Tag Archives: Birds

Swan Lake

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Not many things are prettier than the grace of a swan. On the lake of the Palacio Real de la Almudaina in Palma we have a brace of white swans – years ago there was a pair of black swans, but one died and the other one got into a severe depression and had to be moved to a home for widowed swans. Recently, the pair of white swans have grown into, one can only assume, a happy family of five. Three little swan babies, or is it chicks, have hatched a few weeks ago. The proud parents show off their brood happily to the visitors, begging for attention and perhaps for food as well. I think we should not feed the swans but I definitely think you should go and see the regal offspring next time you make your way to Palma. It is such a pretty, graceful and soothing sight.

We are so lucky to be blessed with such marvels of nature, right at our doorstep, so to speak.

The photos were taken in Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: July 10th, 2012. The time was 12:45:37 and 12:46:48, respectively.

El Portitxol

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El Portitxol is the name of what used to be a fishing harbour just outside of the island capital. El Portitxol forms part of El Molinar which is now a suburb of Palma. Over the last twenty years, both, El Portitxol and El Molinar have slowly but surely begun to be transformed from a down-market area where fishermen and gypsies lived, as well as workers and other people on low incomes, to a popular area with lots of bars and restaurants, some of them a little chichi and some of them catering for Palma’s yuppies.

Even though El Portitxol is near the capital city and really part of it, it seems worlds apart. If you go there early in the morning or late in the evening, it seems rather sleepy and rural. You can hear and sense the busy life going on in a distance but here, time seems to pass much slower. In fact, it is so quiet and laid back here that some wildlife can be found prospering here, such as the Corb Marí Emplomallat (Common Shag). A rather large flock gathers every late afternoon on the low rocks between Club Nàutic Portitxol and the Club Nàutic Es Molinar.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: May 18th, 2012. The time was 18:05:37. The photo (bottom) was taken in Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 28th, 2012. The time was 14:47:21.

The Reserva Natural s’Albufereta

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If you know Mallorca and love the island for its natural beauty you will most likely know the Parc Natural s’Albufera de Mallorca. The wetland of flooded marshes between Can Picafort and Alcúdia is certainly one of my favourite areas for peaceful outings, tranquil ambling and walks and exciting activities such as bird watching or nature studies of plants and wildlife in their natural habitat.

The Reserva Natural s’Albufereta is a smaller but similar wetland but is a bit of a poor relative of the better known and more popular s’Albufera. I somehow prefer s’Albufereta because I can watch the same bird varieties with less Hoi polloi and fewer self-important bird-spotters. The vegetation of s’Albufereta is typical of the wetlands of the Mediterranean shore, with a predominance of reeds, bulrushes and rushes. S’Albufereta holds the Balearic Islands’ most important Tamarisk grove (Tamarix gallica and Tamarix canariensis). The Reserva Natural s’Albufereta provides a nesting ground for species such as the Purple Gallinule, the Marsh Harrier, the Black-winged Stilt, the Yellow Wagtail and the Sedge Warbler. Fan-tailed Warbler, migrant Bluethroat and Green Sandpiper can also be seen here. In Winter, common visitors are Cormorants, Egrets, and various species of ducks and geese.

Although s’Albufereta is a Nature Reserve, most of it is private property, so your visit should be limited to the perimeters of the protected area. Please, do not trespass.

The photo (top) was taken near Alcúdia, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: February 23rd, 2012. The time was 12:40:52. The photo (bottom) was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of birdinginspain.com.

Thank you very much.

Of European Shags and Eastern European Thugs

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I went back to the scene of our bag-snatching robbery yesterday in Es Molinar on the off-chance of finding a stolen laptop computer or else, a sign of the culprits. Instead, I found an idyllic scene of a flock of seagulls and a covey of European Shags (Latin: Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Castellano: Cormorán Moñudo), also known as Common Shags, being members of the cormorant family. The birds were waiting for a catch of fish, I suppose, before I saw them flying away, oblivious to our plight.

