My stilt painting, inspired by field sketches
This year, I went abroad for the first time! I went to the island of Mallorca, Spain... and it was absolutely phenomenal. I had a ridiculous number of lifers - over 40! And now I have a thirst for Mediterranean birding. Here is a day - to - day account of my trip, hope you enjoy!
5th July
After our flight (it was amazing!!), we went to C'an Picafort and had lunch on the beach. Audoin's gulls flew overhead (lifer!). After going shopping, we headed back to the villa, which was absolutely stunning. It had a huge scrub garden, pool and beautiful balcony. What first hit me was the sheer number of spotted flycatchers around! They were as common as sparrows. In the evening we went to Son Bosc, where I saw my first ever bee-eaters flitting around and perching on wires. Wow. They reminded me of little boomerangs, painted like rainbows. I also saw my first hoopoe, with its floppy-winged flight, and a yellow legged gull. At Depuadora Marshes we found an incredibly rich oasis of life, buzzing with the sound of cicadas. We saw marbled teal, black winged stilts, purple gallinules, eleonora's falcon and cattle egrets.
6th July
It was a truly scorching day. The temperature during the week was 32-42 degrees the whole time. In the morning, I listened to the choir of cicadas in the garden and see a dapper little sardinian warbler, and a few lemon yellow serins. In the afternoon, we visited S'Albefera, the incredible reserve. This was the moment I realised how incredible Mallorcan wildlife truly is. I felt transported to another word. It's hot and sticky in the midday heat, and cicadas cried so loud I could barely hear a thing. Reeds as high as houses were topped with nesting cattle egrets, making the reeds look like paint brushes. If i closed my eyes, their croaks sounded just like shags at a seabird colony back home. My first squacco heron, a little brown heron, is spotted on a treetop. I see a huge great white egret wading ankle-deep. In the hide, black winged stilts elegantly pick through the water. I watch, with joy and amusement, as a stilt chick chases a clouded yellow butterfly, and looks like a gangly young teen that is just getting used to their long legs. I also saw my first red knobbed coot and purple heron (in flight).
7th July
This morning we got up at 5am for an early trip to S'Albefera before it got too hot. Before we left we heard nightjars churring round the garden! At the reserve in the dull light before the sun comes up we watch the place wake up and come alive. A glorious black crowned night heron hunched on a treetop in the morning light. From the hide we see stone curlew huddled like stones in the stubbly field. A balaeric woodchat shrike perches just outside the hide door! A 'grey headed' yellow wagtail perches on a reed-top just outside the hide. but most wonderfully, a LITTLE BITTERN flies right past us then perches at the base of the reed bed and begins fishing right in front of us, barely a few feet away! Incredible! I also see a cettis warbler and breeding plumage spotted redshanks. Downside to the early start: the mozzies are still out and my legs got bitten so much they dripped with blood by mid morning...worth it.
8th July
In the very early morning we went to the Formentor Peninsula, with an awesome view of the mountains and sea. Almost immediately, peering over the dizzying edge, a male blue rock thrush popped up. And then a female, and then another male! Crag martins flit around the cliff edge. Pallid swifts mingled with the commoners. . . Bottlenose dolphin backs arch out of the water, a pod moving west. In the scrub below we glimpse olivacious and balaeric warbler. We drive on to the Boquer valley - finally I find a lizard! A moorish gecko scurries up a tree. The heat is picking up and I begin to feel very sluggish. I just manage to glimpse a maltoni's warbler before we head back to the villa!
9th July
We went to the Traumentaura Mountains this morning (been really dying to all week!). The walk was a wonderful loop around the water. All of a sudden Nathaniel spotted a huge black vulture over the mountains. Yes! My most wanted bird of the trip - I adore vultures. More and more appear through curtains of clouds (yes, there were actually clouds on this day!), until there are 5 vultures! Further along we even see a griffon vulture too. A wonderful booted eagle glides over. In the evening we go to Ses Salines and see a wood sandpiper and hundreds of minstrel bugs (very pretty shield bugs).
10th July
Another wonderful early morning trip to S'Albefera reserve. Yet another lifer too! We could hear a great reed warbler and all the others could see it but not me! We suddenly realised I was simply too short to see it!
So I went further up the slope and there it was. Singing proudly from a reed top. In the cover of trees a nightingale shows itself briefly. Just as we leave, an osprey flies overhead. I am beginning to feel really sad we are leaving soon.Wish so much that we could stay longer.
11th July
We went to Son Real today around 4pm after a more relaxed day in the garden. Gorgeous warm evening. Paddled in the sea and rockpooled (hermit crabs and anenomes). It was almost TOO hot to be out walking. Cicadas shout endlessly. I see my first thekla larks pattering around in the scrub and a huge surprise - alpine swifts overhead! Lay on the balcony late tonight and just looked at the stars - it was such a clear night.
12th July
It was a sad journey home but a wonderful trip, leaving me such a thirst for more travel and more birding!
Amy