Part-time Birding: Majorca Family Holiday

Majorca Family Holiday

Cala D’or, Majorca, Spain
I have just got back from a weeks family holiday to Majorca. As ever I had my bins on me and was always on the look out. Around the hotel grounds were some common birds that you’d expect to see back home.

These included. Common Blackbird (Male and Female), Common Swift, House Sparrow (Male and Female), Conmon Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Blue Tit, Common Linnet (Male and Female), Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Tit and Eurasian Goldfinch. A bit less common for the uk were Yellow-legged Gull around the marina, that the restaurant overlooked. But the star bird around the hotel was s lifer in the form of the now split Mediterranean Flycatcher. Several were seen around the hotel and they seemed to pop up everywhere we went. It turned out to be the most common bird of the area. A close second for best bird around the grounds was a corker of a Male Sardinian Warbler just outside the balcony one morning.

A walk along the rocky coast to a cove gave yet more Mediterranean Flycatcher views. Plus European Greenfinch, Rock Dove, Stock Dove and European Stonechat were added to the trip list.

A couple of trips to the local beach (Cala Gran). The first was disappointing in terms of birds with only a few House Sparrow and Common Wood Pigeon at first. But there were.... yes you’ve guessed it.... Mediterranean Flycatcher on offer. But the second trip was far more productive as I found a lifer Balearic Warbler and Common House Martin whilst waiting for the hotel bus to arrive. Then on the beach, I discovered a nice area that held both a Male and Female Sardinian Warbler.

But the birding highlights came when I discovered a great area just 2 minutes fro the hotel. Our hotel was on the outskirts of town and right next to an area of scrub, orchard and farmland (which I seemed to be able to walk around freely). This area proved highly productive as it was teeming with bird life. Seen in this area were- Another lifer with a single Thekla’s Lark, a Female Spectacled Warbler, several Sardinian Warbler (both Male and Female), another Balearic Warbler, 1 Zitting Cisticola, 2 Pallid Swift, 1 European Roller, a couple of European Serin, 2 Eurasian Wryneck, a small group of Eurasian Tree Sparrow, more Mediterranean Flycatcher (around 7 individuals), 2 flyover Mallard (which seemed a little out of place). Plus large flocks of Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch and House Sparrow. Toped up with several Barn Swallow, good numbers of Common House Martin, 4 European Stonechat, a flyover Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Great Tit and 2 Common Blackbird. I wish I hadn’t been so lazy and checked this area out more.

Also around the hotel grounds was a tiny green Grasshopper species. I assume that it was a youngster but not sure what species. There were several large wasp which as far as I can narrow down were from the Ichneumon family. A small Cricket which I can’t nail down to species level but comes from the Camel Cricket family. Also 2 Dragonflies in the form of Red-veined Darter and Common Darter and a Speckled Wood Butterfly.

A well enjoyed family holiday bolstered with some great bird species. I must however invest in a camera as without my scope to digiscope, I’m stuffed for taking pictures.