Puerto Pollensa 19th to 25th April 2025

 Back from a week in Majorca - Puerto Pollensa. Saw 43 species which is low for here.

We have visited here every year or two either Spring or Autumn until covid and usually recorded about 70 species over six days. This year was a bit limiting though as Kay is waiting for a knee replacement and can't walk far. She managed around 10KM a day (15000 steps) a few times. I did try walking two of our regular morning-long routes myself but also found I had limitations. Up and through the Boquer Pass that we have walked many times proved too much for me and I ended up with bruised ankle joints attempting the rough, very rocky path that I had to abandoned about third of the way up and it took the next day to recover. Also walked around the back roads on another day through farmland and olive groves. Probably the most memorable bird species was Serin, can’t recall seeing a singing male in full striking yellow breeding plumage before. It was notable that the only birds of prey seen was Kestrel, Woodchat Shrike and the Osprey. Usually we see Eleanora’s Falcon, Hobby, Booted Eagle most visits, probably missed these through not making it far enough up the Boquer, also the absence of Rock Thrush, Cirl Bunting and Crag Martin for the same reason. I missed what sounded like a calling Black Kite that disappeared behind some trees before I could get a decent view. Another missing species was Corn Bunting, very common on previous visits. We usually get a few sandpiper and plover species along the shoreline but the sun beds for hire etc have spread along the full extent of the beach also the streams entering the bay were much higher than usual, so no gravel beaches along them for LRPs.

Some species came very close the following were taken with an IPhone. The Audouin’s Gull was stealing the fish as they came near the surface trying to get away from the Shag. This gull had a nearly black bill, unlike most that showed more red.  

        Species List