More From The Med

Readers will discover that Sue and I are still in the Med. Here are more highlights of Menorca and the birdlife found here in May. Apologies for the lack of commentary but I’m doing this post on a Wi-Fi tablet. The photo captions will reveal where are. Don't forget to click the pics for a tour of Menorca.

Es Grau - Menorca

Little Egret at Es Grau

Viewing screen at Es Grau

Purple Heron at Es Grau

 Turtle Dove at Es Grau

 

Cap de Cavalleria - Menorca

Stonechat - Cap de Cavalleria

Audouin's Gull - Cap de Cavalleria

Corn Bunting - Cap de Cavalleria

Es Mercadal - Menorca 

 

Plato del Dia - Menorca

The Lobster - Fornells, Menorca 

Bee Eater near Es Mercadal

Hoopoe near Es Migjorn, Menorca

Woodchat Shrike near Es Migjorn, Menorca

Sunset at Sant Tomas, Menorca

Scops Owl - Sant Tomas, Menorca

Another Bird Blog is back in the UK soon. Log in then for more birds, birding and bird ringing.

Menorca Mop-Up

A rainy start to Thursday means I may not get birding until later or even Friday. So for today I’m posting left-over photographs from Menorca 2014, and then no more until next year - promise. 

Below, a Spotted Flycatcher, a common species in early May, this one near Cala Galdana. 

Spotted Flycatcher

There was a ringed Audouin’s Gull near the hotel most days. The Darvic letters BCFH looked familiar from 2013, and so it proved. The gull had been ringed as a chick in the nest at Cap Menorca, Ciutadella on 4th July 2008 but later taken a liking to Sant Tomas where I’d seen it in 2013 too. 

Audouin's Gull

Here’s a female Stonechat at the roadside from Tirant to Cap de Cavalleria. She was irate that we were near to her nest. 

Stonechat

Near Tirant - Menorca

I’m told that the insect is a not uncommon Scarlet Darter, the following photo the usual distant view of the elusive and shy Purple Heron, and then an unidentified millipede sp. 

Scarlet Darter

Purple Heron

Menorcan Millipede

Two Donkeys at Es Migjorn, much in love

Menorcan Donkeys

Black-winged Stilts at two different sites, Es Grau and Addaia. 

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Woodpigeons on Menorca have noticeably darker plumage than our UK ones, but just like our own the Menorca ones are also losing their fear of man by frequenting towns and gardens on a regular basis.

Woodpigeon

A break from birds with a few pictures from our favourite coffee stop - the charming, unspoilt, quiet town of Es Mercadal. 

A Bistro - Es Mercadal

Street Scene - Es Mercadal

The Old Smithy - Es Mercadal

 

Coffee Stop - Cas Sucre at Es Mercadal

To finish today’s post, here is the ubiquitous Egyptian Vulture and a Bee-eater on that rusty old fence. 

Egyptian Vulture

Bee-eater

 
I hope blog readers enjoyed Menorca? We certainly did.

And who knows what tomorrow's post will bring?  Stop by Another Bird Blog soon to find out.

As you might expect, this post is linking to Theresa's Run-A-Round Ranch where you can find more birds on fences.

Rainy Day Post

For today’s rainy day post I’m using up the photographs from May’s Menorca holiday which produced 19 days of sunshine. I’m then binning the remainder of the pictures before everyone complains about Menorca overkill.

Es Grau just 4 miles from the capital of Mahon, is a typical Menorcan fishing village, where 85% of the population are true Menorcans. Close to and part of the village is the Nature Reserve of S’Albufera, an area ideal for walkers and where a typical selection of May birds can be found if you try hard enough. Here’s a selection of pictures from Es Grau with minimal comment from me.

Carrer D'Es Pescadors, Fisherman's Street - Es Grau

There were masses of Spotted Flycatchers in early May, one decided to fly off just as I clicked the shutter button, making for a weird shot.

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Audouin’s Gulls are fairly commonplace in coastal locations like Es Grau while Yellow-legged Gulls are more numerous both on the coast and inland.

Yellow-legged Gull

Audouin's Gull

Audouin's Gull

 I think the creature below is known as a Beautiful Damselfly.

Beautiful Damselfly 

Es Grau, Menorca

Like many of the heron family Purple Herons can be very shy, usually taking off long before you spot them skulking in the reeds where their stripy appearance makes them blend in. Little Egrets can often be more confiding.

Purple Heron

 

Little Egret

There’s a viewpoint just outside the village where birds of prey circle on the thermals and Bee Eaters feed on high, so high that sometimes they can barely be seen but their liquid calls make you look up for their whereabouts. Click on the xeno-canto button to be transported to the Mediterranean.

Bee Eater

Red Kite

Booted Eagle

Coots and many other species were feeding young in early May.

Coot

Es Grau

Es Grau 

That's all for today folks, let's hope the weather improves soon to something like that of the Mediterranean.