Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Red-footed Falcon |
 Red-footed Falcon |
 Red-footed Falcon |
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Introduction
Easter was early this year and our kids got a week off at the start of May to break up the very long summer term. We don’t like too much sun/heat so this seemed a perfect opportunity to get away to the Med at our preferred time of year. We stayed at Girasols self-catering apartments at Son Bou on the south coast of Menorca. We only had significant rain on the day of our departure, otherwise long periods of sunshine graced every day. This is a lovely island with good roads between the larger towns that wind their way through tree-clad hillsides, lush green fields and roadside verges packed with flowers. There are some absolutely stunning beaches, often at the mouths of very scenic limestone gorges, and all-in-all there were many superb settings in which to enjoy those Mediterranean birds. This was primarily a family holiday so I did most of my birding first thing in the mornings (6.30 – 9.00) and covered a range of sites that were within a half-hour drive of Son Bou. We hired a car for 5 days from Europcar who had several offices in the resort. We had a really enjoyable time on Menorca and as a birder I was pretty happy with what I managed to observe during my early morning outings and ad hoc birding during visits to sites with the rest of the family. There were no lifers in it for me so I just wanted to see some good birds I hadn’t seen for years and for everyone to have a good time and it all worked out very well.
Sites
Son Bou: An extensive wetland separates the beach from the apartments. In the end I did relatively little birding here because I was too busy scooting around sites in the north and east of the island. However there are a good variety of habitats here including beach, marsh, dunes, scrub, cliff, farmland and woodland. I would have worked the local area harder if I had had more time and did not have a hire-car. I walked along the roped-off path through the dunes on my first morning and saw plenty of birds. Open water, as reported by others, is scarce but some is better than none!
Tirant: Presumably quite an extensive wetland in winter but open water was restricted to a pool near Es Prat farm in May. The pool was packed with birds and this area became part of my early morning routine. I parked the car on a flat stretch of road just east of the junction with the dusty road that leads to Cala Tirant. A farm gate beside a little hump in the road gave decent scope views of the pool to the north. Next I would drive part way up the wide but unsurfaced road towards Cala Tirant. The power-lines to the left were an excellent spot for observing roosting Red-footed Falcons; thirty-eight was my best count! I never stayed long but got the impression that birds would disperse as the day warmed up. Presumably evening time might be good too but would have the disadvantage of failing rather than improving light.
Ses Salines: On right hand side as you drive out to Fornells. There is room for a car to park at the entrance gates but the private lane leads to a big house and I felt uncomfortable viewing this site. Didn’t see any birds anyway but others mention this site a lot in their reports.
Cap de Cavalleria: I only made a brief visit to this area and never made it out to the headland. Just inside the entrance gates I pulled over onto the verge and viewed the picturesque inlet below (Port de Sa Nitja). A muddy margin had Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper so could be worth a check for interesting waders. I got stopped by the police near here and an officer took my licence to his car to check it out. I was surprised when he came back giving off to me in Spanish about my camera and something being prohibited. I did not understand but fortunately another officer spoke some English and asked me if I was an archaeologist. I showed them my bird guide and they instantly took a friendlier line and sent me on my way.
S’Albufera/Es Grau: A large lake that was a little disappointing with regard to species diversity but of good landscape value. Mallard, Coot and Little Grebe were common. Great Crested Grebe was the only species I got here that I didn’t get anywhere else. You can get to paths at the southwest corner by driving to the end of the road that takes you to the information centre (sign-posted before you reach Es Grau). However if you are tight for time then I suggest giving this a miss and going to the eastern end of the lake at Es Grau. On the outskirts of Es Grau, at the 6km marker, there is an entrance marked by two square white pillars, but there is only room on the verge opposite for a few cars to park. There is plenty of parking in Es Grau and I used the car park by the beach. At the start of the beach is a wooden bridge over a stream and this was worth a look for waterbirds (I had Grey Heron and Common Sandpiper). Walk to the end of the beach and then cut inland along a path through the woods that brings you to pools and a mirador on top of a hillock that gives excellent views of much of the lake and surrounding countryside. Continuing along the path brings you out at the 6km marker and it is a short walk along the road to ES Grau to complete the circuit.
Algendar Gorge: Easily accessed from the attractive resort of Santa Galdana. There is a largish car park easily spotted from the road bridge over the river as you drive into the resort centre. There is more parking up the west side of river as you drive past a string of restaurants but it doesn’t save you much time and we enjoyed watching the mullet in the river anyway. Walk up a vehicle track and you soon reach a pair of closed gates. There is a stile at the right hand side. After a short distance there is a fork in the track and we kept to the right and walked up the gorge. I don’t know how far you can get before the path fades out but we walked for over half an hour with no problems. We had nice flight views of Egyptian Vulture, Red Kite and Booted Eagle but the highlight was a snake that eventually hurried into a retreat in the rocks.
