Pete Lane wrote:

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I will text you if something good turns up.

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Thanks Pete but I only twitch as far as northern France these days..

Remember the hotel has internet access so pop on here and let me know how your week goes with the mileage and birding

Pete, a few pointers for what to look out for in between your cycling, hope it helps.

Around Pollensa look out along the beaches between Pollensa and Alcudia there should be Audouins Gull, one of Majorcas specialities. Also keep your eyes to the skies should be Osprey flying around the Bay I had a couple while cycling along last year and one from the Hotel balcony.

Boquer Valley probably not much at this time of year but its worth a walk from the hotel, where the entrance path starts there is a new roundabout, well just on the Pollensa side of the road is a stretch of pine trees here last year were several Hoopoes and a few Crossbills. Black Redstarts should be in abundance if poor weather they were last year. The small woodland nearby is worth a look for migrants.

Albufera lock your bikes up at the visitor centre. Look carefully on the main channel for Night Heron. Check the little rough grassy area next to the car park on here last year was Blue Headed, Grey Headed, Black Headed Wagtails which outnumbered the Yellow Wagtails! Over the marshes were a couple White Winged Black Terns although a little distant plus Marsh Harriers, there should be a few Garganeys around by now, there were over 30 in the last week of March last year. Make sure you go the hide on the other side of main channel from the visitor centre should be some waders, probably Godwits, Greenshanks etc plus Egrets and should be Garganey on the pools.

Any fields with Cattle in could have Cattle Egrets worth keeping an eye out.

Hope you have a good week.

PS I suggest you keep your eyes on the road most of the time!

Simon , the bikes a great idea but with the amount of gear that I will be carrying with me, scope ,tripod,bino`s,two cameras , battery packs,bird books,butties ,water, sun lotion, fly spray and a big stick for any dogs which always seem to want a piece of me, I may struggle to get my balance

I have tried putting everything in my case to see how much room is left and it looks like I will only be taking a pair of boxers and one sock with me to wear on holiday.

Thanks for your help.

I visited Mallorca for 2 weeks family holiday end of July, start Aug 2003, hardly the best time to visit but in my 2 days allowed out by myself birding saw lots of good birds. Like Pete Lane I bought the book "A Birdwatching Guide to Mallorca" by G Hearl and would recommend it.
We stayed at Cala D'or and there were Serin, Orphean Warbler, Crossbills, Spotted Flycatchers and Hoopoe in the Pine trees around the pool.
I didnt visit Albufera as I went when much younger. Would however recommend Salobrar de Campos in the South of the Island, many wetland species present( saw my first Kentish Plovers here). Also Porto Collom had lots of Marmoras Warbler and many other species. I think Mallorca is a fantastic Island as it has just about everything any body could want. Enjoy
Cheers Ian

We stayed at Alcudia Pins in April 1999.

It is about half way between the main entrance to the reserve and the Old Salinas entrance, short walk to either, but early morning you can get on site early at the Salinas as there are no gates etc, and get to the Depudora area easily too.

Great reserve....

Hi Dave,

Looks like you are in a similar area to where I satyed. The marsh is at the Southern end of the resort and you enter, if memory servers me right, at English Bridge. I used to get a taxi there from one of the main areas of alcudia, and walk it back. The walk was about 30-40mins. I could easily have flagged down a taxi. From this map -
majorca-mallorca.co.uk/alcudia_map.htm

(you'll need to scroll down or zoom out to see the park) might help a bit. Unfortunately it doesnt show you where the visitors centre is, and my best description would be on the right angle bend below where it says Parc Natural - does that make sense?

This website - mallorcaweb.net/salbufera/ has some info on. Interestingly it also says visiting is only allowed after 9am. This definitely wasnt the case when I was there but perhaps if you talk to teh Wardens you might be allowed on earlier. I used to get a permit the day before and be on the site at around 6am.

There are a few hides that are dotted around. I visited 4 but I only covered a small area of the site and the map on the leaflet was, quite frankly, crap, so I didnt know exactly where I was going. Also I was on a family holiday so couldnt spend hours exploring. hence I just stuck to the most accessible bits.

I'm sure there must be other GM birders who have visited who will be able to give you more info, if not there is certainly loads on the web.

Cheers

-- Edited by Craig Higson at 22:10, 2008-01-21

-- Edited by Craig Higson at 22:12, 2008-01-21

You need to spend a day around the Cuber Dam on the nothwest coastIt was the best place to see Black Vulture plus Griffons etc,should also see loads of Cory's if you do a seawatch from Formentor,or any headland,and the Eleanora's Falcons will be breedingShould be a load of gen on tinternet.
Pete Berry

Hi Louis, Where abouts in Mallorca are you going?

S'Albufera near Alcudia is the only place I've spent any time, but what a place.

The site is huge as is the variety. It was a few years ago when I last went and at the time it was free entry. All they asked was you aquired a permit the day before if you were planning an early morning visit. Beware the rangers office used to shut during the siesta.

Its worth buying a guide (in general but also for the marsh as well) as the map that came on the permit wasnt very good. I never managed to find the fossil dunes where the Bee eaters were.

Species - Cettis Warblers and Zitting Cisticolas were every were (this was June) as were Great Reed Warblers. Miriad of other warbler species present but more elusive, Black winged Stilts, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Kentish Plover, Little Bittern, Elenora's Falcon, Hobby, Yellow Legged Gulls, Hoopoe, Purple Gallinule - the list could go on and on.

If you get chance Id recommend it 100%. Just try and get there early as it tended to get busy after 10/11am.

Also Audouins Gull on the beach.