Mallorca at Last

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Ibiza this morning and after a short flight we arrived in Palma on the beautiful island of Mallorca. Pretty soon we were of on the 45 minute drive to the top of the island and had lunch in a small restaurant near Alcudia where we planned our first birding excursion of our time here. Just a few kilometres away along a lane surrounded by a beautiful pastoral scene of flower-filled meadows was an area known as Depuradora de S’Illot. 

It's a good view from the viewing tower...

Our arrival was greeted by a singing Common Nightingale and a good omen indeed! A viewing tower overlooks a few man-made lagoons and the surrounding meadows. A pair of Eurasian Stone-Curlews were scoped in one such field as they did a change-over at their nest and was a great sight to see. Around the pools were numerous Common Shelducks, Gadwall, Mallard, Green Sandpiper,Little Ringed Plovers and other common birds. Over the vast reedbed several Western Marsh Harriers were patrolling, but a Collared Pratincole flying around above us was a bit special. 

Collared Pratincole

Moving on to S’Albufera Nature Reserve we visited a couple of hides overlooking the Sa Roca lagoon and spent  couple of enjoyable hours watching all of the activity. 

S'Albufera

There were a couple of stunning Glossy Ibis present, at least 8 Wood Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, another Collared Pratincole, fly away view of Great Bittern, Purple Heron, Red-crested Pochards and a Western Swamphen amongst others.

Glossy Ibis

Moving on to the other side the hide we visited was really good for views of Pied Avocets with chicks, and we watched in horror as a pair of Black-headed Gulls had to be continually fought off by the adults as Avocet chicks were on their menu! 

We witnessed a constant aerial battle to save the Avocet chicks

Pied Avocet and Kentish Plovers

Pied Avocet chick

There were 18+ Wood Sandpipers here too, along with 2 summer-plumaged Spotted Redshanks, Dunlin, 2 Marbled Ducks, a Western Osprey eating a fish on a post, Eurasian Spoonbill, and on the main channel were numerous Red-crested Pochards and a Red-knobbed Coot.

Red-crested Pochard

Walking back to the car, a pair of Black-crowned Night-Herons were spotted in the bushes, breeding plumaged Little Egret was seen with red feet and blue skin around the eye and lots of the usual finches were flying around.

After dinner we enjoyed some views of Eurasian Scops Owl in the grounds of our finca and a Western Barn Owl flew over us giving its eerie screech call.