A family holiday in Mallorca from July 30th to August 12th was suprisingly productive. I am writing this report as I couldn't find any trip reports for July and August for this area (although there are many for spring) - therefore I didn't know really what to expect.
We stayed just outside Pollensa Old Town in an arable area with great views of the mountains and surrounding countryside. Regular trips were made to L'Albufera marshes, L'Albufereta marsh, Boquer valley, Formentor and one visit to Lluc in the mountains.
Birding was carried out between the hours of 06.30am and 10.30am each morning and then in the evening for an hour or two.
A total of 101 species were seen. Here they are:-
1. Little Grebe - common at Albufera and Albufereta. max of 17 at Albufera on 8/8.
2. Cory's Shearwater - 200= in an hour off Cape de formentor on 1/8.
3. Cormorant - one at Albufera on 31/7 and 8/8.
4. Shag - common. Seen at Puerto de Pollenca, Boquer and Alcudia. max of 8 at Puerto on 29/7.
5. Little Bittern - one at Albufera near the power station on 4/8.
6. Night Heron - Albufera 1 on 31/7, 1 on 4/8. Albufereta - 6 on 7/8, 1 on 11/8.
7. Squacco Heron - Albufera, 3 on 31/7 (2 ad feeding juv), 1 on 4/8
8. Cattle egret - common. max of 25 in fields near the L'Albufereta on 7/8
9. Little Egret - common at Albufera, Albufereta. max of 120 at Albufereta on 11/8.
10. Great White Egret - one at the Albufereta on 11/8.
11. Grey Heron - common at Albufera and Albufereta. max 12 at albufereta on 11/8.
12. Purple Heron - common at Albufera and Albufereta. max of 9 at Albufereta on 11/8.
13. Glossy Ibis - 2 at Albufera on 8/8.
14. Greater Flamingo - a flock of 8 adults flying over Puerto de Pollenca on 11/8 before landing on the Albufereta marsh.
15. Gadwall - one at Albufera on 4/8.
16. Mallard - very common. max of 250+ at Albufera on 8/8 and 200+ at Albufereta on 7/8.
17. Shoveler - 2 at Albufera on 4/8
18. Marbled Duck - a flock of 5 at Albufera marshes on 8/8.
19. Pochard - on at Albufera on 4/8 and one at Albufereta on 11/8.
20. Black Kite - one at Pollenca Old Town on 30/7 during a thunder storm - when it cleared watched disappearing as a dot into the sky.
21. Black Vulture - from Pollensa old Town scanning the surrounding mountain ridges produced 2 on 3/8, a flock of 8 on 5/8 and again on 6/8, 1 on 9/8, 1 on 11/8 and another at Lluc on 9/8.
22. 'Griffon' Vulture - a distant pale vulture with a flock of 8 Black Vultures near Pollensa Old Town on 6/8 was presumed to be of this species.
23. Marsh Harrier - 1 at Albufereta on 7/8 and 5 on 11/8. 1 at Puerto de Pollenca on 11/8.
24. Booted Eagle - One or two seen daily at Pollensa old Town. Boquer Valley - max of 4 on 4/8 and 5 at lluc on 9/8
25. Osprey - one at Albufera on 4/8 and at Albufereta on 7/8 and 11/8 while 4 were in the Boquer Valley on 6/8.
26. Kestrel - Common around Pollenca, Albufera, Albufereta. max of 7 at Albufereta on 11/8.
27. Eleanora's Falcon - between 1 and 4 seen daily around Pollenca Old Town. Also seen Boquer Valley (max of 4 on 6/8), Formentor (15+ on 1/8), Albufera (1 on 8/8) and Lluc (3 on 9/8).
28. Peregrine - one at Puerto de Pollenca on 29/7 and 2 at Albufereta on 11/8
29. Red-legged Partridge - heard daily at Pollensa Old Town, Also seen in ones and twos at the Boquer Valley and Albufereta.
