Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Eight - Saturday

Sadly this was the day of our return.  An early breakfast meant were sat on the coach just after 8am to get us to the airport for our lunchtime flight.  We said goodbye to Cala'n Bosch and prepared for some final birding from the coach.

As we left the resort Hoopoe flew past the coach several times, and as we approached the outskirts of Cuitadella a pair of Cattle Egret were feeding with cattle in a field.  Heading back into the centre of the island, Red Kites and Booted Eagle were frequent observations, and Common Kestrel hovered by the roadside.  Pigeons and Doves were the commonest birds on the wires but the LBJs remained just that.

In the terminal building we managed to find some seats that looked out across the runway to the scrubland beyond.  Over the next hour Red Kite and Booted Eagle flew low hunting over this scrubland.  Then from the nearest bit of grass by the side of one of the taxi-ways a pair of larks began to fly up and around, occasionally visible on the edge of the tarmac.  Most likely Thekla Lark - our last birds of the trip.

An excellent week with many of the island specialities seen, and a few birds that got away showing the migration potential of this lovely island.  Hopefully next time we will make it to the north of the island and look for Greater Short Toed Lark, European Roller and the Bee-Eater colonies.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Seven - Friday

Our last full day of the holiday and an opportunity to try and catch up with a few more local specialities.

A 6.30 start before breakfast saw myself and Simon exploring the scrub area to the east of the resort again.  Could we get some views of Nightingale?  Could there be other migrants in the area?  Sardinian Warblers were as vocal as ever but at this early hour they were much more visible, allowing some opportunities for better photos.

Again, at least 3 Nightingales were singing but alas, apart from one seen in flight, decent views did not happen.  Then a strange thrush like song and rattle from the bushes ahead.  A bird flew up into a tall bush ahead.  My first thoughts, based on its size, were a shrike species.  Simon however had the binoculars on it first and said Sardinian Warbler.  Far too big I replied, are you sure?  Then we noticed the lack of a red eye and my thoughts turned to Western Orphean Warbler.  Another check and yes, the eye was definitely not red!  At this point it flew off never to be seen again despite a lengthy search.  A quick check of xeno-canto confirmed suspicions, exact matches of the call just heard, Western Orphean Warbler!

Tawny Pipit continued to be very vocal in their presence, as well as family parties of both Linnet and Stonechat.

After about a mile we arrived at a lovely rocky cove with caves, in which numerous swifts were flying in and out.  A mixture of Common and Pallid Swifts, but unlike in the towns, here the Pallid Swifts were more numerous.

Similar butterflies were seen as per other days, with the addition though of Painted Lady and Bath White.

The plan for the afternoon was a boat trip to Cala Galdana, further down the east coast.  Here we hoped for Alpine Swift, a speciality of this resort.

The boat trip was wonderful.  As we headed east the coastline changed from flat to one of magnificent cliffs.

Numerous Swifts occupied coastal caves, whilst Shag, Yellow Legged Gulls and a few Audouin's Gulls occupied cliff ledges.  As we approached Cala Galdana, the cliffs continued to grow in size and we soon picked up our first (of many) Alpine Swifts.  Even better was a large falcon making its way towards us along the cliff line.  In the binoculars the all dark profile of a dark phase Eleanora's Falcon was a delight to see.  It was gone to soon though as it headed past a headland and out of sight.  Shortly after we docked for a couple of hours in Cala Galdana.  The skies above the resort were filled with numerous Swifts.  All 3 island species were present in good numbers, with the Alpine Swifts dominating the sky with their size.

Finding some height allowed scanning up the gorge to the north.  Both Booted Eagle and Egyptian Vulture could be picked up drifting over the trees of the gorge.  Then an Egyptian Vulture flew straight over our heads in the actual resort.  This was a great chance to see one up close but my camera annoyingly chose now to not focus on a moving bird and it got away before a picture.  More compliant was a Mediterranean (Spotted) Flycatcher that landed on a rock nearby.

Overall a great final full day's birding with an excellent range of birds seen and in good numbers.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Six - Thursday

Today was a quieter day spent around the resort.  We did walk to the Cap d'Atruix lighthouse again after lunch.  In addition to the vocal Tawny Pipit in the lighthouse compound, Blue Rock Thrush was seen on several occasions flying above the rocks.  Yellow Legged Gulls were showing very well on lampposts along the walk - a good opportunity to make comparisons with the usual Herring Gulls seen back home.  Hoopoe were also seen in flight around the harbour area, and again, Sardinian Warbler seemed to be everywhere.

As we crossed the harbour bridge, what looked like a large flock of pigeons appeared to be circling the radio mast to the north of the harbour.  A quick glance with the binoculars revealed them not to be pigeons, but Cattle Egret.  Forty-two of them! An amazing sight as they flew in formation like a murmuration of Starlings!

