Mallorca (Majorca): Birdquest's 35th Anniversary Tour 2016

MALLORCA Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour

30 April–5 May 2016 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Front cover: ‘Bird of the Trip’, the delightful Balearic Warbler! This page: the recently-split Moltoni’s Warbler is at the western edge of its breeding range in Mallorca (Mike Watson).

2 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Mallorca has long been a classic birding destination going back to the 1960s. John Gooders wrote ‘In spite of the tourist development Majorca is one of the best and most accessible places to watch birds in south-west Europe’ in his 1970 book ‘Where to Watch Birds in Britain and Europe’. This still holds true and it may be a surprise to learn that we had never visited the island before. Most of its special birds were available in other places that we go to until fairly recently but since the splitting off of its lovely little Sylvia, Balearic Warbler, it has reappeared on the world birding radar. Add to this, further fairly recent splits, like Moltoni’s Warbler, Balearic and Scopoli’s Shearwaters and there is a great line-up of Mediterranean specialities. So it was an obvious choice for our 35th Anniversary Reunion! We spent a very enjoyable few days surrounded by great birds, wonderful scenery and renewing old acquaintances, not to mention making a gourmet minitour of eateries in the northeast corner of the island.

In addition to the recently-split-brigade and a host of other interesting sightings, our main avian highlights included: Cinereous and Griffon Vultures; Bonelli’s and Booted Eagles; Pallid Harrier; Eleonora’s and Red-foot-

ed Falcons; Audouin’s Gull; Eurasian Scops Owl; ‘Balearic’ Woodchat Shrike; Thekla Lark; Western Bonelli’s and Moustached Warblers; Spotless Starling; ‘Balearic’ Spotted Flycatcher; Ortolan Bunting and a vagrant on the lovely Isla de Cabrera in the form of Spain’s third (or thereabouts) spring Common Rosefinch.

Our wonderful group also included a couple of special record-breakers in Nancy Boggess, who became our most senior Birdquester ever and hot on her heels, Audrey Baker, who is now our most senior solo travelling Birdquester. Well done ladies!

Mike Watson May 2016

Mallorca, and in particular Cabrera, is one of the best places to see the range-restricted Scopoli’s Shearwater (Mike Watson).

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Pretty Puerto Pollença in b&w (Mike Watson).

4 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Audouin’s Gulls (Pete Morris).

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Albufereta: at sunrise (above, Pete Morris) and ‘now the rain has gone’ (Ian Lewis).

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Squacco Heron and orchids at Albufereta (Bee, left and Mirror Bee right,Pete Morris).

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Western Swamphen, S’Albufera (Pete Morris).

And so it began. Deep purple thunderclouds, leaden skies and pouring rain! How could this have happened? Who ordered this weather?

Well it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting as we gathered for our first morning’s excursion! It is an ill wind though and at least the torrential rain appeared to have brought down some migrants. Pied and Spotted Flycatchers were spotted around our hotel on Puerto Pollença’s pretty pine tree-lined waterfront promenade, a Willow Warbler moved through the leaning pines and some Audouin’s Gulls cruised up and down as we waited for the rain to clear. As the rain eased a little our convoy of vans headed for Albufereta, a stone’s throw along the coast from Puerto Pollença.

ALBUFERETA Forming part of Birdlife International’s IBA ES318 (together with Parc Natural de S’Albufera de Mallorca), the marshes of Albufereta are a valuable area of wetland habitat for both breeding water birds and migrants alike. A small patchwork of lagoons and marshes with tamarisk scrub and pinewoods dotted here and there held a good number of interesting birds during our couple of visits. The first was on the very rainy first morning of the reunion.

We started our exploration of Albufereta in an area at the northern end of the reserve for Spotless Starling, a Spanish speciality that maintains a toehold on Mallorca, mostly in this area. The starlings soon appeared and some nice ‘scope views were had by all, of these glossy, to point of looking oily, birds. It was just as well that the person by whose garden we stood near did not come to investigate why a group of 30 Birdquesters was blocking their drive. There were some other very nice birds here. A passage migrant Woodchat Shrike of the nominate form, with big white patches at the base of its primaries, was on a fence line nearby (we saw two of the local breeding Balearic form badius here as well), some had a migrant Ortolan Bunting and Golden Oriole, Corn Buntings are still common here and sang from exposed perches everywhere while nightingales blasted out their dynamite songs from the shadows.