For those of you who might be interested in the petty crime scene in Mallorca’s capital, we were alternatively pointed to some housing estate of gypsies, to Latino gangs, to the drug scene of Son Banya, to the Moros and the Palma gangland made up of Eastern European thugs. But so far, no luck. Today, in the very early hours, we will try our luck at the Car Boot Sale in Consell. Wish us luck.

The photo was taken in Portixol, Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 28th, 2012. The time was 14:47:21.

The Falconry Competition

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Last weekend, a couple of Falconry competitions were held in Felanitx, more precisely in Son Valls, where champions were crowned in three categories, IX Campeonato de Halconería de Balears, V Campeonato de Sky Trial and II Campeonatos de Velocidad. Somehow I missed the event, what with the excitement of the Reyes and all, hence I had to borrow a photo from the Internet. To my surprise I then came across an announcement for another Falconry tournament coming up in Campos this coming weekend, the I Campeonato Mallorquin de Cetreria. That’s a lot of tournaments of Falconry. How exciting. I will try to not miss the forthcoming event in Campos, January 14th – 15th, at Finca Sa Barrala. I hope I will be able to find the venue.

The photo (top) was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of ultimahora.es and the photographer, Gabriel Vicens. The photo (bottom) was taken in Campos, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 9th, 2012. The time was 13:14:20.

Muchas gracias.

Of Ducks and Foolish Politicians

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We had another beautiful day yesterday with the weather giving me a good enough reason to go out on that daily photo shoot. When I found a good ten dozen ducks or Mallards, probably of the Ànnera mallorquina variety (Latin: Anas platyrhynchos), they must have thought I was shooting for real, because quick as a flash they took off and hurriedly escaped from the range of my lens. Well, almost. We have quite a bit of bird life here in the Felanitx area, mainly on account of a kind of wetland that the local compostation plant has created. Now, that Catalina Soler, ex-mayoress of Felanitx, has taken chair and presidency at the Medi Ambient (Environment and Conservation) portfolio within the Consell de Mallorca, she threatens to close Mallorca’s six compostation plants. Can someone tell the lady, please, and in Mallorquin so that she understands, that she is ignorant and foolish. Sorry, it had to be said.

The Ànnera mallorquina is one of 30 razas autóctonas (native Mallorcan animal breeds) and is said to have lived here for the last 200 years or so. Now, it is said that this particular duck is in a critical state of survival.

If you want to know more about Mallorca’s compostation plants you can look it up on my earlier post entry.

If you want to know more about Mallorca’s razas autóctonas you can look for information on this website (in Castellano and Catalan only).

The photo (top) was taken near Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 8th, 2012. The time was 13:57:05. The photo (bottom) was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of Wikipedia and the photographer, Mila Zinkova.

Thank you very much.

The Red-Legged Partridge

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The Perdiu had its big day yesterday in the pueblo of Montuïri. The Perdiu (Alectoris rufa) is a game bird, also known as the Red-Legged Partridge. The annual Fira de sa Perdiu was celebrated in Montuïri yesterday for the 33rd time. This traditional partridge event is quite a fascinating do. Farmers, hunters and game bird enthusiasts converge here every year to have their Perdiz Roja (as the bird is called in Castellano) sing, perform and compete to hopefully win one of the championship trophies. The overall championship winner yesterday was Toni Miralles with a score of 25 points. The rules for the competition are quite stringent, as are the guidelines and restrictions for partridge hunting season in Mallorca, which also happens to be relatively short (October 12th to January 25th).

The Red-Legged Partridge was introduced to Mallorca in the 13th century, possibly coming from the mainland with the conquistadors. The bird is said to now suffer a decline in populations throughout Spain due to excessive hunting. There are some 26,000 hunting licenses for small game in Mallorca; not all of the license holders made their way to Montuïri yesterday.

The photo was taken in Montuïri, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: December 4th, 2011. The time was 13:27:06.

The Chicken Coop

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Chicken probably first came to Mallorca thanks to the Romans, some 2,000 years ago. Ever since, they’ve been busy breeding and brooding, just like my friend’s hen in today’s photo.

