ORNITHOLIDAYS TOUR TO SPAIN THE CANARY ISLANDS Winter Sunshine Break February Leader: David Walsh

Transcription

1 ORNITHOLIDAYS TOUR TO SPAIN THE CANARY ISLANDS Winter Sunshine Break February 2016 Leader: David Walsh

2 ORNITHOLIDAYS TOUR TO SPAIN THE CANARY ISLANDS Winter Sunshine Break February 2016 A Personal Diary This Ornitholidays tour to the Canary Islands was highly successful, helped by the weather which was kind to us throughout and never caused us to change our plans. There was plenty of winter sunshine on Tenerife in particular, and it was wonderfully mild as we marvelled at the landscape around the Teide volcano. Our carefully designed programme allowed us to experience the scenery and wildlife of three remarkably different islands, not to mention the ferry crossings to and from La Gomera. We enjoyed the food at both hotels. Once again, we were able to use direct flights both out to Tenerife and back from Fuerteventura, which effectively gave us an extra day in the field compared with our earlier tours. We saw all the endemic bird species extremely well. Blue Chaffinches were very confiding in the pines on Tenerife, whilst Atlantic Canary, Canary Islands Chiffchaff and Berthelot s Pipit were common as always. On La Gomera, Bolle s and Laurel Pigeons were seen wonderfully through the scopes, perching out in the open for ages, and we had seconds of both on Tenerife. Fuerteventura Stonechats were seen well at the first place we looked for them; in contrast, Plain Swifts kept us waiting until the last half-hour of our holiday! We enjoyed good looks at a number of distinctive subspecies including Goldcrest and Tenerife Robin, whilst our views of Cory s Shearwater on the ferry crossings were so special that it was voted Bird of the Trip. As seems to be the norm nowadays, Ring-necked Duck and Yellow-browed Warbler gave us rarities from different continents, the first successfully twitched, the second self-found. The early morning desert birding on Fuerteventura was magical as ever, with prolonged views of a Houbara Bustard as well as close sightings of both Cream-coloured Courser and Black-bellied Sandgrouse; the following day, it was a privilege to see a pair of Barbary Falcons in the hills. On this tour butterflies were in relatively short supply, but we saw some special dragonflies and this year s group particularly enjoyed looking at the distinctive flora. For many, the (nonavian) Champagne Moment of the entire trip was seeing five planets at dawn from one of our balconies on Tenerife! Friday 5 th February We landed at Tenerife South airport at 12.20pm, bang on time and, although it seemed to take an eternity to collect the keys for the minibus, in practice it wasn t too long before we were heading north-east along the motorway to our hotel in Las Caletillas. Check-in was splendidly efficient, but the lift system took a bit of getting used to! We enjoyed a late lunch in the restaurant, the first of many fine buffets, before spending a little time settling in to our preference rooms, all of which had balconies overlooking the sea to the south-east. That was to prove important later. At 3.30pm we set off and headed north. An accident on the motorway meant it took an age to make the short journey to Tejina Ponds, but eventually we arrived and parked up by a bar. Our first life tick was Eduardo Garcia del Rey, author of Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife! He was extremely helpful, freely sharing information on sites and recent bird news. His quarry was a Ruddy Shelduck, apparently the first record for these ponds, which we saw alongside the more mundane Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Mallard, Grey Heron, Common Greenshank and Common Sandpiper. The species list is short on the Canary Islands so even the common birds have to be enjoyed! We negotiated a short walk through some reeds before arriving at a second pond. In front of us were three resplendent Ring-necked Ducks! We admired these American vagrants for some time before returning to the bus, seeing our first African Blue Tit and Canary Islands Chiffchaff on the way. We had time to drive a little further, then walked 50 metres up a steep track to another pond, past a less than friendly dog. As I hoped, there was a heron roost here, and we saw nine Cattle Egrets, a Little Egret and a Black-crowned Night-Heron, although the latter disappeared all too soon. Common Buzzards soared overhead, a Canary Speckled Wood flitted along and our first Atlantic Canary perched up nicely. Then it was time to head off. En route to the hotel we stopped briefly at Valle Molino reservoir, but there wasn t time to do it justice so we continued on, arriving back at base at 6.50pm. An hour later we were warmly greeted in the restaurant, our waiter keen to please having sorted us a reserved table in the corner. It didn t take long to do our first bird list, then rabbit and goat were among the specialities Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 1

