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