The lagoons held Red-crested Pochards, vastly outnumbering their Common cousins and a group of four Greater Flamingos had found another five friends by the end of our stay with up to six Spotted Redshanks and a couple of Common Greenshanks for company. Great Crested and Little Grebes were also

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Formentor (Simon Cox) and inset: Eleonora’s Falcon (Pete Morris).

both present and a small scatter of herons included: Black-crowned Night, Grey, Purple and Squacco Herons plus Western Cattle, Little and Great Egrets. A Great Cormorant rested on an island in one of the lagoons along with six Eurasian Stone-curlews. Blackwinged Stilts were breeding on small pools here with Little Ringed Plovers and migrant shorebirds alongside them included Green and Common Sandpipers. Where the lagoons drained into the sea a shallow channel held a few shorebirds bound for the high Arctic - four Little Stints, a Sanderling and some Common Ringed Plovers side by side with local Kentish Plovers. The old Roman quarry here is a good site for orchids and several species were still in flower, including Bee and Mirror Bee Orchids.

Raptors included up to three ospreys each time, one of which was seen to dive into a lagoon and catch a large fish, which it carried to a nearby bank to eat. Marsh Harriers were also very conspicuous here but the best sighting was a migrant Pallid Harrier, hunting over the fields at the southern end of the reserve.

It was probably a second calendar year bird with very dark inner secondaries, dark boa and very plain peachy under parts. In line with

the recent upsurge in Pallid Harrier records in Western Europe a regular migration through the Iberian Peninsula has been noted and Pallid is now apparently more regular on passage through Mallorca than Montagu’s Harrier! This is quite a reversal of fortunes.

On our first morning here, around 20 European Bee-eaters had probably been grounded by the rain and several Crag Martins were hawking with other hirundines and swifts low over the marshes, presumably forced down from the nearby mountains in search of insects. One group had a distant Thekla Lark, which clings on in this area (it is more common further south and east in Mallorca). Few warblers were seen in dull and damp conditions: lots of Zitting Cisticolas and Sardinian Warblers and a few Cetti’s Warblers singing from deep cover as always. However, there were still lots more good birds to see and we had hardly got out of second gear yet.

FORMENTOR PENINSULA The Formentor Peninsula has long been one of Mallorca’s main birding sites, notably for its breeding Eleonora’s Falcons. At the start of the peninsula at the back of Puerto Pollença we had a lunch stop at the entrance to

9 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

S’Albufera sunrise (above, Inger Vandyke) and Little Bittern, female (Pete Morris).

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Kentish Plover, S’Albufera (Mike Watson).

the Boquer Valley, where the now unoccupied finca (farm) produced Blue Rock Thrush and Western Bonelli’s Warbler as well as several Pied Flycatchers, Balearic Woodchat Shrikes and Whinchats. A lovely male Cirl Bunting showed nicely here before it was time to move on. We wound our way northeastwards along the length of the peninsula, via one million hairpin bends and past at least two million cyclists. There were apparently 45,000 of the latter on the island during an event, which coincided with our stay on the island, mostly in front of our vehicles! Miraculously we only had one scrape on our way to and from the tiny parking area at the lighthouse on the tip of the peninsula. We stopped at a couple of migrant hotspots en route, at Casas Velles a singing Firecrest delighted and our first Common Redstart was seen. Cirl Bunting was singing here as well and the folks who had missed Red-legged Partridge caught up with it. A little further along at Cala Murta the pinewoods were quiet except for a few more Firecrests and some Common Crossbills. There were also migrants evident here like Pied Flycatchers and Whinchats alongside the local Cirl Buntings. However, the most impressive sighting was probably an excitable donkey! At

the lighthouse itself we enjoyed some stunning views of the dramatic limestone cliffs and towards the island of Menorca a few dashing Eleonora’s Falcons were seen making sorties across the sea. One even flew right overhead over the lighthouse – a magnificent sight!

