Mallorca - the rest

Raptors were in short supply during the week we were in Mallorca. An Eleonora's Falcon would have been nice but I think we were a couple of weeks too early. Best Raptor of the trip was this Black Vulture photographed above the Cuber reservoir.

Black Vulture

Booted Eagles were a common sight at various places we visited and we also managed to pick up lots of Kestrels and Marsh Harriers.

Booted Eagle

Marsh Harrier

Kestrel

The Boquer valley was a bit of a disappointment. It is a lovely walk and well worth doing but other than one distant Rock Thrush, a few Sardinian Warblers, and a couple of Booted Eagles we did not see much. Fortunately I had taken some reasonable pictures of a Rock Thrush at Beachy Head only a couple of weeks before (see here)

It was worth spending some time at the start of the walk in the area between the car park and Finca Boquer (Boquer Farm). The farm is private property but you are allowed to walk through it and it gives some wonderful views out across the adjacent fields and wooded areas.

Cirl Bunting in the fields below the Finca

Pied Flycatcher at the Finca

Woodchat Shrike in the fields below the finca

We saw three different Woodchat Shrikes but the only ones close enough to photograph insisted on giving me long views of their backs.

Sardinian Warbler at various sites

Serin at the Pine avenue

Yellow Wagtail (Iberiea) Albufereta

Spotted Flycatcher 

The local race of Spotted Flycatcher, balearica, is noticeably paler and less streaked than the ones we see in the UK.

Wheatear - Cuber Reservoir 

Yellow-legged Gull - Puerto Pollenca

The problem with birding in a place like Mallorca is that you want to visit every location and see every bird. It was our first time there and that is what we tried to do. I think that if I were to go back I would be a bit more selective. Identify just a few target birds and spend the time getting some really good pictures.

Twite

I have seen lots of Twite in Scotland but a Twite in Sussex is something unusual so it was worth the effort to go and see it. It seemed to be showing regularly but it actually took us three days to connect with it. The first day, late morning onwards, nothing at all, the second day mid morning onwards, we missed it by ten minutes, then no sign at all. The third day we were there just after dawn and it eventually showed up late morning and then only for about sixty seconds. Not much return for hours spent standing in the cold but at least we saw it and got record shots of its presence.

Twite

The bird was seen on the east bank of the Cuckmere about half way between the Cuckmere Inn car park (Golden Galeon) and the sea. Grid reference TV516985. Twite are usually a flock bird and are found in Scotland and on the North Sea coast so it was unusual to see one by itself on the south coast. We can only hope that it finds its way back to its breeding grounds in the spring.

We waited a while but it did not look as though the Twite would return so with a high tide due we headed off down to Newhaven East pier to look for the Purple Sandpipers.

They can often be found on the structural supports below the pier but they are difficult to see and to photograph. The secret is to be there on bright day just before high tide. Wait at the end of the pier and as the tide comes up the birds are forced off the horizontal supports and have the choice of balancing on the diagonals or coming out onto the top of the pier. If you are at the end of the pier you will have the sun behind you.

First up was a Turnstone. The Puprple Sandpipers seem to enjoy dodging the waves and they have to be at serious risk of being swept away before they will abandon their feeding area.

Turnstone

They eventually made an appearance and they are well worth waiting for. A beautiful bird and full of character.

Purple Sandpiper

There is only one problem, that is the yellow lichen on the stonework they stand on. You have to get the angle right to avoid your picture being swamped by the yellow glow.

Unable to feed until the tide goes out the Sandpipers will often settle down to roost only a few feet from where you are standing.

On the way back to the car we called in to take another look at the Tide Mills Serin. It was there but with a number of people watching and taking photographs there seemed little chance of improving on the pictures we already had and we were only adding to the disturbance around the birds feeding area.

A quick distant record shot and we headed for home.

Serin

Serin

After six hours standing in the cold on Tuesday with no sightings of the Serin I am not sure if I was pleased or not when it was reported again on Wednesday evening. There was little choice, I had never seen a Serin in the UK, so I had to have another go. Dave picked me up at 0800 and we headed off down to "Turd" Mills.

Success - we only had to wait about fifteen minutes and it flew in.

It spent much of the time in the undergrowth feeding but did move around a lot and on occasions perched up in a small tree or on one of the old walls.

The best views were obtained early on with less perched up shots being offered as the morning wore on. It also made occasional forays out of sight eastwards but always returned a few minutes later. The flight seemed fast and direct and was always easy to pick up as it approached.

I am told that it was also calling and singing but the sound is beyond my range.

A fantastic little bird and well worth the hours spent waiting for it in the cold.

By late morning the number of birders was beginning to grow so we decided to move on, but where to go. We had a look for Purple Sandpipers at the end of the east pier but with the tide out there were none present.

In the end we decided on a trip up to Crawley to see the Rose-coloured Starling. This is a bird we had avoided until now. Standing in the street scanning people's back gardens with camera and bins does not really sit comfortably with me but as my header says - once the crowds have died down I might give it a go.

In this case the crowds have died down, there was no one there. The garden was easy to find, it was full of birds, and the starling flock soon put in an appearance with the Rose-coloured easy to spot. It was difficult to get a shot where the bird was not obscured by branches but I ended up with better than I had expected. I just wish I could have said thank you to the people that own the house.

Rose-coloured Starling

I have seen a Rose-coloured Starling before but that was a rather washed out nondescript looking juvenile. This one is starting to show some coloured plumage and the promise of some really good photographic opportunities to come.

Two great birds in a day and they could both stay around for some time. The Rose-coloured in full summer plumage could well convince me to go back for a few more pictures.