Sunshine Hols

Just back from a sunshine Holiday to Santa Ponsa in Majorca with the Mrs, nothing much birdwise seen around the resort as per usual, just a few common Swifts and House Martins flying around with the odd Swallow, the ever present chattering of Sardinian Warblers as well as the more common Green and Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Blackbirds and the occasional Serin, quite a few Spotted Flycatchers about and the occasional sightings of Hoopoe, Kestrel and Monk Parakeets were about it. I managed a day out birding and visited the Island of Dragonera on the South Western point of the Island, I caught the bus out to Sant Elm where the ferry ran from having to change at Port Andratx, it was a 40 min wait for the connection so I investigated a small river running into the Marina there, quite a bit of tall vegetation held singing Reed Warbler and Zitting Cisticola and there was loads of Butterflies flitting around although I only managed to ID Swallowtail, Wall Brown and Clouded Yellow, I was soon on the way, got the ferry over and spent the afternoon wandering around the Island, they weren’t kidding about it being the Island of Dragons there were Wall Lizards everywhere, it was hard not to stand on them, if I spent any time stood still they would be clambering over my feet, the other claim to fame was that the Island hosted the highest density of breeding Eleonora’s Falcons in the Med and they didn’t disappoint, up to six in the air together at times, a good few Pallid Swifts were also flying around the high points, on the rocky shoreline there were a few of the Mediterranean race of Shag as well as hundreds of Yellow Legged Gulls with plenty of young in tow and a handful of Auduoin's as well, Passerines were represented by Spotted Flycatchers, Serins, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Sardinian Warblers, no Balearic Warbler though, a couple of Turtle Doves were in an Olive grove and there was a superb male Blue Rock Thrush near the Harbour as I returned for the ferry, other aerial predators include a couple of Ravens and Booted Eagles over. 

Port Andratx

the little river at Port Andratx

Dragonera

looking back to the mainland

Dragons

this one looks like its just regrown its tail

Spot Fly

Eleonora's Falcon

Raven

distant Booted Eagle

the second one was a bit closer

the little Harbour area

Hoopoe

male Blue Rock Thrush

lots of Yellow Legged Gulls all over

plus a handful of Audouin's