Also here our first shearwaters, Balearic and Scopoli’s, were spotted (Gooders listed these as Manx and Cory’s of course back in 1970!).

Although mostly as distant dots compared with our views later during our stay we could easily compare the languid slow flight of the larger Scopoli’s with the busy, rapid-flying and smaller Balearics. A couple of Ortolan Buntings on the cliff top below the car park was a lovely way to end our first day’s birding in the evening sunshine.

PARC NATURAL DE S’ALBUFERA DE MALLORCA The name S’Albufera is derived from the Arabic ‘al-buhayra’ meaning simply ‘lagoon’. This 1646 hectares reserve is Mallorca’s main birding site, with a bird list of over 270 species. It is a silted former lake, comprising vast reed beds and marshes interspersed by lagoons along a central drainage canal, which flows into the Bay of Alcúdia. The wetland was pre-

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Great Reed Warbler (Mike Watson) and dawn mist at S’Albufera (Ian Lewis).

12 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Dawn mist at S’Albufera (Inger Vandyke) and Red-knobbed Coot (Pete Morris).

13 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Poppies near S’Albufera (Inger Vandyke).

viously much more extensive but much of its fringes were drained for agriculture. Attempts to drain the central part of the marsh in the 19th Century failed owing to encroachments by seawater. Later the marshland has lost further habitat to hotel/resort development for tourism ‘urbanitzaciónes’ from the 1960s onwards but it still retains sufficient habitat to qualify as a RAMSAR site, owing to its breeding populations of Little Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Water Rail, Western Swamphen and Black-winged Stilt. However, of more interest to our group were its Moustached Warblers and we kicked off our visit with some nice scope views of one of these subtle little warblers belting out its buzzing song across a small marshy area along the main entrance to the reserve. What a great start with the most sought-after bird under the belt.

We began our exploration of the reserve’s hide network starting with some nice views of Western Swampthing and Marbled Teal as well as Red-crested Pochard and a couple of Purple Herons. Shorebirds included Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers and a Savi’s Warbler reeled from reeds in the distance. The birding here was so exciting that we discovered one group had visited all of the hides before we had

even left the first one! Great Reed Warblers croaked away in the tallest reeds affording some great views as (re-?) introduced Redknobbed Coots foraged in the floating vegetation below them. An Eleonora’s Falcon flew over as some Johnny-come-latelies arrived and swifts were much in evidence with hundreds hawking low over the vast reed beds, almost all Common Swifts but there were a few Pallid Swifts amongst them, shockingly pale in the sunshine when you actually saw one… otherwise it was just another Common Swift of course.

The RAMSAR-qualifying Marsh Harriers were also much in evidence and another of the special birds of the park, Little Bittern, showed very nicely for everyone. A female was sat in the open for ages in reeds from the bridge over the main channel. The most exciting sighting of the day for many from the bridge was the superb adult Golden Eagle, which flew over late in the morning, however, this may have been ‘Martha’, an escaped Golden Eagle, originally with jesses, which first took up residence in this area around 2005/6. Several Booted Eagles were also seen up in the sky from the marshes as well as a Peregrine Falcon.

14 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

The two special warblers of Cabrera - Balearic (above, Pete Morris) and Moltoni’s (below, Mike Watson).

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Birdquesters on Cabrera (Mike Watson).

The lagoon to the north of the Bishop I hide had by far the best selection of shorebirds today with two of each of Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint plus a couple of Common Greenshanks and Common Redshanks, lots of Pied Avocets and Black-winged Stilts and Temminck’s Stint for some. A majestic Cinereous Vulture that drifted overhead was unusual away from the mountains, while the sleepy heads caught up with Moustached Warbler.

Another Squacco Heron flew over a distant reed bed briefly here. We still had time for a couple of stops before a very late lunch, building up an appetite next to the nice-smelling Depuradora (water works). First of all we brushed up our views of European Bee-eater near their breeding colony and on the water works pools there were Common and Whiskered Terns plus single Gull-billed and Little.

