I've just returned from a fabulous (if a bit hot) family holiday in Puerta Pollenca, Mallorca, and would welcome comments from other members who have visited. I visited most of the recommended sites for birding, and even in mid August the place is amazing. I managed to photograph purple gallinule, osprey and the weird-looking crested coot at S'Albufera, as well as watching several stone curlew, marsh harrier and hoopoe.
I walked to the Boquer Valley several times and at different times of the day. Dawn is definitely the best time in August - the heat was almost unbearable from mid day onwards. I saw many blue rock thrushes, balearic warblers, osprey and eleonora's falcons along the valley with the huge boulders just after the farm the most productive spot. Looking at the skyline at the entrance to the valley (farm end), at 09.30 almost every morning a pair of booted eagles could be seen rising from the first large peak on the right hand side, usually flying across the valley to the high crag on the other side. I watched these at various times of the day, and they could be seen easily from the beach or the main supermarket car park. The best views though were from the second wooden signpost before the farm gate - I walked into the car park to set up my scope and get in the shade.
Illa Dragonera was also roasting hot but worth the visit for the close up views of the many Eleonora's falcons present, close enough to see the beautiful facial markings of these birds. Similar numbers were present at the Cap de Formentor.
On visiting the Cuber reservoir, I saw what I think was 6 griffon vultures and 1 black vulture, circling together high over the car park. I know this spot is well known for the black vulture, but I had good long views of the six birds. Has anybody else seen or heard of as many griffons together at the Cuber reservoir in August? Previous trip reports I have read suggest only 1 griffon on the whole island!
Thanks
In Oct/Nov 2008 after some heavy storms around 100 Griffon Vultures ended up in the Balearics. Most departed but quite a few hung around in Majorca especially in the Cuber area where they've been getting provided with food and seem quite happy to stay.
Thanks Ian - a few people have said there are no griffons in mallorca, as have the guides I have seen and the recent reports, so I was questioning myself there. The differences are pretty unmistakable but even so.
Simon,
Thanks for reminding me of how fantastic northern Majorca is for a holiday. Went ten years ago to Cala San Vicente, near to Puerta Pollenca. Can't believe you can have the Boquer valley, the Albufeira reserve, Cap Formentor all within a few miles of each other AND watch heavy-duty raptors from a supermarket car park just outside Cala S.V. Increased my list by I don't know how much and managed to hook a niece on the delights of birding and she's now a real expert and married to one of Britain's top bird photographers - managed to show her Hoopoe, Woodchat Shrike, Gallinule, Audouin's all in an afternoon. Osprey flapped lazily past our house on the coast every day. Best two weeks birding of my life, but no Griffons in my day! I could watch Eleonoras all day.
Cheers,
Steve Duke
Hi Simon,
I've been to Mallorca seven times and really enjoyed every visit, though the heat in August, as you say, is unbearable. On my last visit in 1996, it was 100 degrees C and very humid, which led to an uncomfortable two week stay and dawn and dusk birding were my only options. We used to sit in the hire car with the air conditioning on in an attempt to cool down! However, as you say, the birding is excellent, with a number of 'quality' birds, such as Eleanora's Falcon, Balearic Warbler (easy to see in the scrub above the large boulders near the entrance to the Bocquer) and Moustached Warbler (I have never failed with this species at the old saltpans at S'Albufera or from English Bridge on the main reserve), and lots of good 'filler' species that one doesn't get on the Canaries, for example.
I saw a single Griffon Vulture above Puig Major from Cuber during the early 1990s. At that time there was reportedly only one bird on the island and Cuber was undoubtedly the best place to see it. Black Vulture is almost guaranteed at Cuber and another good place is Lluch, which is surrounded by mountains and has a very interesting monastery, which is worth a visit. I also saw Egyptian Vulture in 1996 at the entrance to the Bocquer Valley, and Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Spectacled Warbler, Tawny Pipit, Black Vulture, Peregrine, Osprey, Eleonora's Falcon and 2 Black Storks at Cuber on a single afternoon.
Having visited the island on a number of occasions since 1970, I have managed to turn up a number of vagrants and scarce species, including Lanner (North African race), Calandra Lark, Rose-coloured Starling, Black Stork, Great White Egret, Caspian Tern, Ferruginous Duck and Greater Yellowlegs (I thought I had found the latter at Salinas de Levante but while later reading a copy of 'Birdwatch' by the hotel pool found it had been present for several months!). The reintroduced Purple Gallinule appears to be thriving and these are now extremely easy to see.
I may well go back again one day but there are so many other places I want to go!
Best wishes,
Ted Parker
Thanks to Ian, Steve and Ted for your replies.
I remember going to Florida for another family holiday, fully expecting to hate the place and the opposite being the case, because of the abundance of wildlife and in particular big birds. I hired a Harley Davidson one day, rode to a nature reserve and watched osprey, vultures and snail kites for hours. Heaven!
Mallorca was also a great discovery, in that you can combine birdwatching with family fun. The birds are within easy reach of Puerta Pollenca, and you don't even need to go out of the resort/town to see some of them. I watched Andouin's gull on the way to our evening meal, then Scops owl on a wire outside the Pollenca Park Hotel on the way back to our appartment, the latter bird almost every night. As Ted points out, a trip up into the mountains is breathtaking and the monastery at Lluc in a superb setting. Like Steve, I could watch Eleonoras falcons all day - I walked down a path from Cap de Formentor to a view point (not so easy on the way back up in the heat) and surprised a single bird that was so close I watched it turn it's head and glare at me as it flew past.
I will definitely be going back again, although preferably when it's a bit cooler.
On the cooler weather point, a friend of mine says N. Majorca is at its best in May. You get fine, warm weather, the fantastic wild flowers are all out (rather than parched), the birds are breeding so they're very active and visible (and some better locatable by songs). Problem if you're tied to school holidays, but I think Whitsun would be great.