TERCEIRA & SANTA MARIA (AZORES) 8 15 August 2014 Introduction On this trip I visited the islands Terceira and Santa Maria in the Azores archipelago. On Terceira I searched for Nearctic vagrants (waders) and on Santa Maria my main goal was to see the sanctaemariae subspecies of Azores Goldcrest, sometimes regarded as a separate species (Santa Maria Goldcrest). The Azores are always a pleasure to visit: clean, well-organised, quiet and always the chance for a surprise bird. This was a nice relaxed trip and some compensation for a cancelled trip to Tunisia this spring due to the illness of my father. Itinerary I used the following itinerary: Ilheus das Cabras, Terceira Friday 8 Flight OR 699 with Arkefly from Schiphol (06.45) to Terceira (09.20) pick-up car from airport (3 days) birding Terceira Hotel Quita dos Figos, Cabo da Praia (3 nights) Saturday 9 birding Terceira Sunday 10 Monday 11 birding Terceira return car airport Flight SP403 with Sata from Terceira (14.30) to Ponta Delgada (15.10) Flight SP107 with Sata from Ponta Delgada (18.35) to Santa Maria (19.05) pick-up car from airport (3 days) Hotel Santa Maria (3 nights) Tuesday 12 birding Santa Maria Wednesday 13 birding Santa Maria Thursday 14 birding Santa Maria return car airport Flight SP106 with Sata from Santa Maria (19.30) to Ponta Delgada (19.55) Hotel Ponta Delgada (1 night) Friday 15 Flight OR 700 with Arkefly from Ponta Delgada (11.05) to Schiphol (17.45)
Practical matters I used www.booking.com for all my hotels including Quita dos Figos in Cabo da Praia (Terceira). This was very close to the Cabo da Praia quarry, the main wader site on Terceira, which allowed me to check the site at least twice a day. It was good to see that the quarry is now part of an ecological and restoration project and has a certain amount of protection (see: www.cmpv.pt/minisites/life ). Sign of Life CWR at Cabo da Praia quarry The aptly named Hotel Santa Maria gave a little run-down impression, but from the four hotels on Santa Maria to choose from, this was the one conveniently close to the airport and the Ginjal pond. A hire car on both Terceira and Santa Maria was booked through www.sunnycars.nl at a price of around 130 euro/3 days with no extra insurance needed. There is an excellent taxi-service at the Ponta Delgada airport (Sao Miguel) called Aerobus, which will take you to from the airport to your hotel in Ponta Delgada and back the next day for only 5 euro. Tickets can be purchased at the office of Aerobus, situated in the airport hall. The airports of Terceira and Santa Maria have free wifi, but strangely enough the main airport at Ponta Delgada offered free wifi for only one hour. Wifi connections were generally bad in all three hotels I stayed. Sites visited on Santa Maria I could hardly find any information about birds and bird watching on Santa Maria beforehand and this was my main motivation to write this report. The only information I could find on sites was on the excellent website www.birdingazores.com. Generally most sites I visited on Santa Maria were pretty dry and birdless except for the common species like Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Starling, Goldfinch and Atlantic Canary. The Ginjal pond had only a tiny bit of water left and the Cova do Areão and airport pools were dry. The only place with running water was the Ribeira de Sao Francisco, close to the Vila do Porto harbour, probably one of the best birdwatching sites on the island. This is where I found my only rarity on the island: a Surf Scoter.
Ribeira de Sao Francisco, looking towards the harbour. The central and eastern part of the island, and even the area next to the airport, was however much greener as I expected with a lot of vegetation and even some proper woodland. The most accessible site to see woodland birds on the island is the Pico Alto. The road leading up this hill is excellent and at the top is plenty of opportunity to park a car and explore the general area. Although only 562 meters high, this hill was the scene of a terrible plane crash, killing 144 people in February 1989. At the Pico Alto my target Santa Maria Goldcrest was common, as well as Azores Chaffinch, Blackcap and Robin. The road to Pico Alto with good habitat on both sites.