The sore heads were recovering by the early afternoon as we turned our attention to another of Mallorca’s interesting forms, the thickbilled and declining witherbyi race of Common Reed Bunting. I don’t suppose that we have ever looked so hard for a reed bunting on any tour prior to this and also I don’t suppose it will ever be split off as a separate species but there have been some unexpected splits in the

past. The reed bunting only obliged for some and briefly at that, mostly in flight as it was obviously well settled down to breed by now and feeding young. Fortunately we were able to pay another visit when more of us caught up with it. Our first of several Red Kites flew over here, mobbed by a marsh harrier and a couple of exotics lurked nearby in the form of Common Waxbill.

ISLA DE CABRERA Isla de Cabrera is the main island of a small archipelago off Mallorca’s south coast. Named after the goats, which once inhabited its rocky slopes it was visited by various ancient Mediterranean civilizations – the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Byzantines. It is also even said to be the birthplace of the Carthaginian General, Hannibal! In the middle ages Cabrera was a haven for Barbary pirates, prompting the building of the castle here in the 14th Century. However, this pretty island has a very dark past indeed. In the Napoleonic era Cabrera was used as a concentration camp for captured French prisoners. Of 18,000 who surrendered to the Spanish at the Battle of Bailen in 1808, 9,000 were taken to Cabrera and marooned there. There was no building

16 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Lilford’s Wall Lizard and Common Rosefinch, Cabrera (Pete Morris).

17 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Cabrera harbour (Nigel Sadler); Janice disappearing into Cabrera castle’s staircase (Ian Lewis) & sea cave (Pete Morris).

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The critically endangered Balearic Shearwater off Cabrera (Mike Watson).

on the island used as a prison and the prisoners of war suffered intolerable conditions, particularly as the provisioning operation, which were supposed to deliver food to them every four days collapsed and a period of up to three months without food and supplies followed. There were rumors of cannibalism and coprofagia and only 3,600 detainees survived when they were finally freed when peace returned in 1814. It is difficult to imagine this scene of human suffering when walking along the quiet trails around this beautiful island.

Cabrera was privately owned until 1916 when it was seized by the military ‘in the interest of national defense’, owing to its use as a refueling and repair station by German submarines operating in the Mediterranean. It remained a military station until it was declared a Foreshore National Park in 1988, 85% of the new park’s surface being sea. The military occupation certainly saved Cabrera from development, which has afflicted much of the Balearic Islands and the island has a wonderful landscape of natural vegetation (spoilt only by a few eyesores, particularly a hideous bank of solar panels plonked on one of its hillsides).

The geology of Cabrera is predominantly tertiary dolomite limestone and its vegetation is

typically Mediterranean maquis scrub with wild olive trees, Aleppo Pines, scattered Balearic Buckthorn and junipers.

The main reason for our visit was Cabrera’s two special warblers: Balearic (reaching the highest density in its tiny world range here) and Moltoni’s (at the westernmost limit of its range in the Balearic Islands and particularly easy to see on Cabrera). Both of these adorable little birds delighted us all in giving very instructive, perfect, close views. The first, Balearic Warbler, responded immediately to playback, near the harbour but later, it could be seen easily along the quiet trails through the maquis scrub, sometimes foraging and even singing only a few metres away. Like many small sylvias they spend a lot of time foraging low down but they do occasionally show themselves ridiculously even without ‘encouragement’. Most authors follow its splitting off from Marmora’s Warbler but a few do not, notably Birdlife International.

The plumage differences are indeed small but they are distinctive, a whiter throat and paler, buffy belly than Marmora’s is obvious as well as a harsher rattling song.

Moltoni’s Warbler was a main target for everyone and happily there was a bird holding territory in the ornamental garden of the island’s

19 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Scopoli’s Shearwater off Cabrera (Mike Watson).

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Cinereous (Eurasian Black) Vulture, Mortix (Pete Morris).

little museum, like an exhibit itself. It obligingly returned time and again to a small flowering broom bush in the centre of the garden affording some wonderful views and a chance to study its features like the cold ‘salmon-pink’ under parts all the way to the under tail as well as to hear the diagnostic wren-like call. It was a world lifer for many and I wonder if one of us will now be able to pick one out on migration?

