A week in Majorca

We had a family holiday at the Porto Pollenca in the north of Majorca. It was never a birding holiday but I would manage to get a bit in most days. I decided not to hire a car as the Boquer Valley was a 20 minute walk and we were on the edge of some fields that looked promising. Also the Albefera Park National was easily accessed by public transport.

We flew on the Friday having booked the holiday through Jet2 who we went with last year. The hotel was adequate borderline good, the food was plentiful (buffet style) and the drink was free being an all inclusive, (dangerous).

I visited the Boquer Valley three times and although it was not the best of conditions we saw several Booted Eagle, Balearic Warbler, numerous Sardinian Warbler and a few small groups of Crag Martin, several Eleonora’s Falcons and four Redstart.

Another site lay on the edge of town and although it didn’t look promising the small orchard held c.12 Stone Curlew also in the general area I saw distant Griffon Vulture, Corn Bunting, Thekla’s Lark, Mediterranean Flycatcher (split from Spotted), Hoopoe, Tree Sparrow and a couple of Redstart.

We found we could visit the Albefera by catching a bus from near the hotel, so one afternoon we decided to go, we arrived at 4.45pm only to find out that the reserve closed at 6pm. It was a good mile to the visitor centre so by the time we got there it was nearly time to leave. We dived into the nearest hide where we saw Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Osprey, Wood Sandpiper, Shoveler, Teal and Western Purple Swamphen.

On Thursday we agreed to pay a visit earlier but a torrential rain storm early in the morning delayed our arrival. However, with more time we visited more areas and it was really good and if in Majorca it is well worth a visit. Highlights included good numbers of Kentish Plover, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Stone Curlew, Sardinian Warbler, Nightingale, Purple Heron, Little Bittern, Purple Swamhen, Cetti’s Warbler and the highlight seven Flamingo.

We visited the same hotel last year and walking down the front a gull flew past which I though was probably Audouin's Gull but I never connected again. So I wasn’t entirely surprised to find several resting on rocks that lay 400 yards off the beach. So on Tuesday when we had a day on the beach I decided to Swim out, much to my surprise they were completely unbothered. With just my head above water I sat amongst then at no more than a couple of yards distance, truly brilliant.