Date: 6-7 September 2016
Location: Mallorca S'Albufereta + S'Albufera
Weather: Hot 30c blue skies
Other Species-Total list 67 species
House sparrow,Feral pigeon,Cattle egret,Collared dove,Blackbird,Moorhen,
Blue tits,Night heron,Purple heron,Little bittern,
Ospreys,Greenshank,Sardinian warbler,Little Egret,Great white egret
Grey heron,Coot,Red knobbed coot,Fantail,Stonechat,Woodchat Shrike,Kestrel,
Black winged stilt,Common sandpiper,Curlew,Kentish plover,Marbled duck,Shoveler,
Purple swamphen,Stone curlew,Greater Flamingo,Spotted flycatcher,Adonis gull,Black headed gull,Mallard,Cetti's warbler,Wood pigeon,little grebe,serin,linnet,kingfisher,
Little ringed plover,goldfinch,Hoopoe,Cirl bunting,Teal, Greenfinch,Raven,
Eagle sp (Booted),Wheatear,Shag,Red legged partridge,Barn swallow,
Eleonora's falcon,Marsh harrier,Black redstart,Green sandpipers,
Great crested grebe,Black necked grebe,Yellow wagtail,Redshank,Nightingale,Cormorant,
Yellow legged gull,Bee eater,Common pochard,Whitethroat,
Observation:
Summer holidays and Mallorca not been since 1978! Never been to the north before and we stationed ourselves at Portblue Club Pollentia nr Port de Pollença the hotel was great and added bonus had a bird hide on the grounds !! Picture below first evening,over the the reserve.
Here's the map of grounds and reserve, seemed easy to follow..... it was not !
From the hide at Club Pollentia Little Egrets, Little Grebes and a distant fly past Purple Heron a tick but no picture,yet and this Sardinian warbler female were spotted. But not much else over the week.
But leaving hotel at sunrise every morning as i did turning right towards small estuary was much more productive this Audouin's Gull were stationed on the beach every morning although numbers never over 3. Kentish Plover numbers much higher at 40+ scurrying across sands and smelly seaweed beaches. Protected areas for them all along beach.
Crossing estuary and crossing road you see a small tarmac road, first morning had no ideal where i was going but soon came across a sign and could see wooden platform which although distant overlooked the main reserve at S'Albufereta first morning Great White Egrets, Grey Herons and this Greater Flamingo were seen. as the sun came up over mountains behind it lite up beautiful !
Spotted Flycatcher were the most common species perching up in numerous places over the hotel complex.
So first morning done and Audouin's Gull, Kentish Plover, Greater Flamingo, Spotted Flycatcher, House sparrow, Feral pigeon, Cattle egret, Collared dove, Blackbird, Moorhen, Blue tits, Purple heron, Sardinian warbler, Little egret, Great white egret, Grey heron, Coot but needed to be closer so hired a bike to check out surrounding lanes and more of reserve.
But as it turned out that Estuary was very productive! Left hotel and was gonna head to S'Albufera but got stopped in my tracks as this Night Heron showed up in stunning light !
Jumped off bike camera out and snap snap !!! He flew a couple of times but stayed on estuary, Amazing bird with stunning plumage and great red eye.
Also a GreenShank, the smell was very strong from rotting seaweed but worth it !!
While watching thinking thats a big Grey heron flying towards me..... hang on Second tick approaching Purple Heron and a cracker, landed 30 ft from me took 4 pictures and it flew to where it had come from, but Excellent !
Back on bike smiling all the the way to S'Albufera ! Even if i did get a bit lost. Eventually on arriving it was very warm. got my Permit thing from info center,Easy. Locked my bike up. Then started to wander round reserve, A couple of German spotters explaining how difficult reserve was to navigate around 4 hours and nothing they said !!
But headed around anyway Very warm! First spot was a Dragonfly Black-tailed skimmer
From viewing platform saw distant Osprey so quickly headed towards.
Turns out the Es Cibollar hides 12/13 were my favorites with these 2 Osprey hunting fairly close giving stunning views as they squabbled in front the hide.
Took many pictures of these 2 !
A few GreenShank, Black winged Stilts, Curlew and Greater Flamingo also present. Early morning best in these hides, light fantastic.
Speaking to many English birders getting lots of great info headed on to Sa roca hides saw the resident collared Red Knobbed Coots or Crested Coots if you prefer another tick for me, should mention lots of Tiger mosquitoes here biting me badly didn't notice till after, too engrossed in new birds !!
While watching a Little Bittern so tiny !
But such a great little birds not a new tick as saw adult male in Portugal. No where near as close as this one, better to come with these (Part 2)
Carried on to hides and Kentish Plover ,Purple Swamphen,Cattle Egret a plenty here but also from side window a Stone Curlew !!
Tick number 3 bad light now sun up above, heat haze also. But whoohoo !
Midday sun hot and the Flycatcher even catching forty winks !
Also from hides Marbled ducks another tick !! Come on !
A Stone Curlew wandered a bit closer strange looking birds but ace !
About 10+ on view.
So time was now 3pm and headed back on bike towards hotel but thought i'd check back lanes to Pollenca and a Woodchat Shrike on wires hope to improve this but tick number 5. Also so a single Bee Eater, Cirl Bunting and more Stone Curlews. A great first couple of days check out part 2 gets even better !!
Thanks For Looking !
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