3 on the Canarian cuisine evening. We enjoyed both white and red wines, pleased to have seen some excellent birds on our first day, then retired in good time; ferry schedules meant that we needed to bring forward our visit to La Gomera from Sunday to Saturday. Saturday 6 th February We grabbed a quick coffee from the machine by reception and picked up our packed breakfasts before setting off at around 6.30pm. Via the motorway, we arrived at Los Cristianos in good time, which as it turned out was a very good thing. Normally I manage to be first in the queue in a deserted terminal. Not today. We discovered that it was carnival week on Tenerife, with school holidays as a result. Anyway, suffice to say we managed to get on the 8.45am ferry as planned, and having bought the tickets I joined the group on the balcony for a celebratory coffee. The boat left half an hour late due to the exceptional number of travellers (it was heading to La Palma after La Gomera). In the extra waiting time, we noted a Black-headed Gull on the beach at Los Cristianos as well as a flock of 10 Grey Herons heading east. Having set off, we were thrilled by the close views of Cory s Shearwaters, and had several encounters with cetaceans, with Shortfin Pilot Whales on the left and a pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins on the right: magic! An enormous cruise ship greeted us as we arrived on La Gomera. It then took ages for us to disembark, and we had a further delay whilst we checked the van s tyre pressures. Worse still, at the bottom of the hill where we wanted to turn off there was a no entry sign. What did it mean? Did it really mean we couldn t get to where we wanted? Could we plead ignorance? After much discussion, we ignored it and headed up the hill. As it turned out, it was only intended to put off vehicles over a certain width, the road being mended following recent landslides. Our bravery was quickly rewarded. From our chosen viewpoint, it wasn t long before we had scoped both Laurel and Bolle s Pigeons! I hardly needed to give my annual speech about concentrating on pigeons! A fantastic result in all respects, so we continued on and, seeing a number of Common Blackbirds on the road through the forest, made for our lunch spot, El Cedro restaurant. Water cress soup was the choice of those saving themselves for dinner, whilst goat and chicken were amongst the dishes offering more substantial fare! It was mild enough to sit outside on the terrace (in 2014 we had arrived freezing cold, so what a change!). A Goldcrest introduced itself to those relaxing after lunch; the local race of Chaffinch showed to all of us. We drove back up through the forest, only managing to glimpse one or two more Goldcrests and Chaffinches despite my best pishing, then turned right and left. The wonderful scenic viewpoints were much enjoyed along the way. At the last of them, we found Clouded Yellow and a Northern Wheatear, but the birds and butterflies were really supporting cast to the geology and flora. There was time for a short walk in San Sebastian Park, where the butterfly count was nil but we had our first chance to study the Spanish Sparrows. The return boat journey was much enjoyed, with further Cory s and cetaceans. It was great to be able to enthuse various youngsters on the boat, some of whom were really excited by the wildlife. On arrival we were pretty relaxed, which was good, because the ferry doors didn t open so the boat had to do an about turn for us to exit at the back! It was fascinating watching the impatient drivers. I put my foot down on the motorway and any issues were quickly forgotten, steak and red wine a popular choice in the restaurant. We had had as good a day on La Gomera as I could ever remember. Sunday 7 th February We were both surprised and amused to see a queue as we headed to breakfast. It wasn t a queue for food, but to bag a spot by the swimming pool! So we were unaffected, and able to relax over our omelettes or bacon and eggs. Aided by a selection of maps, we headed into the hills via Barranco Hondo and Machado, noting a variety of cacti in particular (as well as a couple of Grey Wagtails when on a detour having ignored the best map: my fault). Once at the main road, we turned left through the pines, soon stopping at Las Lagunetas where there was a popular restaurant as well as a small area of pasture which acted as a clearing in the forest. On my only previous visit here it had blown a gale, so I was chuffed to find it mild, sunny and calm. We parked up and pottered along a track. Doing our best to ignore the noise from more bikers behind us, we had great success, with excellent views of Tenerife Robin for all and Tenerife Goldcrest for most. The flora was also of interest, and for a lucky few there was a bonus in the form of a Canary Blue butterfly. Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 2

4 Continuing on up, with spectacular views on all sides, we stopped for coffee at El Portillo. It was tempting to wander off in search of birds, but those of us who moved more slowly were rewarded first, as the Blue Chaffinches came to us. One of the most wanted birds of the whole tour watched with loud music playing in the background in a small tree by a café! Bizarre. Many photos were taken before we drifted south across the spectacular scenery at the base of El Teide volcano. My plan was to head for lunch and forest birding first, and then return to do the geology later, but it was prudent to make one photo stop lest the clouds descended. Soon we arrived at the famous Las Lajas picnic site. Our own provisions seemed a little inadequate when compared to the splendid barbecues being enjoyed all around us! Undeterred, we finished lunch before exploring the pines. An African Blue Tit with a caterpillar drew the biggest cheer of the week, whilst Great Spotted Woodpecker alongside more Blue Chaffinches and Atlantic Canaries provided photo opportunities. The next hour or so was thoroughly relaxing but also instructive, as we made a number of stops, read the excellent display boards explaining the geological features in the area, took photographs, and tried to simply take in the incredible scenery around us. It was awe-inspiring to read that moon landings had been practised here. Birds seemed trivial really, but the Berthelot s Pipits were very tame and our first Great Grey Shrike welcome. We made a pit stop at El Portillo, with a repeat performance of Blue Chaffinch (and coffee). Then it was time to head down the main road to the north motorway and back to the hotel. We arrived at a sensible hour and had plenty of time to unwind before dinner. I had to pinch myself to really believe how well we d done, and how mild it had been at the high altitudes. Another 10/10 day. Monday 8 th February An early morning phone call isn t normally good news, but today was an exception. It was to alert me to the fact that five planets were visible from our balconies. Those interested were able to gather together and see Saturn (and rings), Jupiter (and moons), as well as Mars, Venus and the hardest-to-see Mercury just above the horizon. An incredible event, and I for one felt thoroughly privileged as we sat down to breakfast. Via a shop selling mobile phone chargers (and almost anything else one could imagine), we headed for our day in northern Tenerife. Less than an hour after setting off, we arrived at a roadside layby named Mirador (viewpoint) La Grimona. It was our back-up pigeon site, as well as the opportunity for a leg stretch. We noted a Laurel Pigeon in flight and scoped a Bolle s Pigeon which delighted some Dutch birders arriving by coincidence at the same time as us. A Canary Islands Large White butterfly was noteworthy, whilst the views behind us over the sea were impressive. A pit stop just up the road gave us the chance of a comfort break, coffee, proper sandwiches to top up our picnic and the opportunity to wash the minibus windows. Those who never know when to stop birding found another Robin! The road to the north-west tip of the island is interesting, but the falling rocks are now caught in large nets making things a little easier so the at your own risk signs have long since disappeared. We drove to the very end of Punta Teno, bagged a parking spot having beaten the crowds, then walked back through the euphorbias. A European Golden Plover did its best to imitate a Stone Curlew before Barbary Partridges flew and disappeared. Common Skylarks are not common here, so we were pleased to find a small group, and further unexpected reward came in the form of a Spectacled Warbler. We shared our lunch with the Northern Tenerife Lizards, discovering afterwards that the big ones and little ones were simply male and female of the same species. The sign indicated that we might see an Osprey, and we did, as one drifted over. Having finished our picnic we spent a little more time by the tomato plantations, but it was clear that the group of Common Rock Sparrows had departed for their breeding grounds up the hill, so we had to be content with Common Linnet. Heading east, I was determined to follow the book and find the good spot for waders beach. It took perseverance to locate, and when we did the wader count was nil, but it was a nice spot and there were several Cory s Shearwaters offshore. Further on, Garachico s rock held Yellow-legged Gulls as expected. I had promised everyone tickable views of the Dragon Tree in Icod, and although at first we overshot the turning, we did manage to find the required spot, although a coach with the same idea meant we were unable to linger. Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 3