As well as the numerous and delightful Balearic Warblers, which are the most conspicuous breeding birds on Cabrera another special attraction is the endangered Lilford’s Wall Lizard Podarcis lilfordi. Extirpated from Mallorca and Menorca by cats and other introduced predators, this Balearic endemic lizard can still be found easily on the smaller islets of the archipelago. It has some interesting relationships, pollinating some plant species endemic to the Balearic Islands as well as moving to the nests of Eleonora’s Falcons, where it feeds on the remains of prey items.

Cabrera is even more exciting for Spanish birders. It is more or less Spain’s equivalent of Fair Isle or Christiansø, having hosted numerous country firsts like Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Semi-collared Flycatcher. Although our visit came at a

good time for extreme vagrants we did not have the easterly winds needed to bring the true megas from the Balkans and further east but Dani was happy to make do with wall to wall sunshine and finding Spain’s third or so spring Common Rosefinch, a female type, feeding at the grassy clearing by the picnic tables, Cabrera’s main migrant trap. Also here were numerous Common Redstarts, Whinchats, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipits, flava wagtails, a few Tree Pipits and a Common Nightingale. Most of these showed ridiculously well and many of us fancy a return visit to watch migration here! After a very pleasant stop at the island’s little bar we all spread out and did our own thing on the island for the rest of the afternoon. Some climbed the stairs to the top of the castle and enjoyed wonderful views over the natural harbor, others enjoyed an afternoon surrounded by Balearic Warblers and some simply disappeared.

Booted Eagles soared high over the island, a few Pallid Swifts zoomed around the castle and in the late afternoon we headed back to the mainland, stopping off to enter a sea cave on the way. A few Eleonora’s Falcons had gathered over one of the smaller islets as we headed towards the main channel between

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Red-footed Falcon (2nd calendar year female, Pete Morris) & Bean Broomrape (Orobanche crenata, Mike Watson).

the small archipelago and Mallorca.

Another reason for our visit to Cabrera is its breeding population of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater. The most recent (2011) population estimate for Cabrera is a rather precise 449 pairs of a total world breeding population of 3,200 pairs, however, recent winter atsea surveys and counts from Gibraltar of post-breeding birds leaving the Mediterranean have suggested a population in the region of 25,000-30,000 individuals! Unfortunately, despite higher population estimates, the rate of decline at known breeding colonies suggests that this species is still in severe danger.

We enjoyed some great views of them, briefly in the morning, whizzing across the bow of our speedy craft but much more prolonged in the evening as we approached several small rafts offshore to see them patter across the waves as they took flight, flashing dusky armpits as they went by. Their commoner and larger cousin, the recently split Scopoli’s Shearwater, was also here on both the morning and evening crossings and again we enjoyed some lovely views in the evening sunshine. Dani was happy to go through their ID features including 22 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Birdquesters at S’Albufera on the Mallorca 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour (Inger Vandyke).

their pale forehead, distinctive single black spot at the base of the underside of p10 and more extensive white on the underside of their hands. What a great way to finish a wonderful day in one of the nicest corners of the Mediterranean! Thanks very much for making it happen for us Dani!

SERRA DE TRAMUNTANA One morning we ventured a short way into the Tramuntana Mountains that form the northern backbone of Majorca. A UNESCO World Heritage site in their own right, the mountains are very scenic, albeit only reaching a puny altitude of 1445m at their highest. They are (even now!) still very sparsely populated and are home to Mallorca’s vulture population. Mallorca has long been known for its Cinereous Vultures and we had some nice flyovers at the Mortix viewpoint. It is nice to see that they still hang on in Mallorca! In 2008 a flock of migrant Griffon Vultures arrived in Mallorca on strong westerly winds and have now colonized the island. Around 13 pairs remain and breed in the Tramuntana Mountains, we saw about five of these birds on our visit.

Another recent addition as a breeding species, although with the help of a EU LIFE project grant scheme, is Bonelli’s Eagle and the singleton that we saw, also at Mortix is likely to have been part of this project, although it is also possible that migrants might still occur.

