera	6 birds present overall in reserve
43	Avocet	Recirvorostra avosetta	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
44	Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
45	Stone Curlew	Burhinus oedienenmus	Son Bosc	Saw only one bird the entire week
46	Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
47	Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
48	Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	S’Albufera	Two birds present all week
49	Spotted Redshank	Tringa erthyropus	S’Albufera	20 + birds present all week
50	Ruff	Philomachus pugnax	S’Albufera	One bird seen in Park on the 19/4
51	Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
52	Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	Sillot	One bird seen on the 19/4
53	Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	Depuradora	Birds seen on three visits
54	Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola	S’Albufera	Birds seen daily in reserve
55	Little Stint	Calidris minuta	S’Albufera	Several birds seen daily on reserve
56	Temminck’s Stint	Calidris temminickii	S’Albufera	A surprise finding , on the 18/4.
57	Jack Snipe	Lymnpcryptes minimus	S’Albufera	Fantastic views from Cibollar I hide
58	Audouin’s Gull	Larus audouinii	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
59	Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
60	Yellow-legged Gull	Larus michahellis	S’Albufera	Widespread in S’Albufera, seen daily
61	Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	S’Albufera	Seen daily in S’Albufera
62	Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis	Alcudia Bay	3 birds seen in the bay
63	Whiskered Tern	Childonius hybridus	S’Albufera	4 birds seen in the bay
64	Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Son Bosc	Several seen during the week
65	Rock Dove	Columba livia	Bocquer Valley	Several seen on ridge above valley
66	Wood Pigeon	Columba palumbus	S’Albufera	Widespread
67	Common Swift	Apus apus	S’Albufera	Large numbers passing through
68	Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus	S’Albufera	One bird seen over reserve
69	Eurasian Hoopoe	Upupa epops	Son Bosc	6 birds seen over the week
70	European Bee-eater	Merops apiaster	Son Bosc	15+ were seen on the 23/4
71	Firecrest	Regulus ignicapilla	Lluc	Common around the carpark area
72	Crested Lark	Galerida cristata	Son Real	One bird was seen on the pathway
73	Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	S’Albufera	Widespread
74	House Martin	Delichon urbicum	S’Albufera	Widespread
75	Crag Martin	Hirundo rupestris	Bocquer Valley	Several birds seen around finca
76	Sand Martin	Riparia riparia	S’Albufera	Widespread
77	Common Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	S’Albufera	Only one seen on the 23/4
78	Tawny Pipit	Anthus petrosus	Son Real	One bird seen on a trackway
79	Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta	S’Albufera	One bird 18/4 at Cibollar I hide.
80	Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes	Lluc	Bird seen at carpark
81	Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flavia iberiae	S’Albufera	Common in S’Albufera Park
82	Common Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Bocquer Valley	One male seen on 23/4
83	European Stonechat	Saxicola torquata rubicola	S’Albufera	Common in S’Albufera Park
84	Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	S’Albufera	One male seen on 22/4
85	Zitting Cisticola	Cisticola juncidis	S’Albufera	Common in S’Albufera Park
86	Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	S’Albufera	Several in the bushy area of the park
87	Nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	S’Albufera	Widespread but difficult to see
88	Blackbird	Turdus merula	S’Albufera	Widespread in reserve.
89	Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos	Lluc	Birds seen around carpark
90	Balearic Warbler	Sylvia balearic	Son Real	Seen briefly along the track
91	Cetti’s Warbler	Cettia cetti	S’Albufera	Widespread in reserve
92	Garden Warbler	Sylvia borin	Bocquer Valley	Bird at finca in the early morning sun
93	Moustached Warbler	Acro. melanopogon	S’Albufera	Difficult, only one seen all week
94	Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	S’Albufera	Surprisingly just one seen during trip
95	Great Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus arundinaceus	S’Albufera	Several males singing
96	Sardinian Warbler	Sylvia melanocephala	S’Albufera	Widespread in reserve
97	Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	S’Albufera	Several seen over the week
98	Pied Flycatcher	Ficedula hypoleuca	S’Albufera	Common in area, migrating through
99	Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata iberiae	Son Bosc	Less numerous than Pied
100	Great Tit	Parus major	S’Albufera	Widespread in reserve
101	Blue Tit	Parus caeruleus	Lluc	One bird seen at carpark
102	Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus	S’Albufera	One bird seen on 19/4
103	Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator	Son Bosc	Common in and around S’Albufera
104	Raven	Corvus corax	Bocquer Valley	2 birds seen at the ridge
105	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	S’Albufera	Common in and around S’Albufera
106	Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	S’Albufera	Common in and around S’Albufera
107	Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris	S’Albufera	Common in and around S’Albufera
108	Serin	Serinus serinus	S’Albufera	Common in and around S’Albufera
109	Common Linnet	Carduelis cannabina	Son Bosc	Common in and around S’Albufera
110	Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	Lluc	Common in and around Lluc
111	Corn Bunting	Emberiza calandra	Son Bosc	Common in and around S’Albufera
112	Cirl Bunting	Emberiza cirius	Bocquer Valley	Several males seen along the valley
113	Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus witherbii	S’Albufera	Two males seen , a ssp apparently.

PHOTOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS

SPANISH IMPERIAL EAGLE: 22/4 I noticed a large aquila eagle flying with 5 Cinerous Vultures and at first thought it was a Golden Eagle but on closer inspection it turned out to be an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle.

COLLARED PRATINCOLE: Six birds in all seen over the week in S’Albufera reserve

TEMMINCK’S STINT: First seen on the 18/4 at the Cibollar I hide and remained all week. Another bird that was a welcome addition to the trip.

WHISKERED TERN: A large flock was seen flying over the reserve on 18/4 with up to 50+ birds in the flock.

JACK SNIPE: Unexpected find on the 18/4 at the Cibollar I hide. Bird flew in and landed in front of hide, a welcome visitor for the birders in the hide.

GARDEN WARBLER: 23/4 : BOCQUER VALLEY: Bird was found at the Finca sunning itself in the early morning light.

PIED FLYCATCHER: A lot of birds passing on migration, majority that we saw were females.

CIRL BUNTING: Several birds seen around the finca in the Bocquer Valley.

OSPREY: 12 birds in all were seen over the reserve, 5 birds were hunting the park on the 19/4.

SUMMARY

All in all Comghal and I had a fantastic weeks birding, with several highlights which included Spanish Imperial Eagle, Temminck’s Stint and brilliant views of Jack Snipe. As said so many times, Mallorca is a brilliant place to go birding, easy to get to with so many daily flights and lots of great birding sites. Spring and Autumn migration obviously being the best times. Ed. O’ Hara

Mallorca – April 2017 Report includes bird photos© Ed. O’Hara

INTRODUCTION

TRIP LIST & SIGHTINGS DETAILS

PHOTOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS

SUMMARY

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Mallorca – April 2017 Report includes bird photos
© Ed. O’Hara