16 days in Majorca

I apologise for vanishing off the blog scene, but the last 20 days have not gone to anything like the intended plan.

Saturday 16 to Saturday 30 September was supposed to be 2 restful weeks at the Thomson hotel, the Picafort Park in Ca’n Picafort, which readers may recall we visited last May. This was the 5^th time we had been there, and we find the friendliness of all the staff, from the GM and ALL the staff, a welcoming that makes us realise we are amongst friends. We rate as newbies, with one couple there for the 30^th time (and others on 27 and 25), but you are sure to see a face you’ve remember – maybe not the name, but certainly the face. We met about 12 familiar faces including a couple we knew we would meet as we knew it was their Golden Wedding Anniversary. So, we helped them celebrate their Gold at a Gold hotel.

But the bad news, was that on the 11^th day, I was to find I had caught Pneumonia, and had to be blue-lighted to the Hospital in Palma. The medics did a good job analysing the problem, and we managed to avoid being hospitalised and got back to the Hotel by 9.00pm. The bad news?  Antibiotics negated the free drinks benefit of the All-Inclusive holiday terms, so Mary had to compensate. Ed: I coped!

Fortunately, the hotel was not full, so the excellent GM and Head Receptionist Leslie allowed us to stay in our room, for the extra 2 nights. Thomson Rep Jez did the biz with flights and transfers, and managed to avoid transferring us to a Monarch return flight!!!  This meant that for the first time we had a 16-day holiday.

We did make our mark!! We won the quiz 5 times = 5 bottles of Champagne; Mary won a case strap, I did the quiz twice, and I accompanied Chrissy the local Interest Rep, on a morning walk to Albufeira Nature Reserve. The   thrill for the 14 guests was to see the Osprey on a tree, happily tearing a fish apart.

Apart from the Osprey sighting, not a lot to report bird wise. I went for a short walk along the coast and picked up Thekla Lark (A Lifer, but on the O/S list) and an Isabelline Wheatear, a very erect Wheatear I’ve only seen once, in Cyprus, in October 2006.  

The Other good spot was whilst we were having a nice Paella lunch at the Ca’n Picafort Sailing Club, an Osprey flew over being harassed by 2 Audouins’ Gulls. Probably the resident rather than one on passage.

One of the consequences of coming home late was that I missed the Carsington Bird Walk on Sunday 1^st October. Amanda, Gary and Keith filled the gap, despite the rain, but 13 people were rewarded with views of a Rock Pipit among the Meadow Pipits, which was a good new addition to the BWB life list.

A few text messages went to and from the UK to Majorca, and I heard that Amanda was involved in finding a Wryneck, the strange member of the Woodpecker family, which she pointed out to many birders. A text message from Pat said "she gave a lot of men a lot of pleasure" (??) The Wryneck was not new for Amanda, she having seen one earlier in the year on her memorable trip to Ronaldsay. 

Anything else?     Markeaton Bird Watchers Walk in 10 days, Sunday 15^th October, at 10.30.

A nice picture to end with. We saw it flying around our heads as we sat listening and watching the evening entertainment at the hotel.  A Preying Mantis which kept picking off any passing moths.

Happy Birding

David

Rave Subbuteo views?? !!

OK, Monday September 11^th, and I bottle it; I said I was going to Rutland, but the weather did look decidedly iffy, and it was in fact on and off showers all day.

This also gave me a chance to retreat to the garage, to re-make a bird table for Sarah.  Back in 2006 I used to make a lot of bird tables, as often as possible and initially from any scrap wood I could get. But as the numbers increased I had to buy most of the wood. I got to the stage that I could make 2 in a day, including painting and assembly. I bought a small circular saw so I could cut up the 31 components for each table very quickly, and I sold many of them to friends and contacts, and at Carsington. My most notable one had a feeding table made from a lavatory seat lid!!

I must be honest….as I was doing all the work in the garage I was able to smoke as I worked. In 2008, I was hospitalised following a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), and I persisted with the non-smoking that had been enforced on me in hospital, so I lost one of the raisons d’etre for being in the garage!!

Now, 3,557 days later the saving at £6 per day = £21,342, has made it all worthwhile.

After 8 years, I was therefore a bit out of touch with making bird tables, but I managed to cannibalise a wooden garden seat, bought a table top, and Sarah did get her bird table. Ironic, because at least 6 pieces came from a dilapidated wooden garden seat, which Sarah and Julian had originally given us, so it was good recycling. 

Her new one looks like…

Anyway, Tuesday September 12^th, I decided that I would see what I could find at Rutland Water. The news was good, so I went straight to the North Arm, and with 4/5 fellow birders with scopes, we finally picked up a distant single Black Necked Grebe. Whilst it was repeatedly diving, we could see how much smaller it was  alongside the nearby Great Crested Grebes. We could also just about make out the steep forehead.

A trip to the Fisherman’s Car park to look for a Red Necked Grebe, was abortive and other birders had similar failures. Another day I hope.

So it was off to the main centre for the latest sighting news. Apparently, the reports of a Ruddy Shelduck appeared to be history, so my remaining target was the American Wigeon, which I was told was viewable (with luck and hard work) from Grebe hide.

Mary had waved me off with a tear in her eye, and a Black Pudding and Egg salad so I decided to dine al fresco. The American Wigeon had been around for 16 days, so it was not likely to leave in the next 30 minutes.

Yet another coincidence; I’m sitting by my car, and the couple in the next car turn out to be Wenyu and James, 2 fellow volunteers from Carsington.

I told them that because I have lost almost 4 stone following my operation in May 2016, I’m still trying to add fat.. and the reason for the Black Pudding is that a single round of Black pudding includes 83% fat and 16% protein, so where’s the harm in that. Trouble is, I became hooked on Black Pudding for breakfast, on 18^th October, and despite a full English for over 300 days, I still haven’t added any weight!!     

Ed:   Can we talk about something other than Black Pudding - it upsets Slim Bridge.

The four men in the Grebe hide did not seem to be sure whether they were “on” the Wigeon, and kept talking about the poor light, and “it’s gone behind the island (which island?)”. I spent about an hour in the hide searching and watching birds emerging from behind the 4/5 islands, but to no avail.

As some consolation, a Hobby (and in due course 2) kept flying in front of the hide and across the reeds, calling and picking off Dragonflies at will. Sometimes it perched in a tree before setting off on another sortie. Brilliant viewing.

3 experienced birders came in, and within  a couple of minutes they had found the American Wigeon, and with directions I was able to identify the duck, with the greyish eye patch, and a very wishy-washy wings colouring – well it was in eclipse. Only the second time I’ve seen this bird, the first occasion at Anglers Country Park near Barnsley on 28^th February 2004. 

I leave you with my Year to Date at a satisfactory 202, and with a forthcoming 2 weeks rest, I’ll be posting again in a fortnight.

Don’t forget the next Carsington walk is Sunday October 1^st.

Happy Birding