Some very noisy wrynecks were singing (if you can call it that) here and afforded some great views to all of these cryptic cripplers.

Also here were a few woodland birds, which we did not see elsewhere like Blue Tit, Blackcap and Eurasian Wren. Soon enough it was time to get back on the road again and brave another million peleton cyclists. Ugh! MARIA DE LA SALUT The rolling agricultural plains in the centre of the island, particularly those surrounding the pretty town of Maria de la Salut, is another well-known birding site, especially for migrant raptors. We were on the trail of Thekla Lark for those who had missed out on the distant first day’s distant sighting. After a brief view for the first van we eventually managed to track one down to an area out in the extensive fields here, followed by some Greater Shorttoed Larks and a singing (although heard-only) Quail. A hyper-distant harrier was thought to be a Montagu’s, however, the highlight and grand finale to the whole event was a lovely female Red-footed Falcon, which actually flew towards our group as if to check us out, gave a couple of fly pasts like at an aircraft airshow and then made off again. What a superb way to end the birding part of the reunion! We enjoyed another nice night out on the town in Puerto Pollença before we went our separate ways next morning.

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Eurasian Scops Owl, Puerto Pollença (Pete Morris).

Finally sincere thanks from all of us at Birdquest to the people who have supported us over all these years and who helped to make this reunion such a special event and such a lot of fun. The birding was only part of the story!

Bird of the trip (as voted for by the group) 1. Balearic Warbler 2. Moltoni’s Warbler 3. Balearic Shearwater 4. Scopoli’s Shearwater 5. Eurasian Scops Owl

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Western Osprey, Albufereta (Mike Watson).

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF BIRD SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR The species names and taxonomy used in the report mostly follows Gill, F & D Donsker (Eds). IOC World Bird Names.

This list is updated several times annually and is available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org.

Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H).

Species which were only recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (LO).

Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL).

Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g. it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species). Conservation threat categories and information are taken from Threatened Birds of the World, BirdLife International’s magnificent book on the sad status of the rarest 10% of the world’s avifauna, and updates on the BirdLife website: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/home CR = Critically Endangered, E = Endangered, V = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient.

Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Noted at Albufereta, S’Albufera and Colonia.

Gadwall Anas strepera Noted at Albufereta and S’Albufera.

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common.

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Two at S’Albufera.

Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A drake at S’Albufera.

Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris Two at S’Albufera. VU Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Up to around 20 at each of Albufereta and S’Albufera (re-introduced).

Common Pochard Aythya ferina Small numbers at each of Albufereta and S’Albufera. VU Red-legged Partridge ◊ Alectoris rufa A scatter of sightings after the first at Albufereta.

Common Quail Coturnix coturnix One singing at Maria de la Salut (H).

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus One noted from the vans somewhere or other (introduced). (NL) Scopoli’s Shearwater ◊ ++ Calonectris diomedea Around 15 off Formentor and another c.20 off Cabrera.

Balearic Shearwater ◊ Puffinus mauretanicus Eight or so at Formentor and c.25 off Cabrera. CR Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Seen and heard at Albufereta.

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Audouin’s Gull, Puerto Pollença (Mark Beaman).

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus A maximum of 30 at S'Albufera including tiny chicks.

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Eight at S'Albufera.

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Around 10 at S'Albufera and six at Albufera.

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius A maximum estimate of around 20 at S'Albufera.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Six at Albufereta and 10 at S'Albufera.

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Six at Albufereta.

Common Redshank Tringa totanus One at Albufereta and two at S'Albufera.

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia One at Albufereta and four at S'Albufera.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos A maximum of eight at Albufereta.

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Four at Colonia on the return from Cabrera.

Sanderling Calidris alba One at Albufereta.

Little Stint Calidris minuta Four at Albufereta and two at S'Albufera.

Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii One for some at S'Albufera.

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Two at S'Albufera. NT Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Up to five at S'Albufera Depuradora.

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Up to around 20 at S'Albufera.

Audouin's Gull ◊ Ichthyaetus audouinii A maximum of around 15 along the waterfront at Puerto Pollença.