30. Quail - 2 near Pollenca Old Town on 10/8
31. Pheasant - male and female near Albufereta marsh on 11/8.
32. Water Rail - common at Albufera and Albufereta. max 7 heard and 4 seen at albufera on 4/8.
33. Moorhen - common at Albufera and Albufereta.
34. Purple Gallinule - seen at Albufera and Albufereta. max of 20+ at Albufera on 8/8 and 5+ at albufereta on 11/8.
35. Red knobbed Coot - Albufera, 1 on 4/8 with white neck collar), 2 on 8/8 without white neck collars.
36. Oystercatcher - one at Albufera on 4/8.
38. Black winged Stilt - very common at Albufera and Albufereta. max 50+ Albufera on 4/8 and 200+ at Albufereta on 11/8.
39. Stone Curlew - heard calling every night at Pollenca Old Town. Seen at Albefura (max of 60+ on 4/8) and Albufereta (max of 4 on 11/8)
40. Little Ringed Plover - Albufera, max of 11 on 8/8.
41. Kentish Plover - Albufera and Albufereta (max of 27 at Albufera on 8/8)
42. Lapwing - one at Albefura near the Power Station on 31/7.
43. Little Stint - Albefura, 8 on 4/8 and 9 on 8/8 and 6 at Albufereta on 7/8.
44. Curlew Sandpiper - Albefura, 11 on 8/9
45. Dunlin - one at Albefura on 8/9
46 Curlew - one at Albefura on 8/9
47. Spotted Redshank - 37 at Albefura on 8/8
48. Redshank - singles at Albefura on 4/8, 31/7 and 2 on 8/8.
49. Greenshank -24 at Albefura on 8/8 and one at the Albefureta on 11/8.
50. Green Sandpiper - 3 over Pollenca Old Town on 30/7. Albefura, 2 on 31/7, 5 on 5/8, 12 on 8/8. Albufereta 3 on 7/8.
51. Wood Sandpiper - Albufera, 5 on 31/7, 10 on 4/8 and 3 at teh Albufereta on 7/8
52. Common Sandpiper - Albufera, 5 on 31/7 and 4 on 4/8.
53. Black headed Gull - Albefura and Albufereta (max of 200+ at the Albufereta on 11/8)
54. Auduin's Gull - seen daily at Puerto de Pollenca beach , usually between 6 and 10 individuals. singles seen at Formentor and Alcudia.
55. Lesser black backed Gull - one adult at Formentor on 1/8.
56. Yellow legged Gull - seen daily at Puerto de Pollenca, usually between 4 and 8 birds. also seen at Alcudia, Formentor (max 15 birds on 1/8), Albufera and Albufereta.
57. Common Tern - 9 at Albufera on 8/8 inc 2 juveniles.
58. Whiskered Tern - one at Albufera near the Power Sation on 4/8.
59. Rock Dove - Boquer Valley, 10+ on each visit. Small flocks seen around Pollenca Old Town looked 'pure' looking birds, however many suspect looking hybrids seen also.
60. Woodpigeon - common in all areas.
61. Scops Owl - presumed young calling near Pollensa Old Town during several nights.
62. Swift - Huge numbers (2000+) descended on Pollenca Old Town during a storm on 30/7. Common in all areas inc. 400+ at Albufereta on 11/8.
63. Pallid Swift - seen in small numbers at Boquer, Formentor, Albefura and Albufereta. max of 15 at Formentor on 9/8.
64. Alpine Swift - a flock of 60= birds descended on Pollenca Old Town during a thunder storm on 30/7. One bird here also on 2/8.
65. Beeater - 35+ birds at lbefura marshes on 8/8
66. Hoopoe - Seen near pollensa Old Town, 2 on 30/7, 1 on 3/8 and one at the mouth of the Boquer Valley on 2/8 and another at Palma Airport on 12/8.
67. Wryneck - one at Albufereta on 11/8.
68. Crag Martin - seen at Boquer (max of 12 on 10/8), Lluc (10 on 8/8) and pollenca Old Town (3 on 31/7).
69. Swallow - seen at Albefura, Albefureta and pollenca (5 -25 seen each day).
70. House Martin - seen at Boquer and Pollenca (small numbers each day. Also 3 at Albefura on 8/8.
71. 'Iberiae' Yellow Wagtail - Albefura, 2 on 31/7 and 3 on 8/8. At the Albuferetam 2 on 7/8 and 4 on 11/8.