5 I had purchased Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife specifically with the intention of finding obscure reservoirs which were close to our routes. Tabona was hard to find, but once there we were very excited to see a Black-necked Grebe, one of our best finds of the week! Buen Paso produced Blue Emperor dragonfly and a relatively easy-to-see Blackcap as well as Little Egret and Grey Wagtail. The rest of our journey went without a hitch, so we arrived back calm and with time to spare before dinner, something I hadn t always managed on the equivalent day in the past. We looked forward to a little more birding on Tenerife and then something completely different. Tuesday 9 th February This morning was cloudier, but Jupiter and Venus were still visible. After breakfast we loaded up and tootled north to Valle Molino reservoir, which seemed so much easier to find than on our first afternoon. On the water there were four Eurasian Wigeon and five Eurasian Teal. We were to discover later that a Blue-winged Teal took up residence the following day! I hadn t intended to stay long, but the flora was of interest, and a Barbary Partridge in a tree performed to a lucky few. A Yellow-browed Warbler appeared in the same tree: I wasn t used to finding one by seeing it without hearing it first. Sardinian Warbler, European Greenfinch and European Serin were bonus birds as we waited patiently for better views of the YBW which many of us obtained successfully. There was time for one more birding spot, so we headed to the south fringe of the airport. I had read lots about the fields at Los Rodeos, but never been there, so was thrilled to find it extremely birdy. We parked up and got close enough to the calling Common Quail to hear its warm-up. Corn Buntings jangled whilst we had second helpings of a number of finches. Eventually we packed the scopes and made the short journey to the airport terminal. I handed the keys to a lady in the car park who told me she was the Goldcar rep I had no real reason to doubt her then we headed to check-in. It was very quick, so we were soon tucking in to baguettes, muffins and coffee. Then it was time to head through security ready for part two of our holiday. The flight to Fuerteventura took just over 45 minutes, with ace views particularly for those on the left hand side of the plane. Baggage arrived promptly as always here and, after a hiatus, we located our van in the public car park; this actually worked really well as the group loaded the bus whilst I sorted the paperwork. The plan was to head north-west to an area of plains where we could see desert birds from the bus in the last couple of hours of daylight. The contrast between Fuerteventura and Tenerife is stark and took some getting used to as we drove through the hills. We arrived at the Tindaya plains around 4.15pm and got off to an excellent start with frame-filling Cream-coloured Coursers right by the bus! The next hour or so was, most unexpectedly, almost birdless, but I encouraged everyone to keep the faith and, at the eleventh hour, I found what we were looking for. A Houbara Bustard was sitting motionless, but it was distant and hard to see. With both a jogger and a herd of goats heading towards it I was very worried it would disappear, but the panic was unnecessary. We were able to get out and, using the bus as our backdrop to avoid being silhouetted, enjoyed fine scope views of this spectacular bird. In 2012 it had taken us until the third day to see Houbara, and we d recorded it within three hours of landing this time. I had managed expectations accordingly and we knew that we wouldn t reach our hotel until after dark, but in fact the journey took less time than expected, aided by the new Costa Calma bypass, so we arrived not long after 7pm. I knew the drill at check-in so we left the luggage in the bus. Having obtained the keys, we drove round to our spacious rooms. I ensured the restaurant was expecting us and reserved a table, ordered some wine, and having had sufficient time to at least freshen up we were settling down to dinner at 8.15pm. I enjoyed a splendid steak whilst the fish, cooked to order, was also very welcome. The day really had gone like clockwork with splendid birds on both islands; I was particularly delighted that our arrangements on Fuerte had worked so well. Wednesday 10 th February Pre-breakfast birding was the order of the day this morning, and we met up at 7.15am. With sunrise not until 7.30am, we were able to be on the Costa Calma plains not long after dawn with barely the need to set an alarm clock! I was pleased to have done a recce in January and found the tunnel under the new motorway which allows access into the desert. We followed one of the well-used tracks for a couple of kilometres before disembarking and exploring. In a wonderful hour, we scoped Cream-coloured Coursers and Black-bellied Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 4

