Mallorca with kids 31.5 - 7.6.2022

So we had a nice holiday week in Mallorca with my mother and my kids. Our hotel was located in Alcudia, which is in north-eastern part of the island. 

Already from the buss windows which drove us to the hotel I was able to see couple of Eleonora´s Falcons, Redkites, lone Booted Eagle and some Kestrels.

Hotel area was nice, with lots of pools and activities for the kids. Here is some photos of Hawk-moths from the hotel garden and birds from Alcudia area.

Beautiful Alcudia.

Kids running to the store.

Audoin´s Gull from our hotel pool.

Audoin´s Gull from the shore near by. 

What a beauty this species is. 

Colias Croceus female. 

Spotted Flycatcher (Balearica)

Julius at the beach.

Yellow-legged Gull from the beach.

Macroglossum Stellatarum

Macroglossum Stellatarum

Macroglossum Stellatarum

Macroglossum Stellatarum

Pararge Megera?

Little Egret. 

Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum Cancellatum.

Hyles Livornica

Hyles Livornica.

Hyles Livornica.

Hyles Livornica.

So beautiful. Close relative of Hyles Gallii from Finland.

Closeup.

Hyles Livornica.

Vilm at the beach.

During the week I made two bird watching trips. First to Natural park Albufeira where I cycled from the hotel. Second trip was to Vall de Bóguer for Balearic Warbler, which I eventually found after searching for it some time. 

Natural park Albufeira is a real oasis. My target bird were Crested Coot and after an hour search I found a family of two adults and a chick. Other nice observations were Cinereous Vulture and Melodious Warbler. Other birds were mostly common bird from the Mediterranean area. Local Spotted Flycatcher of course were subspecies Balearica, which is different than here in Finland. 

View from the bird watching tower. Vulture passed this place. 

Mighty Cinereous Vulture. 

Eleonora´s Falcon.

Crested Coots.

Funny how different looking bird this is when compare to Common Coot.

Very common Cattle Egret.

I was inside of the photographing hide when I noticed these awesome Thick Knees.

I guess one bird was hatching and one just watching around.

At some point this bird stoop up and I saw it better.

Black-winged Stilts escorted Marsh Harrier away from the area.

European Serin were very common. Males were singing everywhere.

We also visited Palma de Mallorca. Aquarium and marine park were great and kids were happy. From the car I had three Woodchat Shrikes, which are subspecies Badius there. Shame that I did not get any photos. 

Vall de Bóguer were awesome place. High cliffs, bushy area and loads of Sardinian Warblers, two Peregrine Falcons, Goldfinches, Linnets and many European Stonechats. Finally almost at the end of the road I found one male Balearic Warbler and possibly same bird was running on ground and it fooled me totally. No photos... After I left I also quickly visited Natural park Albufereta, but it only gave me Swamp Hen, nothing much more. Singing Corn Bunting is always a pleasure, cause it is so rare here in Finland. 

Female type Stonechat. 

Adult male European Stonechat.

Graphosoma Italicum

End of the road. What a place. 

Balearic Warblers live here. 

Massive stones along the small road. 

Pyronia Tithonus from Albufereta.

Sardinian Warbler from Albufereta.

Western Swamphen from Albufereta. Distant bird...

All my target species in the bag I spend the rest of the trip with kids at the pool. Very nice place, lots of birds, easy with kids, hotel Seaclub very good for families. 

More birding later. 

-Tom 

Eagle from the balcony. 29.5.2022

 I was at home, doing really nothing. During the day many messages of spotted eagles passing watching points around Helsinki. At some point I noticed a message of White Storks heading towards the area where I live so I took my camera and went to balcony with high hopes. I didn´t have any binoculars or telescope with me, only my camera. After ten minutes I noticed a large bird flying towards our house. I took three sets of pictures and through the camera I already knew that I was looking at some kind of eagle. From the photos was pretty clear that the bird was Lesser-spotted Eagle! Even better than the storks! I sent an alarm message and soon Kari Lindblom saw the bird about 2km from our house. Cool! Here is couple of photos of the bird.

Lesser-spotted Eagle.

Same pic, little closer.. 

-Tom 

Buff-breasted Sandpiper and other waders 28.5.2022

 On 27th a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found from Elimäki, Kouvola. I had seen the species earlier in Finland, but for some reason I was interested to go and see that one too. Also nothing really interesting around Helsinki what could keep me here. I loaned my mothers car, cause gasoline prizes and her company pays all her driving. 

I arrived to Elimäki and there was few other cars parked along the small road. I took my stuff and started to walk towards the small flood where it was seen. I saw all the people were looking at same direction so I asked where to look and soon I was looking this little bird from arctic tundra of north-america. Crazy how birds from that far a way turned up here in Finland. 

At the same time I noticed that there was huge variation of waders in same area. Some Grey Plovers, lone Red Knot, four Red-necked Phalaropes, Temminck´s Stints, Broad-billed Sandpipers, Dunlins, Oystercathers etc. What a place! 

Here is a VIDEO and photos of the main target bird, and some other stuff too.

Poor picture, but in same photo BB-sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope and Ringed Plover.

Buff-breasted Sand. 

Here you can see typical differences compared to the female Ruff

Mirror mirror on the water... And so on. 

On my way back to the car two Grey-headed Woodpeckers were calling and I got this distant record shot of one of those. Not rarity, but always a pleasure to see this species too! 

Female Grey-headed Woodpecker from the distance.. 

-Tom