The Parque Natural de S’Albufera is trying to get back to normality after unusual, in fact disastrous inundaciones (rainfalls) last week. The Northeast of Mallorca, together with Palma, had been particularly badly hit by very heavy rains and flooding ten days ago. The storms with of up to 190 litres of rainfalls per square meter caused the water levels in S’Albufera to rise by some 60 centimetres creating havoc amongst the feathered creatures.

You may recall that S’Albufera is a nesting ground for many species of birds and fowl, including some rare species of wildfowl.

Strong rainfalls and flooding are not unusual in S’Albufera but they normally occur in the autumn when breeding is never an issue. But this time, the floods swept away scores of the breeding nests and eggs, killing also many of the smallest chicks that had recently hatched. It has now transpired that many of the birds have lost their entire brood.

One might expect that Nature will most likely prompt the birds to attempt to reproduce again. However, this will mean hatching at the end of June and the beginning of July, coinciding with the dry season when food supplies will be scarce. Poor things.

Thankfully, not all birds build their nests on ground level. Those Aves which nest in trees managed to survive the mayhem. Phew.

The photo was borrowed from the Internet. My thanks go to mallorcazeitung.es and the unknown photographer.

Vielen Dank.