Ben Macdonald Birding

Birding the Albufera ©  Liz Macdonald, 2008

Introduction:  A family holiday to Mallorca provided the opportunity for a return to what makes foreign birding so exciting - local finds, unexpected migrants, and a chance to just appreciate the increased range and colour of foreign species. We noted a reasonable 102 species, including six lifers, and connected with most island specialities with the somewhat embarrassing exception of the near-endemic Balearic Warbler. Unlike our intensive, targeted birding in Extremedura, this was a time for relaxed birding and photography.

Logistics: Mallorca birding is easy in that there exist several sites which reward repeated visits, in addition to general habitat areas characterised by certain species. I won’t reproduce a detailed site guide in this report as Graham Hearl’s Where to Watch Birds in Mallorca is comprehensive and largely up-to-date, and was of much use throughout the trip. We stayed in the Tramantura range at Fournaloux, and whilst this is a stunning area, the key birding sites were mostly over an hour’s drive away.

Key Sites:

Just a few personal notes as Hearl’s book does the rest: we felt during our stay that the Albufera and Salinas de Llevente were indispensible but during migration, Bocquer and the Formentor will surely come into their own. If a site is “regular”, it means other birders have noted birds here in  previous years and during our stay:

1. The Albufera

An exciting name in Mediterranean birding. The entrance walk along the canal holds ubiquitous Fan-tailed and Cetti’s Warblers in addition to a large Cattle Egret roost as you enter the reserve main, situated on the far side of the canal - Night Heron also roosts here in numbers. Red-crested Pochard is abundant here, as throughout. Near the visitor centre, the CIM hide is very good for saline and passage species as well as Audouin’s Gull in the evening. Glossy Ibis is regular in spring and a reputedly-wild Sacred Ibis has been present here for a few years. Purple Gallinule can be seen well here and Stone Curlew nest on the obvious stony scrapes to the left of the hide. We noted Great White Egret and Collared Pratincole during the week.

The bridges over the main canal can be excellent, especially for re-introduced Crested Coot, which should give stunning views, as well as flyover Purple Heron. Little Bittern is apparently regular here as from the Tower Hide, though no visiting birders connected with it during our stay. The Bishop Hides offer saline species including regular Marsh Sandpiper as well as Osprey, which each spring can be observed perched out on the marshes. Marsh terns are regular here. The Watkinson Hide offers a reed-bed cross section and is excellent for gaining views of Moustached Warbler especially if they are not singing elsewhere, as well as Freshwater Terrapin.

The Ses Puntes track before the visitor centre, leading to the Depuradora, is excellent for Moustached and Great Reed Warblers, notably within the first 100 metres. The viewing platform can provide good views of these species as well as Purple Gallinule and Purple Heron on deck. The adjacent Depudora to the south is worthy of exploration especially for rare passage waders and terns. As detailed by Hearl, the motor-cross track to its immediate south remains excellent for Short-toed Lark as well as Stone Curlew and Hoopoe. Birders noted many other species during our stay, most notably Black-winged Pratincole at the Depuradora, which we weren’t able to get to, but which illustrates the enormous potential of finding special birds at this amazing site.

2. Salinas de Levante

A buzzing site best at dawn or early evening to dusk when heat haze doesn’t obscure birds. A walk along Eddie’s track, detailed by Hearl, should allow stunning views of many wading species, with highlights noted included Marsh Sandpiper and Collared Pratincole, both regular, as well as Temminck’s Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and triple figures of Little Stint. Black-winged Stilt and Kentish Plover abound, as do passage Yellow Wagtail in many forms. Tawny Pipit can be observed over and Pallid Swift is likely amongst vast flocks of newly arrived swifts. Greater Flamingo winter here and are still present in early April, becoming most apparent in the evening. The sheer numbers of waders is a must for any wader-lover, as is the thrill of picking up scarce species on your own.

3. The Tramantura

Our local patch. The general area between the Lluc monastry, Cuber and Fournaloux holds Black Vulture, which was observed from our hotel at the latter site, and Booted Eagle. Raptors are probably best observed at Cuber. Wryneck is abundant, heard frequently in any area of fig groves though very elusive, singing from just below the tops of trees and constantly shifting position. Scops Owl are a tantalising night fixture though heat and alcohol prevented any concerted effort to pin any down by torch-light.

Target Species

Eleonora’s Falcon

This species was seen at Formentor, a very early bird, but mostly these arrive in late April, usually during the last week. Then, the lighthouse at the Cap de Formentor and the Bocquer Valley will afford fantastic views of this elegant bird.