Es Mercadal treatment works: This site is mentioned by Trevor and Jane Williams but I did not look for it.
Es Migjorn Gran sewage treatment works: Another T&J Williams site. I did try to find this site but failed. You might have better luck as I did not locate the church landmark that is supposed to be near it. My search was a bit rushed and the policeman I asked for directions did not speak English.
Salinas de Montgofre: A private site described by T & J Williams that I didn’t try to find.
Salines d’Addaia: Another site mentioned by T&J Williams but I didn’t get round to looking for it.
Son Parc: I tried getting at this wetland from an access track to a restaurant but I was short on time and got put off by the size of the reeds and general rankness of the vegetation so had little confidence in being able to see open water.
Black-throated Diver: A non-breeding plumage diver flying east at moderate range off Son Bou on 8th was probably this species.
Little Grebe: 1 Son Bou, 3 Tirant (Es Prat pool), 12+ S’Albufera.
Great Crested Grebe: 2 at S’Albufera on 4th.
Cory’s Shearwater: About 30 off Son Bou on 8th.
Shag: 8 off Son Bou beach on 3rd, 1 Mahon/Mao.
Night Heron: 2 Tirant (Es Prat pool) on 4th.
Cattle Egret: 22 at Tirant (Es Prat pool) on 5th, 3 on 6th, none on 7th and 13 on 8th.
Squacco Heron: 3 Tirant (Es Prat pool) on 5th.
Little Egret: 1 in flight over Son Bou marsh on 3rd, daily at Tirant with max of 10 on 7th, 1 at Es Grau on 4th.
Grey Heron: 1 at Es Grau, 1 at S’Albufera, 1 at Tirant.
Purple Heron: One dropped into Son Bou marsh on 3rd, 2 Tirant on 4th and 1 on 8th.
Greater Flamingo: 1 Tirant (Es Prat pool) 5th-8th.
Mallard: 5+ Son Bou, 4 Tirant, numerous at S’Albufera.
Gadwall: 3 at Tirant (Es Prat pool) on 5th.
Red-crested Pochard: 1 pair Tirant (Es Prat pool) on 6th.
Egyptian Vulture: 1 probable at long range Son Bou, 3 Algendar Gorge, 2 at Cala Macarella.
Osprey: 1 on pylon near Cap de Cavalleria on 4th.
Booted Eagle; 2 at escarpment west of Son Bou, 1 at S’Albufera, 2 Algendar Gorge and other probables at various locations.
Red Kite: Singles at Es Mercadal, Mahon/Mao, Algendar Gorge, Ciutadella, Cala Macarella.
Black Kite: 1 in flight near Cap de Cavalleria on 4th.
Marsh Harrier: female Tirant on 5th, female Cavalleria on 7th.
Kestrel: Common.
Red-footed Falcon: 6 Tirant & 5 towards Cap de Cavalleria on 4th; 14+ Tirant, 2 near Favaritx & 1 S’Albufera/Es Grau on 6th; 52 Tirant on 7th, including 38 together on wires west of Cala Tirant dirt road and 12 together on wires east of nearby Es Prat farm; 42 at Tirant on 8th. I do not know what a typical spring delivers in the form of Red-foots on Menorca but it seems that my count of 52 was exceptional and even a tally of eleven is probably very good so don’t be too disappointed if those wires at Tirant only have a lonely Kestrel sitting on them!
Peregrine Falcon: 1 on pylon near Favaritx on 6th, 2 at Cala Morell on 7th.
Red-legged Partridge: 1 near Cap de Cavalleria, 1 heard as we walked to Cova des Coloms from Es Migjorn Gran, 1 at Tirant.
Quail: 2 heard at Tirant.
Moorhen: 1 Son Bou, 2 Tirant (Es Prat pool).
Coot: 3+ Son Bou, 70 Tirant (Es Prat pool), numerous at S’Albufera.
Black-winged Stilt: 3 Tirant (Es Prat pool), 4 S’Albufera.
Stone-curlew: Heard at Tirant on 4th and 8th
Ringed Plover: 3 at Port de Sa Nitja (nr Cap de Cavalleria) on 4th and 1 Son Bou beach on 8th.
Kentish Plover: 2 at Son Bou beach on 3rd.
Sanderling: 2 at Son Bou beach on 3rd.
Dunlin: 1 at Son Bou beach on 3rd.
Curlew Sandpiper: 1 at Port de Sa Nitja near Cap de Cavalleria on 4th.
Wood Sandpiper: 1 Tirant (Es Prat pool) 5th, 6th,& 7th.
Common Sandpiper: 1 at Son Bou 3rd, 1 at Port de Sa Nitja on 4th, 1 at Es Grau on 6th.
Snipe sp: 1 dropped into Son Bou marsh on 3rd.
Black-headed Gull: 1 at Es Grau beach 6th & 7th, 8 at Son Bou beach on 8th. Yellow-legged Gull: Common.