Around the pool the first dragonflies of the trip were seen.  Southern Migrant Hawker hovered over the pool and surrounding bushes.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Five - Wednesday PM

After lunch we decided on another trip to Ciutadella.  We checked when the next bus was and walked towards the bus stop, past a small park area.  Simon's birding radar was working great as he spotted a movement at the base of a tree.  Binoculars raised and out came the call - Hoopoe!  Our first Hoopoe of the trip, and after this they became a regular sight around the resort, even flying over the swimming pool at one point.

As ever, on the bus trips, we kept checking the wires at the side of the road for more good birds.  This paid off on the outward journey as we picked out a Bee-Eater sat on one particular wire.  With more time I would have liked to explore the scrub habitat between Cala'n Bosch and Ciutadella.

Within minutes of arriving in the centre of Ciutadella a Red Kite drifted over the central square. 

Today we planned to explore more of the old town and head up towards the old Citadel, now housing a museum about Menorcan history.  As we approached the citadel I turned to Simon and said this looks a great place for Blue Rock Thrush.  Suddenly from the gardens below us flew a thrush shaped bird and landed on the walls.  Female Blue Rock Thrush right above our heads.  Brilliant... but where was the male?

As we scanned the surrounding gardens and walls, there it was! A gorgeous male Blue Rock Thrush on a garden wall just below us...

In fact, even better was to come when the female flew down into the gardens area.  Suddenly it reappeared with a lizard in its beak and proceeded to bash the lizard against the hard paving!  Before the lizard finally succumbed off came its tail... nature at its most gruesome, but brilliant to watch.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Five - Wednesday morning

A study of google maps (satellite view) showed that the area to the east of the resort looked good for birds.  A mixture of scrub and trees suggested some new trip birds could be discovered.  After another hearty breakfast Simon and I headed east...

Sardinian Warblers really were now everywhere with there seemingly sounding like one in every bush!  Turtle Doves purred and called from the trees.  Then the first burst of that magical sound that is the Nightingale.  Three different birds called during the walk but none were visible.  Then a strange call... vaguely reminiscent of Green Woodpecker it was higher pitched and lacked the 'laughing' tones.  A quick check on xeno-canto confirmed my suspicions... in the scrub nearby a Wryneck was lurking.  A search unfortunately did not reveal the bird.  

As the path moved from the scrub towards more open habitat by the coast, Tawny Pipit dominated the sounds being heard.  Two more birds were located, this time showing well from perches on top of bushes.

There were also plenty of butterflies at this time of the morning.  Both Holly Blue and Southern Common Blue were seen, as well as our only Swallowtail of the week.  Clouded Yellow were very common in this scrub habitat, as well as Large and Small White's as well.

As we returned towards the hotel, a group of Starlings were flying around one of the other hotels.  They appeared very dark for Starlings and this got me thinking.  We are in the Mediterranean... what about the distribution of Spotless Starling?  A few years ago Spotless Starling colonised Menorca and were now a relatively common breeder in some parts of the island.  Common Starling is quoted as being more of a winter visitor in Menorca.  Having just dismissed them earlier in the week, a closer inspection of the birds revealed black bodies with no spotting.  Spotless Starlings indeed.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Four - Cap d'Atruix

After breakfast, Simon (eldest son and fledgling birder) and I walked towards the lighthouse at the Cap d'Atruix - the most south-westerly point of the island.  Overnight cloud had disappeared to leave a glorious morning.

Sardinian Warblers called from almost every bush we walked past.  Mediterranean (Spotted) Flycatchers flew from roofs and aerials, whilst Greenfinch, Goldfinch and House Sparrow were common.  As we approached the lighthouse compound a Tawny Pipit could be heard.  Then up it flew completing a song flight before landing in the scrub.

The Tawny Pipit continued to call and display the whole time we were there, but apart from another pair of Mediterranean (Spotted) Flycatcher the lighthouse area was quiet.  Majorca was visible in the haze across the sea, whilst a few Cory's Shearwater flew offshore.  Audouin's Gull flew by regularly.

As we walked back towards the resort Simon picked up a large raptor circling overhead.  As binoculars were raised it became apparent it was not alone.  One...two...three... eighteen...nineteen...twenty!  Twenty (mainly pale phase) Booted Eagle were soaring in the thermals.  Then Simon picked up another raptor - lower down and with a forked tail.  First thoughts were Red Kite which are common on the island (one later in the week flew over the pool at our hotel), but slowly realisation dawned that this was darker with no rufous colouration and weaker pale patches on the wings.  Gradually it soared higher into the sky mixing with the Booted Eagles.  The southerly winds had brought a Black Kite into our airspace.  

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2016

Day Three - Monday in Ciutadella

The outside risk of a shower today meant that a bus trip to the old capital city of Ciutadella.  In the end it was a glorious day with increasing temperatures.  Ciutadella is a beautiful city, mixing the old buildings of the centre with a modern harbour.  On arriving in the central square immediately swifts were picked up, screaming overhead and flying low through the narrow streets.