Red-knobbed Coot

With a low Spanish population and most of Spain’s birds being re-introductions, the Albufera must be the easiest site in Europe for this species, which can be observed either from the main canal bridges or those adjacent to the Visitor’s Centre. Continuing introductions are taking place and whilst some birds have white neck-collars, birds from older introductions do not and therefore look and feel completely “genuine”.

Marsh Sandpiper

Most visiting birders appear to connect with this species on passage in Mallorca, making it possibly one of the best Spring sites in the Mediterranean. The Salinas de Levante offer an excellent chance especially along Eddie’s Track as do the Bishop or CIM Hides at the Albufera.

Moustached Warbler

With 4000 pairs, the Albufera should provide views. If conditions are warm and windless, singing birds can best be observed along the start of the Ses Puntes track, from the Watkinson Hide, or from bridges over the canals. When not singing, the Watkinson Hide is a good bet but so is listening for a mouse-like creeping in the reeds. On our last day, we located six birds by doing this as you will often pick a silent bird up, feeding low-down in the reeds.

Balearic Warbler

Daily Accounts

7^th April: After a smooth flight into Palma, we relished the warmth of the Med. The drive up into the Tramantura provided Red Kite near Palma, whilst sitting out on the veranda of our hotel at Fournaloux, near Soller, a pair of Black Vultures appeared at great distance in the direction of Cuber Reservoir and an adult Booted Eagle gave excellent views overhead. A brief walk at Cuber Reservoir provided little with a bitingly cold wind coming out of nowwhere, we noted Cirl Bunting before returning for a steak evening. On the returen journey, a Blue Rock Thrush appeared right next to the car and an early Nightingale flew across the road.

8^th April: Our first visit to the much-awaited Albufera gave leisurely day’s enjoyment. In the car park, nest-building Cetti’s Warblers showed outrageously, somehow avoiding Dad’s binoculars. Along the canal, Fan-tailed Warblers display flighted and three superb Night Herons sat in the sun surrounded by Cattle Egrets.

      Night Heron - Albufera National Park

Red-crested Pochards glowed on the water. We moved past the Visitor’s Centre towards the canal bridges, where amongst Swift flocks a distant Alpine Swift again taunted us as it disappeared into the air, whilst a juvenile Purple Heron flopped over and an Osprey floated past. A calling Little Bittern gave its strange croak from the reeds but the wind was pretty strong so the little gem kept out of sight. At the Watkinson Hide we stopped for lunch, enjoying basking Freshwater Terrapins on the far side of the canal. A small bird flashed across the water and I managed to get onto it as my first Moustached Warbler, a tantalising glimpse.

Freshwater Terrapins - Albufera National Park, Mallorca 

We ambled to the Tower Hide where, despite our vantage point, a vocal Serin and a stunning Purple Heron flying past were, due to the winds, the best birds on offer.

                                                 Serin - Albufera National Park

 
We returned to the Bishop Hide where the quality views of everything on offer was breath-taking: Black-winged Stilts, displaying Little Ringed Plovers and Greenshank just feet away, two Whiskered Terns and several Kentish Plovers close-by.

 Greenshank - Albufera National Park
 

                              Black-winged Stilt - Albufera National Park

 
We decided to close the day at the CIM hide which proved a great decision. As well as enjoying all the saline species at the nest, I soon found a cracking drake Garganey close-by and, as we went to leave, I noted a bizarre cross between a wader and a tern drop onto the scrape: a Collared Pratincole. This superb bird, of a genus new to us, was joined seconds later by a summer-plumaged Glossy Ibis and, after another scan, three elegant Audouin’s Gulls, making for a great Mediterranean spectacle in the warm evening light, and a memorable day’s birding.

                                       Audouin's Gull - Albufera National Park


9^th April: A day of local walk’s around Fournaloux provided no less than five calling Wryneck, one of which gave fleeting views as it slipped away. Cirl Buntings, a brief Black Vulture and ubiquitous Sardinian Warblers made up the supporting cast. In the evening we drove out to Cap Gros above Port Soller where, in addition to Blue Rock Thrush, seabird passage included good views of well over a hundred Balearic Shearwaters and much smaller numbers of Cory’s Sheawater.

10^th April: In sunny, windy conditions we made our way to the Bocquer Valley, stopping first above Cuber Reservoir where a smart male Blue Rock Thrush obliged, a dark-phase Booted Eagle flew over and a calling Wryneck appeared briefly atop a hill ridge, giving lousy views! A further stop on a wooded hillside near Pollenca provided a large party of Crossbill. Arriving at the Bocquer Valley at around midday, little save a Peregrine enlivened a lovely but birdless walk. Hours later, two Black Kites were the sole migrants on the move. A Balearic Warbler began calling and Dad saw the bird move between bushes but as the wind rose, so the opportunity to locate this smart endemic died out. On the return trip a migrant Redstart was all there was on offer. We then made our way to the Albufera in what can only be described as seawatching winds, and located little in addition to the species previously seen with the exception of two, showy pairs of Stone Curlew nesting adjacent to the CIM Hide and a Hoopoe. After enjoying saline species, a brief stunt at the Ses Puntes platform provided many Marsh Harrier and a Purple Heron over before we headed home.

