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| A Report from birdtours.co.uk |
Menorca 12th - 19th October 2002,
This holiday was a late deal, booked only 11 days before we flew out and so we had little time for prior research We relied on "Where to watch birds in Spain & Portugal" by Laurence Rose, supplemented by the trip reports of John Girdley 1996, Mike Millar & Bob Groves. Like John we stopped in Son Bou. Despite the derogatory comments about this resort in the "Mini Rough Guide" this resort is really very pleasant. In October the two hotels were closed and we stopped in an apartment, yards away from, and overlooking the very extensive reedbed, with the dunes and sea beyond.
Despite John's fears in 1996 the reedbed appeared healthy with little encroachment by trees and bushes..except by the car park and a strip towards the west end. Menorca had had a very wet summer, with torrential rain for several days, just before we arrived. Consequently there were areas of open water visible in the reedbed from the highest dunes; the marshy area south of Cala Tirant had plenty of water showing and S'Albufera des Grau was probably too full for best wader watching conditions.
We hired a car for the duration of our stay and explored most of the island. Happily we had excellent weather for the week.
Sites
Son Bou ..an extensive reed bed lies to the west of the small town, with dunes between it and the sea. To the west is farmland. There is now no access to either the marsh or the farmland from the north, which has been developed with low-rise villas & apartments. To the east of the two hotels on the seafront is a rocky promontory and cliff, well worth a visit.
Cap de Cavalleria ..a lovely unspoilt peninsular with plenty of birds even on the very hot day we visited.
S'Albufera des Grau an excellent site. There are 3 points of entry. The first is at, what is signposted as, the reserve, about 2km before Es Grau where a road leads to a small carpark area with an information board. The second is by the 6km marker just before Es Grau (easy parking a couple of hundred yards further on) This leads to the mirador or through woodland to the third access point, which is the glorious beach at Es Grau itself.
Ses Salines just south of Fornells. Can be viewed with some difficulty from the new villa development on its north boundary or from a gateway on the road, which was very busy even in October.
Cala Morell despite extensive new villa development the cliffs here are still accessible and are worth a visit.
Systematic List
Little Grebe
2 seen at Son Bou on 12th & heard regularly from apartment. Over
100 at Albufera on 15th
Great Crested Grebe
just one at Albufera on 15th
Black-necked Grebe
3 at Albufera on 15th
Cormorant
Usually several on rocks off Son Bou and several at Albufera
Balearic Shag
small number in Mahon harbour on 14th
Grey Heron
One or two seen most days over reedbed at Son Bou and a dozen+ at Albufera
on 15th
Cattle Egret
Dozen or so if fields with cattle west of Son Bou on the 12th. 20+
at Albufera on the 15th
Little Egret
One or two seen regularly at Son Bou. Good numbers at Albufera, 8 south of Cala
Tirant and couple on and near salines near Fornells on 17th
Mallard
Probably 20+ at Son Bou and 100+ at Albufera
Teal
2 at Son Bou on 12th, 40+ at Albufera on 15th and a dozen
on pool south of Cala Tirant on the 17th
Shoveller
A few at Albufera on 15th and one pool south of Cala Tirant on 17th
Wigeon
20+ at Albufera on 15th
Pochard
c20 at Albufera on 15th
Egyptian Vulture
Not common but seen on several days. Best views north of Mercadal on 13th
Osprey
Just 2 seen at Albufera on 15th
Booted Eagle
Fairly common. Seen on most days throughout island
Red Kite
Perhaps not as common as Booted Eagle but seen on several occasions, including
4 between Cala Morrell and Val on the 16th
Marsh Harrier
Seen every day save one at Son Bou. Up to 3 individuals present.
Kestrel
Common throughout the island. Several sightings each day.