6 Sandgrouse on the ground at close range before locating a Houbara Bustard just beyond the bottom of the valley. It was distant, but wonderful through the zoom lens of my scope, and we saw it standing, preening, feeding and trotting. The song of Lesser Short-toed Larks was omnipresent. There is always something very lovely about being in the desert at first light and we took time to savour the moment as well as enjoy the birds. We were tucking in to the hotel breakfast shortly after 9.15am, with a huge variety on offer so something for everyone. Fresh fruit followed by an omelette then superbly fresh bread with fig jam was my preferred choice this morning! At 10.30am we reconvened at the bus. Today we would do very few kilometres in the vehicle and thus have maximum time in the field. It took less than ten minutes to reach a goat farm up a side valley with a small number of trees and low bushes proving to be a haven for birds. The temperature was perfect and the light excellent as we scoped a Stone Curlew roosting in the shade before watching a female, then a male, Fuerteventura Stonechat, for over half an hour in total. This endemic is sometimes frustratingly difficult to find, so it was great to see it so early in our time on the island, and so well. Resident species including Trumpeter Finch, Berthelot s Pipit and Great Grey Shrike were all present as expected, whilst it was good to find a couple of Northern Wheatears feeding up on their journey north. We left the peace of the countryside and headed down the motorway, spotting a group of three Sacred Ibises in flight before parking up outside the now defunct Stella Canaris zoo at Morro Jable. We were, unashamedly, on a twitch for another introduced species, Monk Parakeet, and it was noisy and plentiful, nesting in the palms. We noted the whale skeleton on the other side of the road before heading back for our snack lunch by the pool, pizza, sandwiches and salads all on offer. The tiny African Grass Blue butterflies on the lawns were wellscrutinised, the gardener waiting until we had finished watching them before carrying on with his watering. There was time for a short siesta before, at 3pm, we began our afternoon s birding. The tide was very high, which was a bonus as Whimbrel, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit were all forced up the beach to within a few metres of us. The Kentish and Common Ringed Plovers were much more distant, but the Barbary Ground Squirrels in the car park were close and very photogenic. Another Fuerteventura Stonechat, a matter of metres from our rooms, showed you don t always have to go far for the best birds! Having made the short journey south to Risco el Paso, we admired the agility of the kite surfers before concentrating on the birds, a Northern Gannet battling against the wind offshore, and a number of Sandwich Terns fishing. A Yellow-browed Warbler calling in the garden behind us was most unexpected! We all walked north for a few hundred metres, keeping close to the cliffs with the water higher than I had ever seen it. We had excellent views of Spectacled Warblers en route; this species is highly territorial in February. We reached a point where we could enjoy the seven roosting Eurasian Spoonbills, two with colour rings, as well as 20 Little Egrets. Ninety Sanderling was a high count for me; the birds were feeding on the falling tide having previously been seen scurrying in traditional fashion along the shoreline. We compared the Lesser Blackbacked and atlantis Yellow-legged Gulls before it was decision time. Some carried on walking north to the hotel, others made the shorter journey back to the bus with me. The latter group were rewarded as a superb Audouin s Gull appeared from the south and posed in front of us: another write-in. Everyone was back at base by 5.45pm so there was plenty of time to relax. Several (Fuerte race) Common Linnets and a Common Chiffchaff were some reward for those warming-down in the garden as the light faded. The restaurant was busy, but we had reserved a table and spent an hour and a half relaxing over another splendid meal. It was good to have had a relatively local day, and we had seen a great variety of species including the endemic bird of the island. Thursday 11 th February We met at 7.30am for a 30 minute stroll in the garden before enjoying another cracking buffet breakfast, some choosing to eat outside with the Spanish Sparrows and Collared Doves waiting expectantly for any titbits. At 9.00am we set off for our grand tour of the island. There were lots of places to visit, so it was important to keep to some sort of schedule but, at the same time, not be in a rush. We had a good start, with a roadside Redvented Bulbul and flyby Barbary Partridge at La Lajita, just after we had turned off the main road en route to a set of ponds at Tesejerague. Here we enjoyed close views of Black-winged Stilts and Little Ringed Plover Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 5

7 and then our first White Wagtail. But still no swifts. I wanted the group to see the mountain road between La Pared and Pajara so, rather than head north, we turned back west on a minor road through Cardon village. The scenery was superb here and the sun was behind us which made it extra special; the first of several Common Buzzards soared above us. In Pajara we paused in the main car park, festooned with Bougainvilleas. A Sardinian Warbler posed up nicely but distracted us from our main target, the wing-barred Fuerte race of African Blue Tit, and by the time we returned to the latter a party of noisy bikers had arrived making birding virtually impossible. We did see a Rose-ringed Parakeet, our only European Goldfinches of the week and a fine Monarch butterfly by way of compensation. The only bit of difficult driving on the island is the first section of the road north of Pajara, but this time we managed to get to the other end before meeting any coaches, much to my relief. We parked in a lay by and looked up at the roadside cliffs. It was seriously windy, so we had to take great care with our tripods. It wasn t long before a Barbary Falcon was spotted high on a rock, and we enjoyed cracking scope views of both this bird and its mate. I had found this site on my holiday to Fuerte in early January, and was extremely chuffed that the falcons were still in residence as, on previous tours, this species had been very hard to find. A singing Atlantic Canary up the hillside was noted, and we discussed the fact that the books say birds were released in the Betancuria area around Common Ravens were photographed at point blank range before it was time to move on. A verdant valley at Vega de Rio Palmas is often full of birds and really warranted more time than we had this morning. Nevertheless, our pit stop was highly productive, with an African Blue Tit showing well to most, the Fuerte race of Common Kestrel very obliging, blue Epaulet Skimmer and red Broad Scarlet dragonflies new for us and at least one of several Laughing Doves giving good views along the way. A Eurasian Hoopoe was a little less co-operative. Just up the road we adjourned for lunch in the historic capital of Betancuria, a selection of different salads much enjoyed followed by some proper coffee. It would have been remiss not to have done a spot of sightseeing, so we pottered up to the famous church before drifting back along the valley. Close to the main car park I heard a familiar call once again, and this particular Yellow-browed Warbler showed exceptionally well! At 2.15pm we got back in the bus for the half-hour journey to Molinos reservoir, the best-known birding site on the island. Unusually, it was rather chilly in the wind. We were impressed by the number of Ruddy Shelducks (well over 100) and managed to identify a Garganey among a group of 10 Eurasian Teal, a good find. The waders were distant, but in any event they were all species we had seen previously. Of more interest were the Trumpeter Finches, present throughout our walk; the photographers had to be quick to get one perched up on a rock! After an hour we drove along a road which was much more upmarket than the area merited to a well-positioned restaurant overlooking the west coast. Tea, cake and ice-cream were on our radar here! The stream by the car park is home to a rare dragonfly, the diminutive Sahara Bluetail, and we saw several as well as male and female Red-veined Darters. At 4.40pm we began our return journey, pausing to photograph a restored windmill, so typical of the island. We planned to make one more stop, and heading into the middle of nowhere from the village of Tiscamanita we watched several Egyptian Vultures near a feeding station, keeping an appropriate distance to avoid disturbing them. The group enjoyed seeing the Aloe Vera cultivation before we made haste for our hotel, arriving back at 6.30pm. Our tour of the island had provided special birds in an amazing variety of habitats, from desert plains and arid mountains to water bodies and green valleys. There was plenty to talk about as we met in the fun pub to do our bird list at 7.45pm (it wasn t all that fun competing with the music!). Some splendid wine helped wash down another superb dinner in the restaurant, the fish again popular but plenty too for the meat-eaters and vegetarians! Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 6

