Majorcan Travels

 My wife and I have just returned from our first foreign trip since the onset of Covid. Majorca was our destination of choice and we were there from the 8th until the 15th of this month. The weather was kind to us too with just the occasional rainy spell to put a dampener on things, for the most part it was warm and sunny. We stayed in the resort of Puerto Pollensa on the northeast coast of the island and while it wasn't a birding trip I did manage to get out for a few hours each day.

Audouin's Gull and Shag

For birders on a family holiday Puerto Pollensa is a very good place to say with three birding spots within walking distance and the reserve of Albufera a short bus ride away. I didn't make that trip on this holiday but would recommend it to anyone visiting this stretch of coast for the first time. My hotel was in a quieter part of the resort and just a short stroll from the beach while my room looked out on to some countryside.  From the comfort of my terrace I was able to see a few decent birds with several Elenora's Falcons the pick. Other goodies included a Whinchat, two Booted Eagles and both Fan-tailed and Sardinian Warblers. Walks along the seafront produced excellent views of Audouin's Gulls which were the commonest gulls in the bay. There was also a good population of Shags living in the area which often shared their rocks with gulls and Sandwich Terns.

Hoopoe and Crossbill

In the middle of the resort the small Gola reserve has a mixture of wetland and wooded habitats. I didn't see a great deal here though it looks good for visits at peak passage times and also provides a peaceful break from the beach. A Common Rosefinch was seen here at the end of September so do keep an eye out if you do pay a call. Pines around the resort attracted visits from Crossbills on several occasions with the trees near the miliary base being a reliable spot. Another good site is the Boquer Valley which can be reached on a trail that leads up from the town. My visit was enlivened by my only Hoopoe of the trip which was quietly feeding under pines on the edge of town. The valley itself was very popular with tourists taking a stroll and it was difficult to find undisturbed areas. My best bird was a Black Redstart though this area is known for being very good for migrants.

Kentish Plover, leucistic Ringed Plover and Greenshank

Far and away the best spot along this coast is the S'albufereta reserve between Puerto Pollensa and Alcudia. Reached by taking quite a long stroll it rewarded my efforts on several occasions though it's far from being an easy reserve to cover. Much of it is private and hard to cover though there are several viewing platforms and a hide nearer to Alcudia. On my visit there were at least twenty Greater Flamingos feeding and also good numbers of Great White, Little and especially Cattle Egrets, there's a large roost of the latter species on site. Grey Herons were joined by a couple of Glossy Ibises while a Spoonbill did a flyover on my second visit. At least half a dozen Marsh Harriers were quartering the reserve and there was also a late Black Kite. Kentish Plovers were found in healthy numbers though a leucistic Ringed Plover was the most striking looking plover. Other waders noted included Greenshanks, Green Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets and Stone Curlews. I didn't see too many passerines though a Redstart was a nice find and it was good to catch up with Serins again.

Majorcan miscellany