Yellow-legged Gull ++ Larus michahellis Noted in coastal areas throughout.

Lesser Black-backed Gull ++ Larus fuscus One at S'Albufera and one from the ferry returning from Cabrera.

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica One at S'Albufera Depuradora.

Little Tern Sternula albifrons One at S'Albufera Depuradora.

Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Around six at S'Albufera.

Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia Noted.

Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Common throughout.

European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Noted at Albufereta and S'Albufera and a maximum of six on Cabrera. VU Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A few sightings.

Western Barn Owl ++ Tyto alba One for Mike only at S'Albufera (LO).

Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops One for those who could tear themselves away from their beds at Puerto Pollença.

Common Swift Apus apus Very common, hundreds at S'Albufera for instance.

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Around seven at S'Albufera and c.10 on Cabrera.

26 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Red-footed Falcon (2nd calendar year female), Maria de la Salut (Mike Watson).

European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Around 20 at Albufereta and 20 in the S'Albufera.

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops Four sightings.

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla One heard at Boquer valley and at least three seen at Mortix.

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Common with a maximum of around 20 at Maria de la Salut.

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Two, one at 2cy female and a distant male for some at Maria de la Salut.

Eleonora's Falcon ◊ Falco eleonorae Five Formentor, two Boquer, singles S'Albufera & Mortix and seven at Cabrera.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus A total of four sightings.

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator One in the rain at Albufereta was a passage migrant of the nominate form.

Balearic Woodchat Shrike ◊ Lanius [senator] badius A tally of 14 throughout.

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus A female for some at Albufereta.

Northern Raven Corvus corax A total of nine seen.

Eurasian Blue Tit ++ Cyanistes caeruleus Two in the mountains at Mortix.

Great Tit Parus major A small scatter of sightings.

Thekla Lark Galerida theklae A single at Albufereta, two on the road and another two at Maria de la Salut.

Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla A couple at S'Albufera and at Maria de la Salut.

Sand Martin Riparia riparia Singles at Albufereta and S'Albufera.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Common.

Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris Four at Albufereta and four at S'Albufera.

Common House Martin Delichon urbicum Common.

Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Commonly heard at Albufereta and S'Albufera and a few seen.

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus A maximum of around eight on Cabrera.

Western Bonelli's Warbler ◊ Phylloscopus bonelli Singles at Boquer Finca and Cabrera, where one was singing.

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Around 10 singing at S'Albufera.

Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon At least two seen at S'Albufera.

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Heard at S'Albufera (LO).

Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus Three noted at S'Albufera.

Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides Two heard at S'Albufera.

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Very common throughout.

Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla A female at Formentor, four at Cabrera and Mortix.

Garden Warbler Sylvia borin One for Chris K at Albufereta and another on Cabrera.

27 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Tawny Pipit, near S’Albufera (Pete Morris).

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis One at Albufereta, two at Formentor and six on Cabrera.

Balearic Warbler ◊ ++ Sylvia balearica Common on Cabrera.

Moltoni's Warbler ◊ ++ Sylvia subalpina One seen and another heard on Cabrera.

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Common throughout.

Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla Two seen and more heard at Formentor plus another at Mortix.

Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Heard at Mortix (H).

Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor At least four at Albufereta.

Common Blackbird Turdus merula A scatter of sightings.

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Heard at Formentor (H).

Spotted Flycatcher ◊ ++ Muscicapa striata Most of the birds seen were of this passage migrant form.

Balearic Spotted Flycatcher ◊ ++ Muscicapa [striata] balearica Several, first seen at Albufereta.

European Robin Erithacus rubecula One for Mike's van by the roadside near Puerto Pollença.

Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Commonly heard at Albufereta and S'Albufera with a few seen.

European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca A good number of sightings including some nice males.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Two on Cabrera.

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Two at Formentor and around 50 on Cabrera.

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Two on Formentor and three on Cabrera.

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Small numbers until we got to Cabrera where we estimated c.20.

European Stonechat ++ Saxicola rubicola Common.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe One at Albufereta and another at S'Albufera.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus Common.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Three near S'Albufera.

Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild At least two at S'Albufera (introduced).

