{"id":5423,"date":"2018-06-19T12:08:33","date_gmt":"2018-06-19T12:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=5423"},"modified":"2018-12-15T12:16:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-15T12:16:41","slug":"beauty-the-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=5423","title":{"rendered":"Beauty & the Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"Spotted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spotted Flycatcher close to the entrance to the Boquer valley.<\/p>\n

The final post from from a fantastic couple of weeks in Mallorca.<\/p>\n

Having enjoyed a browse around Puerto Pollensa we decided to walk back to the hotel along the seafront before crossing over by the Ca\u00b4n Cuarassa and heading inland to explore the northern end of the S’Albuferata. Really good to see how the access to the reserve has been improved over the past few years. Certainly don’t recall viewing screens or some of the larger areas of open water being present when we first visited the area 10 years ago.<\/p>\n

On this occasion no sign of the Bee-eaters and with it being mid-day few other birds to be seen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\"Swallowtail<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plenty of Butterflies on the wing. Great to see several Swallowtails and dozens of Clouded Yellows nectaring on the Scabious.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Swallowtail<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Swallowtail<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Strange how back home our native Swallowtails are so restricted to the open fens and marshes of Norfolk. Hopefully recent visits to the south coast by the continental form will continue.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Camargue<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Next morning and another early start.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Woodchat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A superb Woodchat Shrike on the lookout for an easy dinner.<\/p>\n

With the adjacent arable fields appearing to be farmed in a largely traditional way no shortage of beetles and small mammals to keep the Shrikes and Hoopoe’s interested. We did have a look for the Shrike’s larder however apart from a large Prickly Pear there wasn’t anything else obvious nearby. Although a little bit gruesome it would have been interesting to see the range of prey impaled on the thorns.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\"Woodchat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Amazing how such an innocent looking bird can have such a\u00a0macabre way of feeding. The only giveaway is the slightly hooked beak.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n