Mallorca : 19th October 2015 : La Gola & Boquer Valley

Mallorca : 19th October 2015 : La Gola & Boquer Valley

We decided on another walk up the Boquer Valley taking in La Gola and the ring road to the Boquer roundabout. As we walked through La Gola we heard what we took for thr sound of running water  but then decided it must be wind in the trees. As we found out when we looked back at La Gola from the main path it was a flock of at least a thousand Starlings all in a clump of trees.  They were flushed by a dog walker but we hoped that they would return so we could get  a closer view of them but when we walked back in their direction they had gone. Still a spectacular sight though.

There wasn’t much on show in the fields and gardens on the ring road so we made quick progress up to Casa Boquer. In the fields under the Casa we saw a large flock of Siskin and some Wheatear, a Black Redstart and a Stonechat.  Up on the rocks to the left we go really good views of Crag Martins and a couple of birds of prey flew overhead, a Black Vulture and a Booted Eagle.

We walked on to the big boulders where we hoped we would see Blue Rock Thrush but we didn’t. We continued up the path until I saw a small group of thrush – like birds up to the right. I managed to get one in the scope and it turned out to be  female Blue Rock Thrush and a few others but I only managed to really see the one female closely.

We walked to the end not really seeing anything else much. On our way back, though, we saw the pir of Booted Eagles that live there. I even managed to follow one until it came to rest inside a small bushy tree half way down the mountain. I don’t know if this was a nesting place but it didn’t come out of there for as long as I stood watching through the scope.

Further down we saw them gain and possibly another Black Vulture. Back at the Casa we got even closer views of the same Eagles and also the Crag Martins again. Another look at the trees in the fields below the Casa got us Willow Warbler and Goldcrest. The day in general had been very overcast and a few times it threatened rain but, in the end, we felt we had a pretty good morning . We headed back to the town for lunch and then back to the hotel. The round – trip had been 5.73 miles.

Bird Sightings : La Gola

Bird Sightings : Boquer Valley