Spanish Wagtail ++ Motacilla [flava] iberiae The common flava wagtail at Albufereta and S'Albufera.

Grey-headed Wagtail ++ Motacilla [flava] thunbergi Two noted at S'Albufera.

Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris One at S'Albufera.

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Three at Albufereta and five on Cabrera.

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Several sightings.

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus A female type on Cabrera.

European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Very common.

28 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Ortolan Bunting, Formentor (Pete Morris).

Common Linnet Linaria cannabina Small numbers noted.

Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra At least three seen and more heard at Casas Velles and Cala Murta on Formentor.

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Common throughout.

European Serin Serinus serinus Common throughout.

Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra A common breeding bird at Albufereta and S'Albufera.

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana One at Albufereta for some and two at Formentor.

Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus A total of six noted along Formentor.

Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A couple seen at S'Albufera on each visit. Ssp witherbyi.

Mammals Common Genet Genetta genetta One dead on the road near Pollença (introduced).

Least Weasel Mustela nivalis A couple of sightings at S'Albufera.

European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Noted (introduced).

Wild Goat (Feral) Capra aegagrus Noted.

29 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Yellow-legged Gull, Puerto Pollença (Pete Morris).

TAXONOMIC NOTES Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea Some authors lump Cory’s Shearwater C. borealis in this species, using the name Cory’s Shearwater for the enlarged species.

Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Many authors simply refer to this species as Cattle Egret but it has been renamed following the splitting off of the Asian form coromandus under the name Eastern Cattle Egret.

Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus Many authors lump Eastern Osprey P. cristatus in this species, using the name Osprey P. haliaeetus for the enlarged species.

Western Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Many authors lump several closely related species into this species using the name Purple Swamphen (or Gallinule) for the enlarged species.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis This species was formerly lumped in Caspian Gull L. cachinnans with the name Yellow-legged Gull being used for the enlarged species. Previously, these forms were lumped in European Herring Gull L. argentatus.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus It has recently been proposed that the southern forms, graellsii and intermedius (the forms likely on this tour) should be split off as a separate species L. graellsi, under the name Lesser Black-backed Gull. The residual L. fuscus would then be re-named Baltic Gull.

Western Barn Owl Tyto alba Many authors lump Eastern Barn Owl T. delicatula into this species, using the name Barn Owl for the enlarged species.

The Barn Owl complex is very likely to be further divided.

30 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

‘Balearic’ Spotted Flycatcher (Pete Morris).

(Balearic) Woodchat Shrike Lanius [senator] badius The form found on the western Mediterranean Islands, badius, is distinct from other races in that it shows no white at the base of the primaries and a larger bill.

Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus This species was formerly simply known as Blue Tit but it has been renamed following the splitting off of North African Blue Tit C. ultramarinus.

Balearic Warbler Sylvia balearica Many authors lump this species in Marmora’s Warbler S. sarda.

Moltoni’s Warbler Sylvia subalpina Many authors lump this species in Subalpine Warbler S. cantillans.

European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola Many other authors lump this species (of Europe and N Africa) and Siberian Stonechat (occurring from the N Caucasus eastwards across Eurasia) in African Stonechat S. torquata (of sub-Saharan Africa) using the name Common Stonechat (Balearic) Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa [striata] balearica Recent studies have proposed that this pale form merits specific status.

Spanish Wagtail Motacilla [flava] iberiae/ Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] thunbergi Many authors lump Eastern Yellow Wagtail M. tschutschensis into Western Yellow Wagtail M. flava using the name Yellow Wagtail for the enlarged species. The forms of M. flava likely on this tour are iberiae, ‘Spanish’ Wagtail and the passage migrant thunbergi, Grey-headed Wagtail.

31 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Get the party started! Birding at baggage reclaim in Palma Airport and below: Birdquest at Formentor (Mike Watson).

32 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com

Any ideas at Maria de la Salut? (Giancarlo Marconi)... & a few minutes later, watching Red-footed Falcon (Nigel Sadler).

33 BirdQuest Tour Report: Mallorca (Majorca) Birdquest’s 35th Anniversary Reunion Tour www.birdquest-tours.com