8 Friday 12 th February The timing of our flight home was ideal, meaning that we were able to enjoy a relaxing final breakfast when the restaurant opened at 7.30am. Having paid our room bills and loaded the bus we set off at 8.45am for the hour-long journey, with around 30 minutes of birding time to play with near the airport if everything went according to plan. The skies were leaden; would this help us fill the one important gap in our list? The answer was an emphatic yes. We drew a blank at the salt pans, but over the more northerly of two golf courses there were several Plain Swifts feeding overhead! We got excellent views, and some managed to spot at least one Pallid Swift for comparison. Thrilled, we bade farewell to the Ruddy Shelducks on the fairways and headed to the airport. Following a speedy check-in, we spent a little time having coffee on the terrace with some warm sunshine to finish our tour. The flight was routine and, having landed a little after 4pm, most of us had time to complete our journeys and arrive home at a sensible hour. We reflected on a tour in which we had enjoyed some excellent birds and other wildlife and benefited from the helpful weather conditions! Top ten birds of the tour (voted by the group) 1 st Cory s Shearwater 2 nd Houbara Bustard 3 rd Barbary Falcon 4 th Blue Chaffinch 5 th Cream-coloured Courser 6 th Goldcrest 7 th Fuerteventura Stonechat 8 th Robin 9 th Trumpeter Finch 10 th = Bolle s Pigeon 10 th = Laurel Pigeon Acknowledgements Many thanks to all of you for your company throughout the week; it was great to be with a group who looked at everything, not just the birds! I am grateful to John Roote and Erica Towner for producing a short summary of the flora we saw; further thanks to them, as well as to Jenny Coumbe and John Sykes, for allowing us to use some of your photos in this report. I very much look forward to meeting up with you again on another Ornitholidays trip in the future. David Walsh Ornitholidays 29 Straight Mile Romsey Hampshire SO51 9BB Tel: info@ornitholidays.co.uk Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 7

9 Itinerary and Weather 5 th Feb Early afternoon arrival into Tenerife South airport; transfer to our hotel in Las Caletillas in time for a late lunch. Late afternoon birding at Tejina Ponds and Valle Molino reservoir. Mainly sunny, max. 23 C. 6 th Feb Early morning drive to Los Cristianos for 8.45am ferry to La Gomera. Drive west then south into the laurel forest in Garajonay National Park. Birding at El Rejo viewpoint (pigeons) and El Cedro village (lunch/coffee in the restaurant). Drive via scenic viewpoints along the south road to San Sebastian. Short walk in the park, then 5.00pm ferry back to Tenerife and onward drive to the hotel. Mainly cloudy with sunny intervals, C. 7 th Feb Drive via Machado to Las Lagunetas, in the forests north-east of Teide in central Tenerife, then onwards to El Portillo (coffee) and south to Las Lajas picnic site in the pine forests (lunch). Scenic drive north through El Teide National Park, with several photo stops. Return to hotel via El Portillo and La Esperanza. Bright and sunny am, cloudier pm, C. 8 th Feb Drive west along Tenerife north coast road, via Mirador La Grimona (pigeons/coffee stop), to Punta Teno (lunch and early afternoon birding). Return drive east, with birding stops at La Caleta (beach), Garachico (offshore rock), Icod (dragon tree) and both Tabona and Buen Paso reservoirs. Mainly sunny am, cloudy pm, C. 9 th Feb Morning birding at Valle Molino reservoir and Los Rodeos fields. Drive to Tenerife North airport for 2.20pm flight to Fuerteventura. Late afternoon birding on plains at Tindaya before transfer to our hotel south of Costa Calma. Sunny on Tenerife, cloudy on Fuerteventura, C. 10 th Feb Pre-breakfast birding on Costa Calma plains. Morning birding at Pecenescal (dried out valley near goat farm) and Morro Jable (parakeets). Lunch by the hotel pool, then birding along the beach, walking north from Risco el Paso to our hotel. Cloudy first thing, then sunny, becoming increasingly windy, C. 11 th Feb Drive to north-west Fuerteventura, with birding at Tesejerague (ponds), Pajara (town), Vega de Rio Palmas (hills and stream), Betancuria (lunch/coffee in town) and Los Molinos (reservoir then coffee in restaurant by the sea). Return south-east via Tiscamanita (vulture feeding station). Sunny intervals, windy am, C. 12 th Feb Breakfast at the normal time at our hotel, then drive to the airport via some final birding at Salinas del Carmen salt pans and the Fuerteventura Golf Course for our late morning flights. Teide and lava field Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 8