The beaches at Anjos in the north, Maia and Baia da Praia in the south and the Baia de Sao Lourenco in the east were nice to visit but produced only some of the commoner birds like Common Tern, Atlantic Yellow-legged Gull and a few Turnstones. The scenic Baio de Sao Lourenco One evening I visited the coastal area opposite the Ilheu da Vila in the hope that a seawatch would produce a winter-breeding Madeiran Petrel ( Grant s Storm Petrel ). Although I stayed until dark, there was no sign of this bird. This was a real shame because only cool season Madeiran Petrels are known to breed on Santa Maria and any Madeiran Petrel seen is likely this form or species. I could see some stacked boxes in a cave on the eastside of the island, perhaps these are used as nestboxes for the petrels? The Ilheu da Vila, so close and still so far away (to see any petrels). I was surprised to find out that Santa Maria is the oldest island in the Azorean archipelago with an estimated age of about 8.12 million years. The other islands are much younger: Pico for instance is only 280.000 years old. This must have had a huge impact in the colonisation of these islands by birds and the genetic gene-flow that followed. With this in mind, the designation of Santa Maria Goldcrest as a potential split from the other subspecies of Azores Goldcrest becomes much more plausible.
Systematic list of birds recorded The following birds were recorded during this trip. The taxonomy is according to the Dutch committee for avian systematics (CSNA). Cory s Shearwater Calonectris borealis Commonly seen along the coast. Macaronesian endemic (Canary Islands, Madeira, Selvagens, Azores). This taxon is monotypic after the splitting of diomedea as Scopoli s Shearwater and edwardsii as Cape Verde Shearwater. Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata 14-08 2 nd cy male, Vila do Porto harbour, Santa Maria Likely the same bird that was present here from 7 January 2014 until 17 March 2014, but not seen since. This Surf Scoter was in heavy wing moult and seemed unable to fly. Surf Scoter, Vila do Porto harbour, 14-08-2014. Photo taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2 through a Leica telescope. (Azores) Buzzard Buteo (buteo) rothschildi 11-08 1 near Cabo da Praia, Terceira 11-08 1 adult and 1 young still in a nest near the airport, Santa Maria 12-08 1 at the Ribeira de Sao Francisco, Santa Maria 13-08 1 adult and 2 fledged young north of the Ginjal pond, Santa Maria Azores endemic subspecies and a potential split. This taxon is much darker and more consistent in plumage compared to the nominate subspecies.
Quail Coturnix coturnix conturbans Common on Terceira and several heard on the western half of Santa Maria. It was nice to see some calling Quails near Fonte do Bastardo on top of some stone walls and to hear Quails calling all night from my room at Cabo da Praia. Azores endemic subspecies. Sometimes birds from the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Cape Verde Islands are also assigned to conturbans but these Quails are now generally considered to belong to the nominate cornix. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropus Adults with chicks were seen at Paul da Praia (Terceira) and Ribeira de Sao Francisco and Ginjal pond (Santa Maria). Coot Fulica atra atra Only (5 birds) seen at Paul da Praia, Terceira. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrines alexandrinus About 30-40 birds present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Only one bird seen on Santa Maria (just west of the airport). Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus A maximum of 2 birds present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola There was one bird present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Sanderling Calidris alba alba About 12-15 birds present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Turnstone Arenaria interpres interpres Seen at Cabo da Praia, Terceira (about 20 birds), Angra do Heroisme, Terceira (3 birds) and Anjos, Santa Maria (7 birds). Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa ssp. There were 7 bird present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus Only seen at Cabo da Praia, Terceira with one bird on 08-08 and one (or the same) on 10-08.
Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus 08-08 1 Cabo da Praia, Terceira 10-08 2 Cabo da Praia, Terceira Hudsonian Whimbrel was already split by the CSNA in 2002 from (Eurasian) Whimbrel as a separate monotypic species. The bird(s) I saw at Cabo da Praia were shy and often present only for a short time and they seem rather erratic in their appearance at this place. Hudsonian Whimbrel, Cabo da Praia, 08-08-2014 (when only one bird was present). Photo taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2 through a Leica telescope. Ruff Calidris pugnax There was one bird present on all four days at Cabo da Praia, Terceira. Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus griseus The long staying bird (present since 02-09-2013) was seen on all four days at Cabo da Praia, now an adult in non-breeding plumage.
