Sunday, May 6, 2012

Yes, That island Again

Here’s a quick update for blog readers and apologies that I do not have time to visit all my internet friends blogs and answer their comments. i will get back to you all soon. In the meantime and a week on the sun tans are taking shape and we are acclimatised once again to the Menorcan pace of life. 

After 4 days in Es Mercadal we moved on to Santo Tomas, a quiet seaside resort in May, a place to strike out for a walk east along the shore and then inland to Es Migjorn Gran or west towards the resort of Son Bou. Either way is good for a spot of immediate birding with Audouin’s and Yellow-legged Gulls providing the background chorus as we find Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Turtle Dove and Hoopoe before we leave the resort. 

 Yellow-legged Gull
 
 Audouin's Gull 

 As the ground opens out we scan the rocky shore and see Common Sandpipers and then bump into Blue Rock Thrush, Stonechat and late Wheatears still heading north.

Commmon Sandpiper

Upon reaching Platja de Binigaus, the nudist beach, we become a little circumspect with use of binoculars, but notch up Kestrels, Booted Eagles and Red Kite by diverting eyes left to watch the inland fields and tree line. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 

We followed the inland path to Es Migjorn, a quiet, friendly sort of place with too many cafes which serve good coffee but a town where siesta is taken seriously. There was a plan, walk back to the shore through meandering paths where we found the Nightingales, Woodchats, Corn Buntings and Golden Orioles of recent years. Nothing much changes in Menorca, except that I’d love to get a shot of a shy Golden Oriole. 

 Woodchat Shrike

More from Anothe Bird Blog in Menorca soon.

12 comments:

  1. Lovely photos, Phil. I'll probably never get to Menorca because my husband would say "We've done Spain, I want to go to Italy" and I have never had a great desire to visit Italy. Don't know why. Although I'd love to be in a boat looking up at Cinque Terre.
    We shall see. Britain is definitely on the Must Do list now that our friends Judith and Mike are living there in a narrowboat, and I have several blogging friends to visit. But Menorca and Majorca, probably not.
    K

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  2. Sounds like a great vacation and wonderful bird sightings. The Woodchat Shrike is an awesome looking bird. Your photos are wonderful.

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  3. Some beautiful gull portraits and hope you enjoy your holiday....Reminds me when I was on an island in Australia and I was chasing an osprey over large sand dunes in a remote part of an island. (maybe Stradbroke) I just got to the top of one huge dune and looked down in front of me to see two beautiful girls completely topless lying their backs on the smooth white ocean sand at the foot of the dune infront of me. I only had time to realise what I was looking at when they looked up to see me standing there motionless holding my big 400mm lens. Man, that's almost 20 years ago...

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  4. ....Actually, it would have been a beautiful photo!

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  5. Hope you're having a great time Phil.........

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  6. The birds are exceptional Phil and how about some pics of you and Sue with your fresh new sun tans? I have to get mine sprayed on;')

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  7. I'd love to see the Audouin's Gull. It looks so smart in this plumage. The Common Sandpiper also looks much better in breeding plumage.

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  8. Hey Phil no worries, I am not any better. I love the header picture. Your shots are surreal. Anna :)

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  9. Hola Phil, que tal tus vacaciones en mi municipio des Migjorn? espero que las disfrutes y si podemos vernos el domingo, un cordial saludo

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  10. Bienvenido a mi localidad Phil, muy buenas fotos como siempre, he bajado a visitarte hoy al hotel y no he podido localizarte, a ver si el domingo podemos conocernos personalmente, un cordial saludo y un abrazo para ti amigo

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  11. Wow well done on the Audouin's gull, I've seen it only once in my life... You got a beautiful set of pictures Phil and hope you will get that shy golden oriole one day!

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  12. Great Photos, I found your sight by searching Birds to spot in menorca, I was trying to print a list for my kids to spot whilst in Santo tomas ( again ). They love the hoopee birds and that started them looking at the others to see how different they look. Gutted to not be able to print your blogs - you should do a Printable spotting list it'd be fab!!

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