La Gola Reserve and Visitors Centre

La Gola Reserve is located in the town of Puerto Pollensa just off the seafront within easy reach of the shops close to the hotel La Goleta and Mombassa bar. If you are staying in one of the many hotels on the front it is an ideal walk each day around the lake and woodland scrub along the carefully laid paths with several viewing points. It is a great site during migration and in February 2016 the visitor centre reopened ( why it ever closed is beyond belief ) and since then there have been many great sightings with Melodious warbler and White-spotted bluethroat recorded alongside the Redstarts, Pied flycatchers and wood warblers. Woodchat shrikes are regular as are Hoopoe. 2018 saw a Red-Backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch and best of all a Red Flanked Blue Tail.

There are normally Egrets and Grey Heron and on occasion, you will see a fishing Osprey. Resident Warblers and Crossbills can be found here and its proximity to the Peninsula also attracts Audouins Gulls. During the winter there are many Black Redstarts and also Kingfisher as well as a Common Sandpiper.

The visitors centre is permanently manned during opening hours with the very knowledgable Cristina who has plenty of maps and species checklists but just as important is an avid birdwatcher.

This Spring during migration, there has been record numbers of European Bee Eaters passing through and sightings of various warblers such as Great Reed Warbler and plenty of Whitethroats in addition to the normal wood warblers, pied flycatchers and redstarts.

There is an information centre at the entrance to the reserve this is open most of the year but with different daily opening hours. During the birding seasons on Saturday afternoon, it hosts a talk by a visitor such as Maties the Director of the S’Albufera or a representative from one of the successful conservation groups such as the BVC or Life Bonelli.

Sat 8am-12am

The centre has well as having many free maps of bird sites is manned by an experienced birdwatcher and it is also used as an educational centre for school trips is located at the entrance to the reserve.