Audouin’s Gull: 3+ Son Bou beach, 3+ Mahon/Mao, 1 St Esteve, 3 Es Grau, 1 Ciutadella.
Rock Dove: Common e.g. Son Bou, Tirant.
Wood Pigeon: Common.
Collared Dove: Common e.g. Son Bou.
Turtle Dove: Common e.g. Son Bou., Tirant.
Scops Owl: Heard at Son Bou and Algendar Gorge but best encounter was at Cova des Coloms near Es Migjorn Gran. At dusk there were four birds calling simultaneously in the gorge and one was seen briefly in flight. Back at the car park at Es Migjorn Gran one flew from trees as we drove off.
Common Swift: Common but not always sure about ID. Never managed to get decent views of Common and Pallid together.
Pallid Swift: Never properly got my eye in on swifts during the week - probables at Cala Mitjana and Son Bou.
Hoopoe: Common e.g. Tirant.
Bee-eater: 12 Tirant on 4th and 8th: 1 at S’Albufera on 4th; 3 at Son Bou on 8th.
Thekla Lark: 1 on track as we walked to Cova des Coloms from Es Migjorn Gran.
Sand Martin: 1 with 80 swallows on wires near Tirant on 7th.
Barn Swallow: Small numbers each day apart from 80 near Tirant on 7th.
House Martin: 2 at Santa Galdana on 6th, 2 at Son Bou on 8th.
Tawny Pipit: 1 in song flight along Son Bou dunes on 3rd, and 1 at the nearby bacilica on 8th; I near Cap de Cavalleria on 4th; 2 at Cala Morell on 7th.
Tree Pipit: 3 flew north near Cap de Cavalleria on 4th.
Nightingale: Common e.g. Son Bou, Algendar Gorge, Tirant, Cava des Coloms.
Whinchat: Algendar Gorge, Son Bou.
Stonechat: Son Bou, Tirant and probably lots of other places.
Wheatear: 5 at Son Bou dunes on 3rd, 1 St Esteve on 5th.
Blackbird: Common.
Great Tit: Es Grau, Cala Mitjana.
Cetti’s Warbler: Common e.g. Son Bou, Tirant.
Zitting Cisticola: 1 Son Bou, 1 Tirant.
Reed Warbler: 1 at Son Bou marsh.
Great Reed Warbler: Heard at Tirant on 4th.
Sardinian Warbler: Common.
Blackcap: 2 seen at Algendar Gorge and one heard and then seen in the gorge behind nearby Cala Macarella sounded like it was singing in Catalan!
Willow Warbler: 1 Son Bou dunes on 3rd.
Pied Flycatcher: 1 at Son Parc on 4th, 1 seen as we walked to Cova des Coloms from Es Migjorn Gran.
Spotted Flycatcher: Common e.g. Son Bou.
Golden Oriole: 1 Tirant on 4th and 3 nearby on 7th.
Woodchat Shrike: Common along roadsides e.g. near camping site inland from Son Bou.
Raven: Small numbers daily at variety of locations e.g. 3 Tirant, 2 Son Bou
House Sparrow: Common.
Chaffinch: Son Parc, Cala Mitjana.
Greenfinch: Small numbers at S’Albufera, St Esteve, Algendar Gorge.
Goldfinch: Common e.g. Tirant.
Linnet: 2 at Son Bou on 3rd.
Corn Bunting: Common e.g. Tirant.
80 Species
Birds I missed
Seabirds: Just didn’t do enough seawatching so missed Balearic Shearwater and any chance birds a seawatch often throws up.
Wetland birds: Could have got a few more if I had located some decent saltpans/sewage works.
Small birds: My time was limited so I couldn’t afford much time to patiently search for birds in the rank vegetation of marshes and woods. Probably missed a few by not being fully tuned into all calls and songs e.g. Short-toed Lark. Can’t explain why I missed Blue Rock Thrush…I did try for them at Son Bou and Algendar Gorge.
Other wildlife sightings
Geko: One sprinted down a vertical wall at our apartments in Son Bou.
Snake: Serp Blanca at Algendar Gorge.
Lizard: Little green fellas seen at a number of locations.
Frogs/toads: Amazing chorus at dusk coming from Son Bou marsh.
Octopus: One actually came to the surface as it explored a rock shelf at St Esteve.
Moth: Hawkmoth sp at Son Bou.
Rabbit: 1 at Son Bou.
Hedgehog: In true hedgehog style there seemed to be a few flattened on the roads.
Bats: We only had one torch between four of us and the path down into the gorge to the cave at Cova des Coloms was a bit rough so we didn’t make it to the reportedly bat-filled cave before it got dark. However as we made our way back along the vehicle track to Es Migjorn Gran there were several bats zipping by just above our heads.
Flowers: Little effort made to do much botanising but the timing of our visit was perfect for seeing a wide range of flowers at their absolute best.