Mallorca day 7 - S'Albufera and Can Cuarassa
Today was, unfortunately, our last day of our trip to Mallorca. In the morning we headed straight out to Can Cuarassa in an attempt to see a Woodchat Shrike, one of the trip targets that had somehow evaded us so far. As we walked around the reserve a Purple Heron flew over, the best views we had all week. Two Red-legged Partidge flew out from the heather and a Common Sandpiper was feeding in a puddle, with another on the pools. There were also four Little Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank on the pools.
From here we walked up the track inland towards the houses. From the track we saw a couple of 'Iberian' Yellow Wagtails, as well as plenty of Corn Buntings and Zitting Cisticolas. When we reached the houses I saw two birds in the top of a small tree in an orchard - Woodchat Shrikes! One flew off, and the other flew to a different tree where I managed a photo of it. A target bird for the trip that I was worried we had missed! There was also a photogenic Collared Dove nearby.
From this site we took the bus into Pollenca, where we visited the start of the Boquer Valley (searching for Wrynecks) and La Gola, however rain was setting in and so the birds didn't show. After a brief stop for coffee and cake we took the bus down the coast to S'Albufera. On the way in, mum spotted a stunning Black-crowned Night Heron in the trees on the far side of the canal, which we saw very well compared to the bird I spotted on Sunday.
From the hides near the visitor centre we saw two Common Terns, as well as an Osprey. When we came back around later in the afternoon there was also a Purple Swamphen from these hides.
Next we walked up route 2 to the hide further away from the visitor centre. The walk was worth it, as, when we arrived, we were not only the only people in the hide but there were also lots of birds about. These included two Spotted Redshanks entering moult into summer plumage, a Greenshank, eight Marbled Ducks, two Little Ringed Plovers and an Audouin's Gull. A Little Grebe was showing well in front of the hide, in full breeding plumage.
Next we went down to my favourite hide, that looks over the scrapes that are good for waders. Surprisingly there were very few waders about today, the best being a Spotted Redshank, two Greenshanks and a Snipe, however the biggest surprise was a Collared Pratincole. There was also a male Garganey, a Greater Flamingo, a Black Vulture in the distance and two Glossy Ibis that flew over.
Walking back to the visitor centre we saw a Nightingale as it sang away in it's tree, and a Black-winged Stilt performed very well in front of one of the hides near the visitor centre. A Cettis Warbler was perched on a tree by the path and as we left we had nice views of a Cattle Egret.
