The way all birding will be

Birding on Menorca 4th - 18th May 2001

Dylan Wrathall

I flew from Gatwick to the airport at Mahon (Mao) after a 5 hour delay and the knowledge that some of my Kent Listing rivals were enjoying a Black-browed Albatross at Dungeness. Even the Stella couldn't numb the twinge of envy that knotted my stomach. A phone call to Jack Chantler eased the hurt, with news that the bird had only been available for 50 minutes and had departed west, so away from Kent.

After the usual torture that accompanies the hiring of a vehicle in foreign climes, I was finally on my way to the Villa Sant Joan de Binissaida. Situated in the southeast corner of the island, just outside Es Castell. What a magnificent residence and setting. It was to be home to my travelling companions and I for the next two weeks. My companions were not birders, but my extended family, en mass, out to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary.

My plan was simple, as it was cunning. I would get up and out before 06.30 hrs, go birding for three or so hours, then be home before the massed ranks had organized themselves for the day's activities. I must say that it went surprisingly well and very little conflict was caused by my actions. The only spanner in the works was my liking for the local brew and the effects that it had on my time keeping. A car was essential in order to reach my chosen sites in the time I had available.

I had an idea of what to expect, having done a little research via the internet and 'The Rough Guide' Sites to visit were chosen and key species swatted up in earnest preparation for my time in the field. A paperback copy of 'Collins' accompanied me as a safeguard. I had been told that 'The Med' would blow me away. How true it was. I can see more species in a day in Kent than I saw in my fortnight on this beautiful island, but the shear brilliance of plumage and scenery compensated for any failings in the diversity of habitats, thus species numbers. The ravages of Foot and Mouth had put a damper on my activities at home, so I was now once again footloose and fancy-free. The numbers of birds could be overwhelming at times. House Sparrows regained their mantle of common birds, finding suitable existence in every habitat I explored. Raptors ruled the skies overhead and Nightingales filled the air with ear splitting crescendo. I was in raptures one morning, as myriad migrant Bee-eaters gathered around the villa, filling my bins with their fantastic rainbow colours and my ears with their evocative calls.

The Menorcan people are wonderfully friendly and helpful. My lack of anything closely resembling Spanish didn't cause many problems. They are very environmentally aware and have a widespread recycling program and an energy conservation strategy that shames much of the rest of Europe. Wherever I went, I saw birds, yet very few birders. It was heavenly. The wild flowers are every bit as inspiring as the avian inhabitants and a walk up the Santa Galdana Gorge will turn even the most hardened birder into a botanist for a while!

I have included a table of the birds that I saw. Many species were obviously migrants, so the timing of my trip was very fortuitous. Still the island has many special resident species and others that occur during the breeding season. I cannot recommend the place over other of the Balearic Islands, as it was the first time I've ever been to the Mediterranean. What I do know is that there are worse places on the globe to spend a holiday, so give it a try!