The majority of the swifts were Common Swift, but as we moved towards the harbour one pair of birds got our attention.  With a slightly more flickery flight these were our first Pallid Swifts of the trip.  Paler brown colouration was noticeable, as was the whiter throat.  At times they flew with Common Swift and this helped them stand out as well.  As an overall rule we tended to find that it was Common Swift more common in the urban areas, and Pallid Swift became more obvious in the quieter scrub areas along the coast.

In the harbour area a largish falcon was picked up flying towards us.  Heavily streaked on the underside and very long tail thoughts moved from Peregrine to Eleanora's Falcon.  Too quick for a picture, another falcon that got away....

Audouin's and Yellow Legged Gulls flew around the harbour.  With brightening skies we decided to get back on the bus and head back to Cala'n Bosch.  Amazingly as we headed south out of the city a pair of Spoonbills flew low across the road.  I was aware of Cattle Egret nesting near the city so any white heron like birds in this area I expected to be these.  The southerly winds suggested that some passage of migrants was occurring.  Tomorrow we started to plan a walk to the lighthouse at Cap d'Artruix.

Speckled Wood (Mediterranean sub-species)

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day Two - Sunday

The day started off cloudy with the strong southerly wind still blowing in.  An early morning seawatch saw that shearwaters were still grouping in numbers off the headland.  Again, the larger paler Cory's Shearwater were relatively easy to separate from the darker and smaller Balearic Shearwaters.  Yellow Legged and Audouin's Gulls drifted in and out of view as well.

Overall though a quiet day around the resort getting familiar with the local surroundings.  Sardinian Warblers continued to sing and fly around the hotel grounds, along with Greenfinch and Goldfinch.  Starlings flew from rooftops but at the time were ignored until later in the week...  As the wind dropped and the sun came out in the afternoon butterflies started to appear.  Cleopatra, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Large and Small White, Southern Common Blue and Red Admiral were seen.

The first lizards of the trip were seen near the hotel grounds, the Lilford's Wall Lizard.

Menorca Birding - 26th May to 2nd June 2018

Day One - Arrival

With relatively few birding reports for Menorca to be found, this first trip to the island was filled with a mixture of interest and uncertainty.  A family holiday to Cala'n Bosch meant that birding opportunities would be limited but it is a small resort with good habitats surrounding it.  The coach transfer would head through the central hilly region bringing the prospect of raptors.  A trip later in the week to Cala Galdana would hopefully add some other special birds on the island.

A lunchtime arrival and a glorious sunny day with strong winds from the south.  We would soon find out that House Sparrows are the commonest bird on the island and these were the first bird on the trip list.  A pair of Mediterranean (Spotted) Flycatcher in trees by the coach pickup area started to build up the excitement of what was to come.

As the coach approached Monte Nero (the highest point of the island) large raptors began to appear.  First of all Red Kite, then a mixed group of Egyptian Vulture and Booted Eagle.  The wires by the side of the road also produced a steady mix of new birds.  Turtle Dove, Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon were commonest, with many LBJs above the arable fields - most probably Corn Bunting.  Eventually we picked up a Woodchat Shrike, before a small falcon got our interest.  A different structure to the Common Kestrel that had been hovering by the roadside, this was flying with a group of hirundines.  First thoughts were Hobby but as it swooped close to the side of the road, very orange underparts suggested female Red Footed Falcon.  One that got away...

As we neared Ciutadella (the old capital) a group of circling raptors got our attention.  Over the road were 11 Egyptian Vultures!

By mid-afternoon we had arrived at the Grupotal Aldea hotel, situated on a small headland between the resort's two main beaches.  After a tiring journey, time would be now spent by the pool but the strong onshore winds meant a bit of seawatching was a must.  Groups of shearwaters were close in and with patience both Cory's and Balearic could be picked up.  Around the pool came the first scolding calls of the holiday and the first sightings of Sardinian Warbler.  This species was everywhere there was some vegetation!  The challenge to come was to get decent photos of one.

Having read some other people's trip reports the feeling was that Audouin's Gull might be tricky and maybe only fly pasts would be on the menu.  With food on our mind we decided to walk via the beach into the centre of the resort.  On the now quiet beach was an Audouin's Gull just 10m away!  Wow.  In fact Audouin's Gull would be on the beach all week, with other birds in the harbour area, and also seen in the harbour at Ciutadella.

At one point as we walked to the harbour, a male Sardinian Warbler flew into a tiny bush by our feet! The first Tawny Pipit of the trip flew over calling, and more Mediterranean (Spotted) Flycatcher hunted from both bushes and rooftops.

A great first day and plans were already afoot to visit some of the habitats around the resort.