Mallorca day 9-10: back to the swamp

Day 9 on Mallorca was another rest day. I did little more than trundle to the beach at Port de Pollenca to photograph the desmarestii sub-species of Shag which is found in the Med, and was amused to find a few revellers from the night before enjoying the early morning light on the beach. Returning via the town's La Gola nature reserve, a few more Mediterranean Flycatcher were the main highlight. My son and I did manage a brief trip to the S'Albufureta - S'Albufera's little sibling - where an Osprey, more Stilts and my first Woodchat Shrike of the trip provided some interest, but otherwise day 9 saw me subject to the tyranny of time by the swimming pool.

Marbled Duck at S'Albufera

Marbled Duck is considered globally vulnerable due to habitat loss and hunting

Six birds were present in total

Two of the flock loafing on the water's edge

I find these rest days quite stressful so resolved to get up early the next morning while everyone else was still in bed and revisit S'Albufera. The mosquito bites from my first visit had changed by this point from angry red burning wheals to angry red itchy rashes, so this time I went better prepared. Long-trousers and boots got their first outing of the holiday, but covering my arms presented a dilemma as I had only taken one long-sleeved shirt with me: a dark blue number with tan trim which my sons would describe as a 'party shirt'.

Juvenile Black-winged Stilt, S'Albufera

Over 50 Stilts were on this one pool at S'Albufera

This youngster was attempting log-balancing

Adult female Black-winged Stilt

It was not your typical birder's outfit, and I did get some funny looks from other visitors as the morning progressed, the heat rose, and the inappropriateness of my attire became more apparent. I consoled myself with the thought that these T-shirt-and-shorts folks would be itching by the time they got home, while I would smugly be bite-free, protected not just by my disco gear but by the lashings of citron-scented insect repellant procured at vast expense from a local chemist.

This young Goldfinch landed on the street in Port de Pollenca

The Mediterranean desmarestii sub-species of Shag, Port de Pollanca

Med Flycatcher at La Gola, Port de Pollenca

Med Flycatcher, Port de Pollanca

Anyway, enough catwalk talk, there was birding to be done and it started well: the fine selection of herons from my first visit were still present, with Night, Squacco and Purple Heron in a variety of plumages. Before the sun had risen convincingly, a small flock of Greater Flamingo rose briefly above the skyline, just long enough to grab a few pictures.

Glossy Ibis - commonplace at S'Albufera

Juvenile Night Heron, S'Albufera

Purple Swamphen, S'Albufera

Immature Squacco Heron, S'Albufera

All very nice, but not yet what I was hoping for. S'Albufera is a good site for the Marbled Duck, a globally threatened species classified as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN and I had yet to see one anywhere in the world. Fellow Dorset resident Marcus Lawson had provided some potential site details including a lagoon on the edge of the reserve, but this had dried out in the summer heat unfortunately. The deepest water at this time of year would be on the main reserve and sure enough, as I entered a hide on the Sa Roca trail, first one, then two, and eventually half a dozen of these attractive waterfowl gathered in front of the hide. A good morning then, even though Moustached Warbler continued to elude me.

Greater Flamingo at S'Albufera

The flock held 13 birds in total

Adult Red-knobbed Coot at S'Albufera

Juvenile Red-knobbed Coot at S'Albufera

It was a productive return to the swamp, but one of the best moments of the day was yet to come: as I made my way home via the Port de Pollenca ring road, two large soaring white birds with black wing tips caught my eye. My instinctive reactive was 'White Stork' but on pulling over for a better view it became clear they were in fact Egyptian Vultures - a bird I had hoped to see on the trip but had been advised could be very difficult!

Egyptian Vulture, Port de Pollenca

Egyptian Vulture, Port de Pollenca

Egyptian Vulture, Port de Pollenca

Woodchat Shrike on the back roads to S'Albufureta