Blue Eyed Birder: Mallorca for Oriole Birding - Day 3

The day began once again with a us outside at 7am waiting for the worlds to wake up. It was an almost mirror repeat of yesterday to begin with - Stone-Curlews, Partridges, Larks but as we walked back towards the road we could hear the gentle ‘tsipp’ of Cirl Buntings and one even gave a little bit of weak song but all we got were glimpses.

The narrow pine belt held several Firecrests which all sounded very odd indeed with none of that hard ‘peep’ quality that we get with British birds. Excellent close views were had of this sometimes tricky to see little gem. Chaffinches and Great Tits were found and a Dunnock called a couple of times before breakfast called us back.

Lesser Narcissus - N serotinus

Balearic Woodchat

We were soon on the road and drove north to Can Picafort and the famous s’Albufera Park and started the walk down. I had only been here once before – on a short break with the Jacksons way back in February 2018 and it was as I remembered although it was already very warm indeed.

The Grand Canal was full of very energetic Mullet which were throwing themselves out of the water with aplomb and Kingfishers could be heard but seeing them proved frustratingly difficult and the sounds always seemed to be going the other way!

A Dutch couple told us that they had seen a Little Bittern and Bonnie quickly picked it up as it crept along the canal bank under the overhanging trees. It was a young bird and heavily streaked and was already an adept fisherman and it would take each catch away from the water’s edge to swallow before returning to hunt again.

Little Bittern

Little Egrets were dotted in the trees and a full adult Night Heron was still in the sunshine with its eyes closed but would soon shuffle back into the shade. Careful scanning revealed three others deeper into cover.

Night Heron

An adult Audouin’s Gull flew slowly passed on its way back toward the sea and Glossy Ibis and Great Cormorant were added to the tally along with Coots. Every single Coot was checked all day but we never did find the elusive Red-knobbed one. A Ranger told us that they had bee confined to one spot but they had not seen on for several weeks. Three more Little Bitterns were seen and heard including a close fly by from a male with gleaming cream sing panels.

Audouin’s Gull

A casual scan of the mountains surprisingly added both Black and Griffon Vultures but at the very best they could be described as distant views but it was a start!

An opening into the vast reedbeds on the other side f the track was checked and I immediately picked up a Moustached Warbler clambering on a reedy island but it was very tricky and only Geoff saw it when it briefly reappeared creeping low down. Unfortunately we did not hear one sing but I think it was just too hot. Even the Cetti’s and Sardinian Warblers were somewhat subdued. A Booted Eagle circled and a Slender-billed Gull headed south on long wings cutting a distinctive shape.

Back on the canal we had reached the Cattle and Little Egret colony although I think only the former still had young which were noisily harassing parents for foods. Most had fledged and were loafing around the nesting trees looking as grumpy as the young of this species seem to always do. A glance down the channel added a brief Gull-billed Tern that crossed over and was lost behind the trees.

Cattle Egrets

Birds could be seen on a pool and we veered to the hide. We called it a hide but it was actually a communal sweat box and we did our very best to stay a while before we were driven back outside. There were however, birds with a good flock of Shoveler, quite a few Egrets, a single Flamingo, nine Glossy Ibis and one very much appreciated Purple Swamphen which was rooting around in the cut margins with those huge feet and scissor-like bill. Getting one of these mega-Moorhens in the open was a real treat and the only other one seen on the walk was disappearing back into cover. A Northern Wheatear and several Zitting Cisticolas were found but the need for some air pushed us back outside.

Greater Flamingo

Purple Swamphen - so hazy

Glossy Ibis

A water top up and then across the Grand Canal where we added Gadwall and Pochard and more Coots were checked. Down at the next two hides we overlooked the Salinas where a good selection of waders were found. There were many Plovers, with Kentish, Little Ringed and Ringed with the former being the commonest. It was good to be able to compare all three species. Common and Green Sandpipers were noted along with Stilts, Avocets, Greenshank, Dunlin and four scaly peachy juvenile Curlew Sandpipers while a juvenile White-winged Black Tern was sat amongst some Black-headed Gulls on a dead tree in the mud.

