Mallorca Holiday 4th May 2015 : S’Albefura

Mallorca Holiday 4th May 2015 : S’Albefura

I was keen to fit in at least one more visit to S’Albufera before the end of our holiday and this time Anne came with me. She was keen to see the species that she had missed when I last spent the day at S’Albufera. We didn’t spend too much time on the main canal because we really wanted to get to the Sa Roca Pools hides before they got too busy. We did, however, see the usual Little and Cattle Egrets, Cormorant and the avenue was full of calling Nightingales and Cetti’s Warblers.

S’ Albufera Sa Roca Pools

As we were leaving the visitor centre we stopped to have a look at the meadow on the left just in time to see a Grey Wagtail land in it – the first we have seen, the others all being Yellow Wagtails of one flava variety or another. Just before we got to the first hide we good very good views of a Serin singing at the end of a branch. Inside the first hide it was a bit cramped but we stayed there a while as a couple of other British birders were there and this helped us I’d a few birds quite quickly. As a result of our combined effort we identified a pair of Curlew Sandpipers, a few Wood Sandpipers and a couple of Ruff. The place was dominated by Black-winged Stilts as usual and there were the usual range of Ringed, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, Shelduck and Red-crested Pochard.

Moving on to the next hide. but still overlooking the same pools, we stopped briefly to locate the source of a tremendous burst of song. This was so loud that it can only have been a Great Reed Warbler – one of several we were fortunate enough to see in the course of the day and a first for Anne. At this hide we immediately had a Stone Curlew pointed out to us. On one of the islands were several flava Yellow Wagtails. From this angle we had better views of a Purple Heron and a single Common Sandpiper. We heard a couple outside the hide talking about a Fan-tailed Warbler so I nipped outside to get good views of the bird singing. Before long another Fan-tailed Warbler flew right in front of us and into the bottom of a small bush just a few feet in front of the hide.

Further scanning of the pools turned up a pair of Marbled Ducks (another first for Anne), a single Garganey and a pair of Common Terns. We spent quite some time here but really we wanted to see some birds of prey at the Canal des Sol Platform.

Canal des Sol Platform

We took the kilometer-long path down to this platform. There were so many singing Nightingales and Cetti’s Warblers that not all of them managed to hide themselves from us and we probably saw as many in a day as you would do in several years in Britain. We spotted yet another Great Reed Warbler and at the platform itself the star performers probably were the passerines with great displays from Sardinian and Fan-tailed Warblers as as well as Serins.

The view over the entire site is amazing and you can stand there for ages (as we did) just looking at the Cattle and Little Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons, all commuting to and fro across the wetlands. The first birds of prey we saw were a group of Eleonora’s Falcons but it took a long time before we saw anything else and when we did it was very distant We made out a series of distant Marsh Harriers and one 3rd came quite close but no Osprey appeared much to Anne’s consternation, this being her main target bird of the day.

On the water the huge carp thrashing around scarily were almost as entertaining as the birds. On the water were Common and Red-crest ed Pochard, Mallard and Coot. A single Great Crested Grebe was there and we got oh so close to seeing a Squacco Heron but it was too quick for definite identification.

Es Cibollar Pools

We headed back down the path towards the bridge were we looked again in vain for the reported Little Bittern and then over to the Es Cibbolar hides In the first one we were told that the Collared Pratincole had been seen in the next hide so we didn’t hang around too much at the first hide. At the second hide we had the place to ourselves which was great. The islands held the usual range of Ringed, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers. The nesting Common Terns were there in strength as we’re the Black-winged Stilts.  At the very back behind the main pool we found at least one Stone Curlew but the Pratincole was not to be found. Neither was the Great White Egret I had seen on my last visit.

Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets and Purple Herons flew back and forth across the pool in fair numbers.On the water were Mallards and  Shelduck and Coot. Now with our eye well and truly in we spotted another Fan-tailed Warbler. A Common Kestrel was looking to be our only bird of prey until we eventually spotted a Marsh Harrier or two. At one point we were looking at a bird wondering if it was also a Marsh Harrier but it wasn’t flying right and did not have the same jizz.  Suddenly I saw it’s legs down and then a flash of silver – it was a fish being maneuvered into position by an Osprey; almost the last bird of the day and Anne’s target birds. I was off the hook at last !

I say almost the last bird of the day because I wanted Anne to return to the Sa Roca pools for one last shot at the Purple Swamp hen. She wasn’t that keen because it was getting late and she didn’t think that we stood much of a chance of seeing it anyway. As it happened, though, as we were walking back down the path to the bridge I heard a rustling and snapping of twigs and there down in the little canal was the very bird. The Purple Gallinule had the last word !

As it happens we did go back to the Sa Roca polls hide again but when we went in there we found two Germans with video and photography equipment taking up half the hide and just a few, other people who were loathe to squeeze up and make roo for us After a few minutes I decided that I had had enough of these people and rather than fume more we left for the bus satisfied at another wonderful day at this magnificent site.

Bird Sightings : S’Albufera : Environs

Bird Sightings : S’Albufera : Sa Roca Pools

Bird Sightings : S’Albufera : Canal des Sol Observation Platform

Bird Sightings : S’Albufera : Es Cibollar Pools