Just returned from a two week family holiday in Menorca (our 5th year there) & tried to combine it with a bit of birding.
We stayed in Calan Bosch (CnB) & did alternate days by the pool & on trips out. A lot of the birding was done as we were out & about in the car , so a lot of the spots were done through the car window whilst driving - not the easiest & I did get a bo*****ing off the wife at one point (more later).
This year there seemed to be Egyptian Vultures in abundance over the fields near CnB this year, many more than in the past. We also saw Red Kites and Cattle Egrets (lifer) in the same area. Around the hotel area I saw Spotted Flycatchers, Audouins Gull, Yellow Legged Gull (all lifers for me), along with Swallow, Swift, Goldfinch, Collard Dove, and the ubiquitous House & Spanish Sparrows.
We had a couple of day trips out to the La Vall area on the north coast & saw a large flock of Bee Eaters in the woods. We also had a good view of a couple of Woodchat Shrikes near the turn off the main road, along with Little Egrets. I saw another lifer in this area, Sardinain Warbler, briefly as we as we stopped to sort out my daughter who felt car sick, and one flew into the bushes near the car. This are has fantastic potential & I think I may go for an early morning trip if we go again. During the day it was just too hot.
We also had a day out towards Mahon at the eastern end. The first part of the day included a drive up the Monte Torro, and this was where I got the bo*****ing off the wife. Half way up the mountain I spotted a Great Grey Shrike on a telegraph wire, so stopped suddenly to look at it (as you do), the subsequently stalled the car on what is essentially a mountain road. Not big & not clever, but I added another lifer!
Later near the airport we saw a pair of Ravens and in Mahon itself had lots of Pallid Swifts (another lifer).
We also visited the wetland areas near Es Grau which again has huge potential & it's another area I intend to visit at a different time of day. Here we had Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Heron, Mallard, more Little Egret, along with Kestrel, Blackbird & Wood Pigeon. The two highlights of our time there was a Black Kite (another lifer) and magnificent views of an Osprey which flew down the lagoon no more than about 250m in front of us. There were also loads of LBJs which I couldn't identify so need to brush up on these for future years.
On our last day out in the car towards the end of the day I saw a Booted Eagle hunting over the fields near CnB.
All in all we had a great two weeks, and probably could have seen more. There were quite a few birds seen which I couldn't identify, but I added 9 definite life ticks to my list, which I was pleased about.
Interesting report, Richard,
I've never been to the Balearics, although I was once able to see Mallorca when flying to Barcelona. Your and other's threads about holidays there show that they are good islands for birdwatching.
I see that you live in Ilkley, Richard. I worked for 6 months in the Pharmacy opposite the health centre there back in 1977! I've been back once, about 6 years ago, "dropping" in to Bar T'at after a walk on Rombalds Moor.
Allen