My friend, a local farmer, is getting a bit old now. He has recently become inundated with chicken and seems to have lost some sort of control over his feathered friends. They just proliferate and breed and brood and breed some more.

I did not count the chicken when I was at his farm yesterday but, I guess there were about two dozen hens, two or three roosters and perhaps eight flocks of chicks. They were just everywhere, all over his small farm. And some hens were busy brooding.

The photo was taken near Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 22nd, 2011. The time was 19:47:44.

Mallorca And the Maltese Falcons

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Once upon a time, the islands of Malta used to be part of the Spanish Mediterranean empire. Spanish is not quite correct, as it was really the house of Catalunya-Aragón, a kingdom (1283-1530) that Mallorca was part of in those days.

Before the House of Aragón, the Byzantine empire had ruled Malta for a short period, then the Vandals took over, and eventually, the Moors (in 870 AD). The Moorish rule lasted until 1090, when the islands were taken by the Sicilian Normans, once more restoring Christianity in Malta. Subsequent rulers included the Anjouvines, the court of Hohenstaufen and, finally, the crown of Catalunya-Aragón.

The Iberians from Catalunya-Aragón ruled Malta until 1530, when King Carlos I decided to cede the islands to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease. A pledge was attached to this cession, but more of that in a minute.

Just in case you are interested, the Knights, a militant monastic order also known as the Knights of Malta, had been driven out of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire in 1522. They withstood a full-blown siege by the Ottoman Turks in 1565, who, at that time, were considered to be the greatest non-European military power. After this, the Knights decided to increase the fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where the new city of Valletta, named after Jean Parisot de la Valette, had been built.

The reign of the Knights of the Order of Malta ended when the islands were captured by the French Emperor Napoleon in 1798, when Bonaparte was en route with his expedition to Egypt. As a ruse, Napoleon asked for a safe harbor to re-supply his ships, but, once safely inside Valetta, turned against his hosts. A crafty fox, him.

The occupying French forces were unpopular, however, due particularly to their negative attitude towards the local religion. The Maltese rebelled against them, and the French were forced behind the fortifications. Great Britain, along with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, sent ammunition and men. Britain also sent her navy, which instigated a blockade of the islands. The isolated French forces surrendered in 1800, and the islands became a British protectorate until, in 1964, Malta was given independence.

Now let me tell you what all of this has to do with Mallorca.

When Carlos I ceded Malta to the Order of St. John on that indefinite lease, it was agreed that as an annual tribute, one live falcon should be paid. At that time, Royals were hunting with birds of prey, and the best birds available were falcons. From 1284 on, the King of Aragón received one such bird each year from the Maltese Knights, until the conquest by Napoleon ridded them of their homelands, and thus, ended their obligation to make any further payments.

For logistical reasons, in those days the live bird was always dispatched by sea and to the Aragonese port nearest to the King’s palace, as seen from Malta, which was Palma de Mallorca.

After 1798, there were no more live falcons in Mallorca, not from Malta. Not for another 200 years or so, that is. One fine day in November of 2005, the Maltese suddenly remembered this old tradition, and hence, sent a delegation to Mallorca from Malta carrying with them five live falcons. Of course, the birds were then deemed for King Juan Carlos I, as the House of Aragón had long since gone.

Sad as it may be, since 2005 no more falcons arrived from Malta, as far as I am aware.

The photograph was reproduced from a newspaper clipping in 2005 which originally had appeared in the Diario de Mallorca.

Muchas gracias.

Bird’s-Eye View

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Not often does one get a bird’s-eye view of a bird but there you are. I was looking out for tsunamis last Sunday when this little feathered fellow, quite probably a thrush of one kind or another, settled down barely a meter away on a low wall, allowing me to focus the lens and, woosh, flew off again into the middle-distance. No tsunamis that afternoon and no more birds either.

The location was the Castell de Sa Punta de n’Amer, just in case you wondered.

In case Jenny Saunders is reading this, they sell postcards of the Castell de Sa Punta de n’Amer in the bar of that very place. I have not seen postcards of the castell anywhere on the Internet.

The photo was taken near Portocristo, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 13th, 2011. The time was 15:37:08.