Go Slow in Mallorca

The popularity of Mallorca as a holiday destination is well known and is derived from its great natural beauty characterised by mountains, extensive marshes, woodlands, craggy coastlines and sandy beaches. Its main geographical feature is the Tramuntana Mountain range which runs from south-west to north-east along the north coast, sheltering the remainder of the island from colder northerly weather. It is a superb destination for seeing birds of the western Mediterranean with species such as Hoopoe, Bee-eater and Nightingale joined by migrating waders, swallows and martins, with perhaps the odd vagrant or two.

Following a direct flight from Gatwick to Palma we will drive to our excellent 4-star hotel, the Pollentia Club Resort, in the peaceful north-east of the island close to the town of Puerto Pollensa. We will be based here for the whole week, exploring the area’s wide range of habitats at a leisurely pace. The relaxed pace will also allow plenty of time to enjoy the hotel’s extensive range of facilities which include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa and sauna. Breakfast and dinners at the hotel are buffet-style and we will take picnic lunches with us on our daily excursions. The hotel even has its own private hide overlooking the S’Albufereta Marsh which we will visit in search of species such as Osprey, Western Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Stilt, Greater Flamingo, Kentish Plover, and Sardinian and Cetti’s Warblers, amongst others.

During the week we will visit the quiet Bocquer Valley where we may find Booted Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Balearic Woodchat Shrike, Balearic Warbler and Wryneck; the Cuber Reservoir where, with luck, we may find both Griffon and Cinereous (Black) Vultures; the rocky Formentor Peninsula where we should see Scopoli’s and Balearic Shearwaters off the point; the vast Albufera Marsh home to egrets, herons, Western Swamphen, Marbled Duck, Avocet and Great Reed Warbler, and the Salinas de Levante in the south of the island where we may find Thekla Lark and Audouin’s Gull.