10 CHECKLIST OF BIRDS SEEN No of days recorded Locations Abundance Scale (max. seen on 1 day) 1 2h means seen on 1 T = Tenerife 1 = 1-4 day and heard on 2 G = La Gomera including ferry crossings 2 = 5-9 other days F = Fuerteventura 3 = = = The nomenclature and order essentially follows the "Collins Bird Guide 2nd Edition" by Svensson, Mullarney, Zetterstrom and Grant. SPECIES No of days recorded Locations Abundance Scale SCIENTIFIC NAME Ruddy Shelduck 3 T F 4 Tadorna ferruginea Mallard 1 T 1 Anas platyrhynchos Eurasian Wigeon 1 T 1 Anas penelope Eurasian Teal 2 T F 3 Anas crecca Garganey 1 F 1 Anas querquedula Ring-necked Duck 1 T 1 Aythya collaris Barbary Partridge 3 T F 1 Alectoris barbara Common Quail - 1h T 1 Coturnix coturnix Black-necked Grebe 1 T 1 Podiceps nigricollis Cory s Shearwater 2 T G 3 Calonectris diomedea borealis Northern Gannet 1 F 1 Morus bassanus Black-crowned Night Heron 1 T 1 Nycticorax nycticorax Cattle Egret 3 T F 2 Bubulcus ibis Little Egret 4 T F 3 Egretta garzetta Grey Heron 6 T G F 3 Ardea cinerea Eurasian Spoonbill 1 F 2 Platalea leucorodia Egyptian Vulture 1 F 2 Neophron percnopterus majorensis** Osprey 1 T 1 Pandion haliaetus Common Buzzard 5 T G F 1 Buteo buteo insularum** Common Kestrel (Tenerife/La Gomera subspecies) 5 T G 3 Falco tinnunculus canariensis* Common Kestrel (Fuerteventura subspecies) 4 F 1 Falco tinnunculus dacotiae** Barbary Falcon 1 F 1 Falco pelegrinoides Common Moorhen 2 T F 2 Gallinula chloropus Eurasian Coot 4 T F 3 Fulica atra Houbara Bustard 2 F 1 Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae** Black-winged Stilt 1 F 3 Himantopus himantopus Stone Curlew (Fuerteventura subspecies) 1 F 1 Burhinus oedicnemus insularum** Cream-coloured Courser 2 F 2 Cursorius cursor Little Ringed Plover 1 F 1 Charadrius dubius Common Ringed Plover 1 F 1 Charadrius hiaticula Kentish Plover 2 F 2 Charadrius alexandrinus European Golden Plover 2 T F 1 Pluvialis apricaria Sanderling 2 F 4 Calidris alba Common Sandpiper 2 T F 1 Actitis hypoleucos Green Sandpiper 2 T F 1 Tringa ochropus Common Greenshank 3 T F 1 Tringa nebularia Bar-tailed Godwit 2 F 2 Limosa lapponica Eurasian Curlew 2 F 1 Numenius arquata Whimbrel 3 F 3 Numenius phaeopus Black-headed Gull 1 T 1 Chroicocephalus ridibundus Yellow-legged Gull 8 T G F 4 Larus michahellis atlantis* Audouin's Gull 1 F 1 Larus audouinii Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 G F 2 Larus fuscus Sandwich Tern 3 F 3 Sterna sandvicensis Black-bellied Sandgrouse 1 F 3 Pterocles orientalis Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) 8 T G F 4 Columba livia Laurel Pigeon++ 2 T G 2 Columba junoniae Bolle s Pigeon++ 2 T G 1 Columba bollii Eurasian Collared Dove 8 T G F 3 Streptopelia decaocto Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 9

11 Laughing Dove 1 F 2 Streptopelia senegalensis Pallid Swift 1 F 1 Apus pallidus Plain Swift+ 2 T F 2 Apus unicolor Eurasian Hoopoe 3 F 1 Upupa epops Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 T 1 Dendrocopus major canariensis** Common Skylark 1 T 2 Alauda arvensis Lesser Short-toed Lark 2 1h F 3 Calandrella rufescens polatzeki** Berthelot's Pipit+ 6 T G F 3 Anthus berthelotii White Wagtail 1 1h T F 1 Motacilla alba alba Grey Wagtail 4 1h T F 1 Motacilla cinerea European Robin (nominate subspecies) - 1h G Erithacus rubecula rubecula European Robin (Tenerife subspecies) 3 1h T 1 Erithacus rubecula superbus** Northern Wheatear 2 G F 1 Oenanthe oenanthe Fuerteventura Stonechat++ 1 F 1 Saxicola dacotiae Common Blackbird 5 T G 3 Turdus merula cabrerae* Blackcap 6 2h T G F 2 Sylvia atricapilla Sardinian Warbler 2 T F 1 Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra** Spectacled Warbler 3 T F 2 Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis* Common Chiffchaff 1 F 1 Phylloscopus collybita Canary Islands Chiffchaff++ 5 T G 3 Phylloscopus canariensis Yellow-browed Warbler 2 1h T F 1 Phylloscopus inornatus Goldcrest 2 T G 1 Regulus regulus teneriffae** African Blue Tit (Tenerife/La Gomera subspecies) 4 1h T G 2 Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae** African Blue Tit (Fuerteventura subspecies) 1 F 2 Cyanistes teneriffae degener** Great Grey Shrike 5 T F 1 Lanius excubitor koenigi** Common Raven 4 1h G F 3 Corvus corax tingitanus Spanish Sparrow 7 T G F 4 Passer hispaniolensis Common Chaffinch (Tenerife/La Gomera subspecies) 2 T G 3 Fringilla coelebs canariensis** Blue Chaffinch++ 1 T 2 Fringilla teydea teydea Common Linnet (Tenerife/La Gomera subspecies) 3 T G 3 Carduelis cannabina meadewaldoi** Common Linnet (Fuerteventura subspecies) 1 1h F 1 Carduelis cannabina harterti** European Goldfinch 1 F 2 Carduelis carduelis European Greenfinch 1 T 1 Chloris chloris European Serin 1 T 1 Serinus serinus Atlantic Canary+ 5 1h T G F 3 Serinus canaria Trumpeter Finch 2 F 2 Bucanetes githagineus amantum** Corn Bunting 1 T 1 Emberiza calandra Sacred Ibis 1 F 1 Threskiornis aethiopicus Rose-ringed Parakeet 1 F 1 Psittacula krameri Monk Parakeet 1 F 3 Myiopsitta monachus Red-vented Bulbul 1 1h F 1 Pycnonotus cafer Canary Islands endemic species++ Macaronesian endemic species+ Subspecies confined to the Canary Islands** Subspecies confined to Macaronesia* Notes on the bird list The bird list essentially follows the nomenclature and taxonomy of the Collins Bird Guide 2 nd Edition by Svensson, Mullarney, Zetterstrom and Grant. Many of the notes below on plumage refer to details mentioned in the Birds of the Atlantic Islands (BAI) by Tony Clarke. References used with regard to taxonomy are the International Ornithological Congress (IOC), and Volume 1 of the Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World (HBW and BirdLife International). Cory s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis The IOC and the HBW Illustrated Checklist both split Cory's Shearwater C.borealis (which breeds in the Canaries) from Scopoli's Shearwater C.diomedea (which breeds in the Mediterranean). Collins continues to treat them as subspecies. Our views from the ferry crossings between Tenerife and La Gomera were unrivalled! Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 10

