We arrived in Menorca under clear blue skies, and essentially it remained that way for the whole week. It was remarkably hot and settled for the time of year, and with temperatures peaking at between 27 and 31 degrees C each day, usually with little in the way of freshening breezes even by the sea, it proved a little too hot for many of the group. This of course required some changes to the planned itinerary – less strenuous  walks, actively seeking shadier places, and  some shorter days to allow swimming and rehydration time.

The settled conditions also meant autumn bird migration wasn’t really happening, and those small birds that were on the island were mostly hiding deep in shady scrub. Only the waterbirds were standing out and proud…

Likewise the Second Spring of autumn-flowering bulbs was at best sporadic, with a few patches of Autumn Daffodils, just the occasional spire of Sea Squill and a complete absence of Merenderas.

But the lingering summer meant that it was good for insects  and other larger invertebrates, anything in flower being covered in a confetti of butterflies and much more, so our week was full of interest.

The following four blogs will give a photo-based flavour of our week, not too many words, nor even many identifications – just a celebration of this beautiful small island, deservedly a Biosphere Reserve for the past 30 years, a designation which was only a month ago complemented by inscription of the outstanding archaeological landscape on the list of World Heritage Sites.

For more details and lists of what we saw, here is the Menorca report 2023, also available on the  Honeyguide website.

Autumn in Menorca with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays: Part 1 – Introduction

Autumn in Menorca with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays: Part 2 – Flowers and fruits

Autumn in Menorca with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays: Part 3 – Insects and spiders

Autumn in Menorca with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays: Part 4 – Birds and other vertebrates

Autumn in Menorca with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays: Part 5 – Landscapes of the island