Violet Carpenter Bees and a Quail

A family visit to old Pollenca, an ancient town some 4 miles inland from the coast. One of the most famous landmarks is the hilltop chapel, reached via 365 stone steps, flanked either side by the most charming abodes that you can imagine. The small, well-tended gardens attract insects, with one in particular a magnet for at least six Violet Carpenter Bees. I whiled away a quarter of an hour in their company and managed to obtain some decent photographs.

I elected to walk back to Port de Pollenca, via a most memorable side trip up to the Puig de Maria monastery. This is reached by a narrow, twisting track which ascends through Holm Oak woodland before opening out when reaching the summit. The views are spectacular. From here a scan of the mountain range opposite will most probably result in raptors - today they included two Black Vultures, three Griffon Vultures and a Booted Eagle - all whilst I was being buzzed by an inquisitive Swallowtail butterfly.

I cut back to P de P via several meandering quiet roads, through utterly charming countryside, where the hot afternoon torpor was broken by the ever-present Woodchats, Serins and - most unexpectedly - a singing Quail.

Comments

Unknown said…
Bringing back happy memories for me. Puerto Pollensa has a cracking market where a bloke with a small boxy shaped caravan stall sells cured 'sausages' and he is the real deal. They taste delicious with a scrap of cheese and some wine in the evenings!

One tries to work the weight off back home but you seem to be doing fine with all that walking!

Just north of Apartamentos Habitat (by a roundabout on the road to Pollensa) there are some rough arable fields where I enjoyed some botanising during the evenings. Probably built over by now.
18 July 2016 at 20:51
Steve Gale said…
Andrew, such fields do still exist. I wouldn't mind running a moth trap here, but logistics (and respect to my family) prohibits it!
18 July 2016 at 21:47
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