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)