                                      Little Ringed Plover - Albufera National Park

11^th April: After a morning walk in Fournaloux, we headed off towards the Salinas de Levante. On arrival we made our way down Eddie’s Track, noting Hoopoe and Corn Bunting. On the first pans, Black-winged Stilts, displaying Kentish Plovers and summer-plumaged Little Stints were everywhere, whilst the next pit yielded over 60 Little Stint, a Temminck’s Stint, two Little Ringed Plover and several Ringed Plover. The larger pits yielded more birds, with Greenshanks, Avocets, summer-plumaged Spotted Redshanks, Ruff, twenty Curlew Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper and then - best of all - a super-elegant Marsh Sandpiper: what a bird, like a wood sand crossed with a greenshank - superb. All afforded stunning views and a few passerines set them off; Iberian, Grey-headed and Black-headed Yellow Wagtails and Tawny Pipits flight-calling.

Iberian Yellow Wagtail - Salinas De Levante

The return journey in a warm, still evening was superb: Whiskered Terns flew overhead and four Collared Pratincoles gave criminal views as they glowed on a dried-up salt-pan:

                                     Collared Pratincole - Salinas de Levante

 
Then a flock of twelve Greater Flamingo appeared from nowhere and began feeding whilst a squealing Water Rail fled from noisy stilts. All this in the period of 15 minutes made for a pretty great spectacle, with the light and sheer numbers of birds - 16 species of wader that day - all adding to the feel-good factor.

We headed back through the Albufereta and the “bee-gives” area mentioned by Hearl, but despite being an area of great promise, we only noted a perched Tawny Pipit, a Hoopoe and our first Woodchat Shrike of the balearic race.

Arriving at the Depuradora, which is in the southern part of the Albufera Reserve and best accessed by road, but again see Hearl for details. For the first time, Moustached Warblers began to call and I gained brief but good views of a singing male as it perched up close-by, a very smart skulker. With no wind and plenty of sun, our first Purple Gallinule emerged and a Nightingale sang, our first of the week, reminding us we were only just beginning to see migration in full swing. On the parched, dry ground south of the Depuradora we were amazed at the local profusion of Short-toed Larks and gained stunning scope views of one: a much more striking species that the guides suggest. Hoopoe and Cirl Bunting were noted here as well.

To finish the day off we returned to the Albufera where, in addition to the usual birds, the brilliant windless weather meant that more species were on show. A pair of Red-knobbed Coots fed two feet beneath me on a canal by the Visitor Centre, mostly too close for photographs: their red paraphernalia glowing in the sun.

Red-knobbed Coot - Albufera  

At the Canal Bridges an Osprey was perched out on the marshes from Bishop Hide, another pair of Red-knobbed Coot fed beneath and a juvenile Purple Heron flew over. At the Watkinson Hide, a Moustached Warbler appeared on the far side of the canal before nearly flying into the hide, though again wasn’t calling, whilst a Cetti’s Warbler gave crippling views. At the CIM Hide Marsh Harriers were flushing Stone Curlews and in addition to the usual species, a Great White Egret fed in vegetation. We then struck out down the Ses Puntes track and from the viewing platform, enjoyed a bit of a purple patch. A incredibly loud Great Reed Warbler sang from an exposed reed, six Purple Gallinules ran around, a stunning Purple Heron caught fish in the open and returning towards the car, two Moustached Warblers gave criminal views about three feet away as they sang and dried off. A good last visit to this great site, with only the enigmatic Little Bittern the real escapee.

14^th April: A short visit back to the Salinas de Levante saw a lot of heat haze affect viewing. A Thekla Lark at the start of Eddie’s Track was good and the pans still held Temminck’s Stint, distant Greater Flamingo and a large flock of 15-20 Wood Sandpipers before it was time to head back.

Back at Fournaloux at six in the evening I headed off to pin down a Wryneck. One and a half hours later, after following several calling birds, I worked out they were singing from just below the tops of trees and sneaking behind a wall, popped up my head and there was one singing in full view, shrieking away against the sun. Busted. That night I was again taunted by multiple Scops Owls as I had been all week but although they were still calling when we left our hotel at 6am, I decided they could wait until my next assult on the continent! All in all a good week, not least for fieldcraft, wader ID, and the feel-good factor of warm, easy birding. 

     Locals are also continually frustrated by the pranks of Otus Scops.