18/05/2004 00:00
TW
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Staff Reporter S'ALBUFERA, Majorca's natural parkland in the north of the Island, has registered more than 300 visits a day this month. Enthusiasts are made up of a mixture of native Islanders and tourists coming mainly from Great Britain, Holland and Germany. May is the time of year when migratory birds are most in evidence and the level of water in these wetlands are considerably high due to the recent rains.



According to Maties Rebassa, Conservation director, this number of visitors is only the amount registered daily through the park's reception area and does not include those who choose to enter the park at other points.

Rebassa said that s'Albufera park enjoys “recognition” at an international level, because birdwatching enthusiasts from other European countries come to Majorca, solely to visit the park and its wildlife.

In spite of there not yet being a current census of the wildfowl, the park's monitors have detected an increase in respect of 2003 in species such as herons. Other wildfowl which have arrived by this time of year are coots and redstarts. They mingle freely with sedentary species which are present in the park all-year-round, such as wild ducks, white woodpeckers and harriers.

It is in May that the majority of species lay their young but the season continues until July. Rebassa highlighted the fact that the eggs of ducks and coots are hatching at the moment and confirmed it is a fine time to observe these birds.

At the beginning of this year, two new observation points were established on the Camino de Ses Puntes and on Es Colombar, with the aim of attracting a greater number of visitors.

The Natural Park of Albufera in Majorca straddles the boundaries of Muro and Sa Pobla in the North of the Island and covers an area of 1'688 hectares, 80 percent of which fall under the jurisdiction of public property. The water table of interweaving channels extends for 655 kilometres, combining fresh with salted water which swells in from the sea at certain points.