Red-legged Partridge
Only seen once..from the back road out of Son Bou on the 16th
Pheasant
one flew across road in front of car near Alcalfar on 14th
Coot
Small numbers present at Son Bou and many hundreds at Albufera
Moorhen
Small numbers present at Son Bou
Purple Gallinule
3 at Son Bou on 12th but not seen again thereafter
Water Rail
one calling from reedbed at Son Bou on the 16th
Ringed Plover
one at Albufera on 15th and several at ses Salines on17th
Kentish Plover
several at ses Salines on 17th
Lapwing
3 on wet area south of Cala Tirant on 13th and 7 at same location
on 17th
Dunlin
one at ses Salines on 17th
Green Sandpiper
one seen on stream north of Mercadal on 13th and a second the same
day and on the 17th on wet area south of Cala Tirant
Common Sandpiper
2 seen on the 14th, one in Mahon Harbour and one at Cala Sant Esteve
Greenshank
one south of Cala Tirant on the 13th and 4 at Albufera on 15th
Herring Gull
several in Mahon Harbour on the 14th with Yellow-leggeds
Yellow -legged Herring Gull
Fairly common, usually a few at Son Bou and also fair number in Mahon harbour.
Also at Albufera
Audoin's Gull
3 in Mahon Harbour on the 14th and another on the same day near Capd'en
Font
Black-headed Gull
3 in Mahon Harbour on the 14th
Woodpigeon
one or two seen most mornings from our apartment at Son Bou, but only a couple
of other sightings
Rock Dove
Seen at several coastal sites..gorge at Cala d'en Font, Son Bou and Cala Morell
Collared Dove
just one seen on outskirts of Mercadal
Pallid Swift
small number at Cala Morell on 16th
Hoopoe
7 or 8 sightings in all, including 2 together at Son Bou on 18th
Kingfisher
3 sightings at Son Bou..2 on 12th and one from balcony of apartment
early on 13th when it actually settled briefly on a nearby palm tree.
Thekla's Lark
2 seen on Cap de Cavalleria and a small party at the Torre d'en Gaumes site
near Son Bou
Crag Martin
just one or two at Cala Morell with Pallid Swifts
House Martin
just 3 at Albufera on the 15th
Barn Swallow
seen most days in small numbers
Meadow Pipit
about a dozen along the dunes at Son Bou on the 18th
White Wagtail
one heard over Mahon on the 14th and two behind beach at Es Grau
on the 15th
Northern Wheatear
one on Cap de Cavalleria on the 13th but a dozen or more at Cala
Morell on the 16th
Black Redstart
common
Whinchat
just one seen- on the 12th at Son Bou
Stonechat
very common
Robin
not common but seen or heard on a number of occasions at son Bou and other locations
Blue Rock Thrush
common on most cliffs and rocky areas including Son Bou. Cap de Cavalleria &
Cala Morell
Blackbird
one or two seen at Son Bou most mornings but otherwise rare.
Cetti's Warbler
very common in wide variety of habitat. Only one actually seen (along stream
north of Mercadal on 13th)
Reed Warbler
just one seen in Son Bou reedbed on 18th
Grasshopper Warbler
one reeling from Son Bou reedbed on 18th
Sardinian Warbler
very common throughout island
Willow Warbler
one at Cap de Cavalleria on 13th
Pied Flycatcher
female at Cap de Cavalleria on 13th
Raven
3 seen on the 13th on way to Cap de Cavalleria and flock of 13 over
between Cala Morell & Val on the 16th
Starling
Large number early morning on 15th over Son Bou reedbed and on the
17th just before dusk well over 5000 coming into roost. Otherwise
small groups seen most days all around island
House Sparrow
very common
Chaffinch
only sighting was a flock of six in the wood behind Es Grau beach on the 15th
Greenfinch
one or two seen or heard in several locations but not common
Goldfinch
very common
Linnet
small numbers seen at various locations. Flock of 30 at Cala Morrell
Corn Bunting
small flock 6-10 seen in same couple of fields on back road out of Son Bou on
3 mornings. Otherwise only noted at the Naveta des Tudons site east of Ciutadella.
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