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Es Prat 1 on 11th
Cory's Shearwater Calonetris diomedea North and South coast, evenings best! Over 1000 off Binissaida 5th
Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan Off south coast near Es Castell. Small numbers with Cory's several dates
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis Anywhere around the coast. Very common
Little Egret Egretta garzetta All suitable wetlands. Very common
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Son Bou, Cala Tirant, S'Albefura & Ses Salines 11 birds in total with best of 4 at Cala Tirant on 9th
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis S'Albefura Max 2 in roost on 9th
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Any wetland. Common
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Anywhere with water and reeds. Numerous, yet not as previous spp.
Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Es Grau de Albefura Maximum of 6 at dusk on the 14th
White Stork Ciconia ciconia Cala Tirant Maximum of 6 on 15th, also 5 migrants over Binissaida same day.
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Ses Salines 4 adults 10th-15th at least.
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos All wetlands. Very common
Shoveler Anas clypeata S'Albefura 1 drake 9th
Black Kite Milvus migrans Cala Tirant & near Santa Galdana singles on 9th & 12th were migrants
Red Kite Milvus milvus Near Alaior I only saw 1 (resident?)
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Santa Galdana and elsewhere Maximum of 25+ at Galdana Gorge 12th
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus S'Albefura and Favaritx Total of 6, max 2 on 11th
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 1 migrant on 8th
Booted Eagle Hieraetus pennatus Everywhere. Almost as common as Kestrels!
Osprey Pandion haliaetus S'Albefura. Regularly seen
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Anywhere. Very common
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Nr Ciutadella. A female on roadside wires 10th
Peregrine Falco peregrinus Favaritx & Santa Galdana. Max of 2 on 10th
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Any suitable farmland. Heard more often than seen
Quail Corturnix corturnix Any arable area As above, but one flushed at Binissaida 16th
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Son Bou & S'Albefura. Heard only
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus All wet areas. Common
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus ostralegus S'Albefura,Es Grau, Cala Tirant & Ses Salines. Very common in any shallow. Both resident & migrant.
Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Farmland around Binissaida Several pairs & particularly vocal at dawn and dusk.
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius S'Albefura, Es Grau & Ses Salines. Numerous
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula S'Albefura & Ses Salines. Numerous
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Ses Salines & Cala Tirant Beach. Several pairs seen.
Knot Calidris canutus Ses Salines Adult summer is a good record on 10th
Little Stint Calidris minuta Ses Salines 3 adults 15th
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Ses Salines 7 present, (1 stunning adult) 15th
Ruff Philomachus pugnax Ses Salines. A female on 15th
Redshank Tringa totanus S'Albefura. Max of 6 on 13th
Greenshank Tringa nebularia S'Albefura & Ses Salines. Max of 2 on 11th
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola S'Albefura & Ses Salines Max flock of 11 on 14th
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Many wetland sites and the coast. Quite widespread, yet not numerous.
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii Es Castell Harbour and Cala Tirant Beach. A stunning gull, easily seen in the harbour. Max 4 on 15th at Cala Tirant Beach
Western Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahelis Everywhere. Very common
Gull-billed Tern Gelocheildon niloticus Favaritx. A singleton on 11th
Whiskered Tern Chilidonias hybridus S'Albefura & Cala Tirant 2 on 5th at S'Albefura & 1 at Tirant 15th-17th
Rock Dove Columba livia All over the island. Very common and as good as they can get (alledgedly!)
Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Any wooded area. Seen daily in small numbers
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Anywhere with bushes. Common
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaoto Ciutadella & Mao. Just like home.
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Binissaida & Santa Galdana 3 on 7th & 1 on 15th
Barn Owl Tyto alba Binissaida 1 in headlights on 17th
Scops Owl Otus scops Binissaida, Santa Galdana & Es Grau. Heard most nights & sometimes in daytime. 1 seen well at Es Grau 14th
Common Swift Apus apus All over the island. Very common
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Anywhere, but Mao & S'Albefura best. Numerous, once you got your eye in!
Alpine Swift Apus Melba Santa Galdana Gorge 2 on 12th & 15th
Bee-eater Merops apiaster Cala Tirant, Es Grau & Binissaida. Seen and heard on most days. 150+ migrants in flock over Binissaida on 8th was spectacular!
Roller Coracias garrulus Nr Es Castell. 1 on roadside wires on 8th.
Hoopoe Upupa epops Most places I went to during my stay, even the towns. Could be heard all day long and seen in flight regularly. Perched birds required a little effort.
Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactila Most open terrain. Difficult to see on the ground, but seen easily when in their hovering display song flights.
Thekla Lark Galerida theklae Binissaida & surrounding area Quite numerous, if local. Smart birds! The call is brilliant.
Sand Martin Riparia riparia Favaritx Many seen during a massive hirundine movement on 11th
Swallow Hurundo rustica Everywhere with water/insects. Very common
House Martin Delichon urbica Alaior & Favaritx 1000's moving north on 11th
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Binissaida & Cala Tirant. Seen on most days in small numbers. Residents & migrants
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis S'Albefura. 1 migrant on 5th
Yellow Wagtail (Blue-headed) Motacilla flava (flava) Favaritx, Es Grau & Binissaida 250+ nr Favaritx was impressive on 11th
Robin Erithacus rubecula Mao 1 on 16th was a surprise.
Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Anywhere with cover. Wall to wall music, try the Santa Galdana Gorge!
Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Binissaida and Favaritx. Lots of migrants during first week.
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Binissaida Seen most days, max of 3 on 13th
Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Binissaida, S'Alberfura & Favaritx. Very common resident of open terrain.
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Binissaida & Son Bou. Trickle of migrants with max of 3 on 8th
Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis Binissaida. Stunning male on 6th
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Binissaida, Es Castell, Mao, Alaior & Santa Galdana Males seen easily singing from prominent perches.
Blackbird Turdus merula Everywhere. Common
Great Tit Parus major Santa Galdana Gorge. Described as common in wooded areas.
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cettia Surprisingly widespread. Could be heard singing from almost any habitat. Easily seen at Son Bou.
Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncdis Widespread in damp habitat with thick cover. Best seen at Cala Tirant & Son Bou
Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia Cala Tirant. 1 singing on 9th
Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinoides Son Bou 1 (poss 2) singing males on 8th
Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus S'Albefura & Son Bou Singing males on 5th & 8th
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Son Bou & Cala Tirant Son Bou on 8th & Tirant 9th - 15th at least
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon Son Bou. 1 watched & other singing males on 8th
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta Binissaida 1 migrant on 5th
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina Cala Tirant & Benissaida. 1 on 9th and 2 on 17th
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Anywhere with a suggestion of vegetation. Almost as common as the Rock Doves! Listen for the machine-gun rattle.
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata Nr Binissaida 2 on 6th in clifftop scrub
Whitethroat Sylvia communis Binissaida & Cala Tirant. Few pairs in suitable cover, not easy to see well (why?)
Blackcap Sylvia borin Santa Galdana Many singing in gorge vegetation.
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Binissaida & Es Grau Max of 9 on 6th
Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus Santa Galdana. 4 singing males 12th & 15th
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Binissaida & Ses Salines. Many migrants with max 4 on 10th
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa stiata Binissaida & Santa Galdana. Seen daily around villa.
Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus S'Albefura. 1 singing male on 7th
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Un-missable. Any roadside wires
Raven Corvus corax Favaritx, Santa Galdana, Ses Salines & Es Grau. Seen regularly, but never numerous.
House Sparrow Passer domesticus Everywhere. Just like the old days back in Hertfordshire
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Woodland near to Son Parc & Santa Galdana. Restricted by habitat. I didn't see many
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Everywhere. Common
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Everywhere. Very common
Linnet Acanthis cannbina Mainly coastal, but some on farmland. Very common.
Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra Any suitable open habitat. Very abundant and obvious