Woody Fleabane (Dittrichia viscosa) A sticky and very common plant that adds a certain Cannabis aroma to the superheated countryside both here and in Lesvos

Strawberry Tree

Four shimmering Great Egrets and a Grey Heron were found and apparently the count of Greats was notable for the time of year and went on the board at the centre! All about perspective. There was a single juvenile Shelduck and a red eyed Black-necked Grebe too but no other waterbirds to check through.

Black-necked Grebe, Black-headed Gull, White Winged Black Tern, Shelduck, Flamingo

Black-necked Grebe

Black-winged Stilt

Little Egrets

I was just about to point out the Osprey nest platform but had completely missed the actual Osprey sat on a pole in the other direction. It even snuck off and caught a fish without us noticing and one of those Mullet suddenly had a better view of the world than a mere leap from the water!

Osprey

The shaded Mastic tunnel gave us orange and brown Mallorcan Speckled Woods and plump Araneus angulatus Orb Weavers were strung high over the path. There were plenty of Dragons too with Lesser and Vagrant Emperors, Migrant Hawkers, Red-veined Darters and an Iberian (I assume) Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Lamenting Grasshopper - Eyprepocnemis plorans

Araneus angulatus

Egyptian Grasshopper

Mallorcan Speckled Wood

Lunch time had been and gone but everyone was ok and staying hydrated as we began the slow walk back and as we crossed back over the canal two Pied Flycatchers were calling from the Wild Olives and even allowed scope views. It was gone 2pm by the time we reached the van but did not fancy being alongside the main road and so we drove to another part of the reserve that overlooked some settling beds and sat in the silence while Sand Martins and Swallows zipped between us and glorious coffee coloured Pallid Swifts came down to drink. Glossy Ibises dotted the edges along with Green, Common and our first Wood Sandpipers and three Little Grebes were also new. Two Two-tailed Pashas played chase around the Strawberry Trees on the drive in but I could not stop!

Pallid Swift

Glossy Ibis

However it was the distinctive shape of an Eleonora’s Falcon that drew the most appreciative noises as it languidly cruised across the pools making flying look like no effort whatsoever. Several flocks of mostly juvenile Spotless Starlings were on the wing and trying not to get noticed by the falcon. There were Red Kites, Marsh Harriers, Kestrels and another Booted Eagle while we munched our smoked salmon and avocado sandwiches.

Spotless Starlings

Back near the van there were to floppy Hoopoes and as we drove out at least four moved on ahead if us down the track affording incredible views from inside the van. I think most people nodded on the hour journey back to the hotel where after a ten minute refresh most of us headed out for a walk around the lanes.

The Cirl Buntings were playing hard to get once again but the adult Balearic Shrike showed very well and I am not sure if it is a feature but the bill on the ones we have seen seems heavier and deeper than those that I am used to encountering. There were still Firecrests in the pines and the vineyard gave us Turtle Doves and Red-legged Partridges as well as a host of Sparrows.

Balearic Woodchat Shrike

It was the golden hour and everything glowed with amber light. A couple of Willow Warblers were found and Sardinians popped up on fences while the four flycatchers we found all looked very good for Mediterranean. Graham picked up a young Cuckoo foraging on the ground where it seemed quite happy and sky scanning revealed a large black bird of prey that resolved itself, albeit in a distant way to be a juvenile Egyptian Vulture. I am not sure of the status on the island but I do not remember one on my previous visit.

Red-legged Partridges

Eessence of juvenile Egyptian Vulture.

Cuckoo

We walked back with Hummingbird Hawk-moths looking for night time roost spots on the walls and the Heliotrope was still alive with insects with many Crimson Speckled and other smaller moths, Small Heath, Common Blue and Southern Brown Argus and a flurry of rather tatty but still feisty Painted Ladies.