12 Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus The race in the Canaries is N.p.majorensis**, which has only recently been described. It is said to be distinctly larger, with the white in its plumage impregnated with rufous, particularly on the crown, nape, median coverts, breast and tail. We had reasonable views on Fuerteventura near a feeding station. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo The Canaries race B.b.insularum** is described as browner above and more streaked below, being less densely barred or marked. We had a number of sightings on all three islands. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Relative to the nominate race, F.t.canariensis* (Tenerife/La Gomera) is described as being considerably darker with heavier spotting (male) or barring (female) on the upperparts. In F.t.dacotiae** (Fuerteventura), the male is paler than both canariensis and tinnunculus on the upperparts, the spotting is intermediate between those two races and the underparts are paler, whilst the female is less heavily marked and is the palest of all female races. We saw this species on all three islands. Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata Compared to the nominate race breeding in North Africa, the Canaries race C.u.fuertaventurae** is smaller, with darker upperparts, and the dark areas of the upperwing are blacker. We had two good scope views, first at Tindaya and then north of Costa Calma. Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus The race on Fuerteventura is B.o.insularum** which is said to be smaller than the nominate race, and similar to the North African race saharae having a sandy-pink coloration. We had super views of a roosting bird in the valley at Pecenescal. Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis It is generally considered that the birds in the Canaries are L.m.atlantis*. The adult atlantis in breeding plumage is the darkestbacked of all the Yellow-legged Gulls. We were able to study this species in a number of locations. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major The Tenerife race D.m.canariensis** differs from the nominate race in being darker brown or grey-brown on the belly, with a more orangey-red vent and reduced white in the outer tail feathers. Having heard one at Las Lagunetas it was good to see it at Las Lajas. Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens The race breeding in the Canaries is C.r.polatzeki** which is slightly smaller than the nominate race and has narrower streaking on the upperparts and a pale sandy-rufous ground colour. We saw good numbers, especially on the Costa Calma plains and at Pecenescal. Common Blackbird Turdus merula The race T.m.cabrerae* occurs on Madeira and the Canaries. It is slightly smaller than the nominate race; the male is blacker, the female darker blackish-brown with a smaller pale area on the throat. We saw good numbers on Tenerife and La Gomera. European Robin Erithacus rubecula The nominate race E.r.rubecula breeds on La Gomera and is a scarce winter visitor on Fuerteventura. The endemic subspecies E.r.superbus** breeds on Tenerife and Grand Canaria. It has darker brown upperparts, the bib is redder, the rest of the underparts whiter, there is an obvious white eye-ring, and the blue-grey band separating the bib from the upperparts is wider. Our views of superbus at Las Lagunetas in particular represented something of a triumph as it had proved very elusive on previous tours. We heard one rubecula on La Gomera but didn t see it. Goldcrest Regulus regulus teneriffae IOC and the Collins Guide both treat this as an endemic race of Goldcrest R.r.teneriffae**; however, BAI treats it as a full endemic species R.teneriffae++ (Canary Islands Kinglet). The most obvious difference between teneriffae and regulus is that the black crown-stripes meet on the forehead; the song is intermediate between Goldcrest and Firecrest. Many of us managed good views, either on La Gomera near the El Cedro restaurant or on Tenerife at Las Lagunetas. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla The resident race on Tenerife and La Gomera is S.a.heineken and any birds seen on La Gomera will almost certainly be of this race; the IOC indicates that it also occurs in North Africa as well as Madeira and the Iberian peninsula, so it can no longer be considered an endemic. The status of birds on Fuerteventura is unclear, as the nominate atricapilla has been reported and is considered to be a regular passage migrant and winter visitor. The species was much more often heard than seen during the tour. Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 11