72. Wren - ones and twos at Boquer and Formentor.
73. Nightingale - family parties of 5 at6 at albefura on 4/8 and 4 at albufereta on 11/8.
74. Stonechat - ones and twos at many sites - Albefura, Albufereta, Pollenca, Boquer, Lluc and Formentor.
75. Blue Rock Thrush - At Formentor 10+ on 1/8 and at Boquer Valley, 3 on 2/8, 2 on 6/8 and 1 on 10/8.
76. Blackbird - common at all sites.
77. Cetti's warbler -common at albufera and Albufereta. max of at least 15 at Albufera on 4/8
78. Fan-tailed warbler - Good numbers at Pollenca, Albufera, Albufereta and Alcudia. Double figures in many places.
79. Moustashed warbler - Great views of up to 8 birds on each visit to the L'albufera.
80. Reed Warbler - a few seen on each visit to the Albufera.
81. Great Reed Warbler - Albufera, 2 on 31/7, 6 on 4/8 and 2 on 8/8.
82. Balearic warbler - 2 above Pollenca Old Town on 30/7, Boquer Valley, 5 on 2/8 and 1 on 6/8 while 4 were seen at Cape de Formentor on 1/8.
83. Subalpine Warbler- an immature at Boquer Valley on 6/8 and 10/8. Presumably a 'montolii'
84. Sardinian Wabler - everywhere.
85. Blackcap - ones and twos at Pollenca daily, 6 at the Puig de Maria on 10/8. Also one at Albefura on 8/8.
86. Western Bonelli's warbler - one at the mouth of the Boquer Valley early morning on 6/8 (it had been seen well by others the previous day too).
87. Firecrest 'balearica' - seen in small numbers at Pollenca each day. Also 6 along track to Puig de Maria on 10/8 and 4 at Lluc on 9/8.
88. Spotted Flycatcher 'balearica' - common at all sites. Good chance to catch up with the 'Balearica' race.
89. Blue Tit 'balearica' - 6 along the track to the Puig de Maria on 10/8, also 4 at lluc on 8/8.
90. Great tit - common at all sites.
91. Woodchat Shrike 'badius' - ones and twos seen in most areas - Boquer, pollenca, Albefura, Albefureta and Formentor. again a good chance to catch up with this sub-species.
92. Raven - up to 5 seen in the surrounding hills around Pollenca Old Town. Formentor, 8 on 1/8 and 1 and 2s seen in the Boquer valley on each visit. 4 at Lluc on 8/8.
93. House Sparrow - abundant.
94. Tree Sparrow - one showing well in fields near Pollenca old Town on 3/8.
95. Chaffinch - seen at Pollenca, lluc, Puig de Maria and Albufera.
96. Greenfinch - common in all areas. max (20+ at Boquer Valley on 3/8)
97. Serin - very common and seen at all sites. max of 50+ at the mouth of the Boquer Valley on several dates.
98. Linnet - a few seen in the Boquer Valley and around Pollenca Old Town.
99. Cirl Bunting - up to 4 seen on each visit to Boquer Valley. Ones and Twos seen most days around Pollence Old Town.
100 Goldfinch - common at all sites.
101. Common Crossbill 'balearica'- good numbers wherever there were pines - largest flocks 25+ at Puig de Maria on 10/8, 20+ at Cape de Formentor on 1/8 and 18+ at Pollenca Old Town on 3/8.
A very enjoyable two weeks, relaxing and birding in superb weather in great habitats. I saw very few birders while there despite being 'out and about' for a few hours each day, so there is great potential to find your own stuff. I also thoroughly recommend 'a Birding Tourist's Guide to Majorca by Maties Rebassa, Jose Luis Martinez, Sebastia Torrens and Josep Manchado - which proved invaluable during my visit.
Lovely report, very productive as usual.
Excellent report, many thanks for posting. I heard about the Bonelli's but was a day too late. Immature Sub-alpine is a nice bird for Mallorca and well done for achieving such a good list. You are right in that there are very few birders here, many good birds must be missed which is a shame. I am out most days and rarely see another birder but in some ways that is quite nice. I feel sure that great birds would be found if more people were looking so let's hope more people visit these magnificent Islands in the future.