Menorca in May 2018.

If I had known in advance that the UK would be at least 5-6c hotter than on the Island of Menorca at the beginning of May then I may have stayed at home.;-) As it happened the temperatures were just right for a spot of birding, sightseeing and sunbathing!

A few images to follow whilst it is still the month of May...just!!

I had once again booked a days guided birding/wildlife with Javier of http://menorcawalkingbirds.com/en/ I can highly recommend him for a good days birding and also the Menorcan picnic he brings along for lunch! It consists of  Menorcan bread, cheese, cold meats, tomatoes, fruit and biscuits, I can taste it now,  delicious! :-)

The highlights species seen on the day were: (as encountered on the day)  Corn Bunting, Thekla Lark, Tawny Pipit, Booted Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Honey Buzzard x2, Kestrel, Collared Pratincole x2, Blue Rock Thrush, Red-Footed Falcon, Short-toed Eagle, Red Kite, White Wagtail, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Squacco Heron, Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Redshank, Coot, Mallard, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret, Raven, Woodpigeon, Blackbird , Marsh Harrier, Peregrine falcon, Collared Dove, Spotted Flycatcher, Cory's Shearwater, Shag, Woodchat Shrike, Turtle Dove x3, Nightingale and Cetti's Warbler heard only, Spotless starling, Swift, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Roller, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Yellow Wagtail and a visit to a breeding colony of Cattle Egrets was a good sight and sound! We were told it get's quite noisy when the chicks have hatched!
                                          
                                                       Kestrel

                                     Can you spot the sheep?
                  It took me quite a while to notice them, they have a good camouflage!

                                                    
                                                  Blue Rock Thrush

                                
                                 Wonderful views were enjoyed of the sea and cliffs.

                            
                          The 3 Shags were on the rock in the centre of the above photo.

                                               
                                                Red-footed Falcon! A lifer!

                                                      
                                             
                                                   A Red-veined Darter.

              The view was from a viewing point called El Toro (The Bull). A wonderful vista!

 Marshland where the Herons were sighted, good scope views were enjoyed of the Purple and Squacco Herons.
                                

                                                 3 Turtle Doves, another Lifer!

Flower meadows were a delight to see especially when the sun shone which was not all of the time unlike in the UK.;-)

 

Egyptian Vulture.

  
                                                   Speckled Wood butterfly.

                                           Orchid, I believe it to be a Pyramidal.

 

Nightingales were to be heard singing in many areas. The one in the photo came out  from under cover for a few seconds as walked along a Gorge. Another Lifer and a little beauty! Magic!!!

 

Spotted Flycatcher. These were also singing along with doing what their name says...fly catching! Stunning birds!

                                           
                                                 Beautiful Demoiselle
                                                       

                                                Synema globosum

I shall end this half of the trip report with a Spotted Flycatcher that posed for me.

 

The next instalment will be posted shortly..well I am aiming for within a week, we shall see.

Thank you for viewing.