13 Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata The endemic race is S.c.orbitalis* which is generally darker and more richly coloured than the nominate race and the male has a more solidly dusky head. We had superb views on Fuerteventura and, perhaps surprisingly, also connected on Tenerife near Punta Teno. Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala The endemic race is S.m.leucogastra**; generally both sexes are darker on the upperparts than the nominate. We had super views near Valle Molino on Tenerife and at both Pajara and Vega de Rio Palmas on Fuerteventura. Canary Islands Chiffchaff++ Phylloscopus canariensis This species occurs on the western Canary Islands. The most obvious difference from Common Chiffchaff P.collybita is the song. It also has a longer bill, shorter wings and slightly longer tail (we noticed all these features, having multiple close views during the first part of the tour). African Blue Tit Cyanistes teneriffae It is now generally recognised that the birds on the Canary Islands are subspecies of African Blue Tit C.teneriffae, split from European Blue Tit. The race on Tenerife and La Gomera is C.t.teneriffae** which has a dark blue-grey back, no wing-bar, a dark yellow belly and dark head and crown stripes. The race on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura is C.t.degener**; the back is a paler blue-grey, it has paler yellow underparts and a clear white wing-bar. We had excellent views of teneriffae in many locations; degener was, typically, more challenging, but we saw it at Pajara, Betancuria and Vega de Rio Palmas. Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor L.e.koenigi** is the endemic race. It is one of the darker-backed races, the narrow white supercilium is often lacking, and the pale grey breast contrasts with the white chin and throat. The IOC and BAI both treat koenigi as a race of Southern Grey Shrike L.meridionalis, but Collins 2 nd Edition treats it as a race of Great Grey Shrike, not using the name Southern Grey Shrike but instead using the name Iberian Grey Shrike L.meridionalis to describe the breeding birds in France and Spain. We had a single sighting in the moonscape on Tenerife whilst it was commonly noted on Fuerteventura. Common Raven Corvus corax The race occurring in the Canaries is small; perhaps the most noticeable feature is the fact that it has a wide variety of relatively high pitched calls not normally heard from the nominate race (the one found in the UK). It is considered by many authorities to be C.c.tingitanus, the same race as the one in North Africa, but the IOC lists it as an endemic race C.c.canariensis**. It was very tame in the hills near Pajara. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs The race on Tenerife and La Gomera is F.c.canariensis**. The male is deep slate-blue above with a black forehead, dull yellowish-green rump, black wings with prominent white bars on the median coverts and the tips of the greater coverts, and is peachy-buff below. The female is dull grey-brown above with an olive tone to the rump. The throat is dull peachy-buff, washed brownish. Our best views were near the restaurant on La Gomera. Blue Chaffinch++ Fringilla teydea The race F.t.teydea occurs only on Tenerife. It was seen exceptionally well at both El Portillo restaurant and at the Las Lajas picnic site. Common Linnet Acanthis cannabina A.c.meadewaldoi** (Tenerife and La Gomera) differs from the nominate race in its more richly coloured mantle and brighter red forecrown and chest. A.c.harterti** (Fuerteventura) is paler above; the sides and flanks lack rufous-cinnamon and are less prominently streaked. As is the norm, we had better views on Tenerife (eg at Los Rodeos) than on Fuerteventura. Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus B.g.amantum** is the darkest race with the deepest pink colour on the body. Our best sightings were at Pecenescal and Molinos. MAMMALS Shortfin Pilot Whale Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Rabbit Barbary Ground Squirrel Globicephala macrorhynchus Stenella frontalis Lepus curpaeums Atlantoxerus getulus Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 12

14 BUTTERFLIES The nomenclature and order essentially follow the Collins Butterfly Guide by Tolman and Lewington Canary Islands Large White Pieris cheiranthi Small White Artogeia rapae Clouded Yellow Colias crocea Canary Blue Cyclyrius webbianus African Grass Blue Zizeeria knysna Monarch Danaus plexippus Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Canary Speckled Wood Parage xiphiopides DRAGONFLIES The nomenclature and order follow the Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe by Dijkstra and Lewington Sahara Bluetail Ischnura saharensis Blue Emperor Anax imperator Broad Scarlet Crocothemis erythraea Epaulet Skimmer Orthetrum chrysostigma Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii OTHER SPECIES Northern Tenerife Lizard "Canary Islands" Buff-tailed Bumblebee Gallotia galloti eisentrauti Bombus canariensis Notes on some of the wild flowers seen during the tour (John Roote and Erica Towner) We visited several different habitats; the bands of vegetation within them are influenced both by climate and altitude. These brief notes mention a number of the more distinctive flora which we identified in each habitat. (There are over 2000 species of wild plants on the islands, of which 1,600 are truly native and 680 are endemics, often island specific). On both Tenerife and Fuerteventura, there is a coastal and semi-desert dry, stony basal zone (from sea level up to 700 metres). At Punta Teno on Tenerife, where we shared our lunch with the local lizards, the vegetation included a carpet of low growing spiky tussocks pierced by a plant known locally as Cardon. It is a succulent endemic spurge, Euphorbia canariensis, with leaves reduced to spines and the fleshy stem photosynthesising. On the Costa Calma Plains on Fuerteventura, we noted a low, sprawling grey-green shrub, Traganum moquiinii, which was providing cover for coursers and sandgrouse. Nearby we also saw the large yellow parasitic Broomrape, Cistanche phelipgaea, on a sandy roadside verge. On La Gomera and Tenerife, there is evergreen laurel forest between 400 and 1,500 metres. In the humid cloud forest at Garajonay National Park on La Gomera (where we saw both Laurel and Bolle s Pigeons) there were rock hugging Aeonium species including (probably) A. subplanum, as well as the blue flowered endemic Echium acanthocarpum and the endemic Sow Thistle Sonchus ortunoi (which we referred to as a tree dandelion ). The open pine forest (of Pinus canariensis) occurs from around 1200 to 2000 metres on Tenerife. At Las Lagunetas, where we saw Goldcrest as well as the Tenerife subspecies of Robin, we enjoyed seeing the carpet of the crocus-like Romulea grandiscapa. Finally, there is a high montane zone on Tenerife, dominated by El Teide (3707 metres) and the vast Las Canadas crater at 2,000 metres. Near the Blue Chaffinch café at El Portillo, we found the previous year s elongated spikes of the bugloss, Echium wildpretii, which grows to between one and three metres tall. These lists represent those birds and other animals as seen by party members of the tour. Ornitholidays Teide National Park Ornitholidays Tour to Spain The Canary Islands February 2016 Page 13