Short-billed Dowitcher, Cabo da Praia, 09-08-2014. Photo taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2 through a Leica telescope. (Atlantic) Yellow-legged Gull Larus (michahellis) atlantis Common along the coast and the interior of Terceira, far less common on Santa Maria. Azores endemic subspecies and a potential split. Sometimes birds from the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Selvagens are also assigned to atlantis but these Yellow-legged Gulls are now generally considered to belong to the nominate michahellis. Common Tern Sterna hirundo hirundo Quite common along the coast. Many adults and begging young present at Praia da Vitoria and Angra do Heroismo (Terceira) and Vila do Porto (Santa Maria). Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii dougallii On 09-08 about 40 (mostly adults with young) were seen from the seafront at Cabo da Praia, flying back and forth. Likely birds breeding nearby.
Rock Dove Columba livia livia / Columba domesticus I did not differentiate between wild and feral birds. Especially at higher altitudes birds were seen that looked genuine wild, but even these can sometimes be very difficult to separate from feral birds who can closely resemble the real thing. If there are any pure wild birds left, they belong to the nominate livia. Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus azorica Common on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Azores endemic subspecies. Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto decaocto This once rare bird on Terceira is now common in Cabo da Praia (village and industrial area). Every day dozens of Collared Doves were seen here. Ring-necked Parakeet (INTRODUCED) Psittacula krameri ssp. On Sao Miguel, 4 birds were seen from the balcony of my hotel room in Ponta Delgada at exactly 37 44'13.45"N, 25 40'28.96"W. A small population of this introduced bird is apparently present in Ponta Delgada, where I also saw a bird in October 2010. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea patriciae Quite common on Terceira. On Santa Maria only seen at Ribeira de Sao Francisco and Ginjal pond. Azores endemic subspecies. Robin Erithacus rubecula rubecula On Terceira a few seen in forested areas in the centre of the island. On Santa Maria common in vegetated areas like the Pico Alto and Ginjal pond. Blackbird Turdus merula azorensis Common in parks, gardens and other areas with enough vegetation. Azores endemic subspecies. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla gularis Common in vegetated areas on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Azores endemic subspecies.
(Western) Azores Goldcrest Regulus (azoricus) inermis On Terceira common in forested area like the Algar do Carvao. Azores endemic species and a potential split. Azores Goldcrest (aka Azores Kinglet) was split in 2006 by the CSNA from Goldcrest as a separate polytypic species. All current three taxa belonging to this species (azoricus, inermis and sanctae-mariae) could be split even further into three different species: Sao Miguel Goldcrest, Western Azores Goldcrest (occurring on Pico, Sao Jorge, Terceira, Faial and Flores) and Santa Maria Goldcrest. There are rumours that the taxon occurring on Flores (currently placed under inermis) could concern a fourth taxon. (Santa Maria) Goldcrest Regulus (azoricus) sanctae-mariae On Santa Maria common in forested areas like the (road to the ) Pico Alto. Also recorded in vegetated areas down to almost sea-level at the east-side of the island (Sao Lourenco), but I didn t see or hear goldcrests in vegetated areas around the airport or Vila do Porto. Azores endemic subspecies and a potential split (see above). Santa Maria Goldcrest (1 cy), Pico Alto, 13-08-2014. Photo taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2. (Azores) Starling Sturnus (vulgaris) granti Common on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Azores endemic subspecies and a potential split. See this article: http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/53/52/48/pdf/10344_2009_316_referencepdf.pdf for the genetic divergence of this taxon.
House Sparrow (INTRODUCED) Passer domesticus domesticus Common on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Introduced on Terceira in 1960 or 1961 and has spread to other Azorean islands since. Reached Santa Maria around 1986. I suspect some genetic influence from Spanish Sparrows: some males I saw well on Terceira showed a lot of chestnut brown on the head and much black on the underparts. (Azores) Chaffinch Fringilla (coelebs) moreletti Common in forested area like the Algar do Carvao (Terceira) and the Pico Alto (Santa Maria). Azores endemic subspecies and a potential split. This subspecies is part of the Canariensis-group, which consist of the subspecies maderensis (Madeira), moreletti (Azores) and the three subspecies occurring in the Canary Islands. The Canariensis-group is sometimes considered a separate species (Atlantic Chaffinch) or even 5 different species. Goldfinch (INTRODUCED) Carduelis carduelis parva Quite common on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Goldfinch is probably introduced in the Azores and is obviously doing well. Greenfinch (INTRODUCED) Carduelis chloris aurantiiventris 11-08 3 (1 male, 2 females) close to the airport, Santa Maria Greenfinch is a rare breeding bird in the Azores on the islands Sao Miguel and Terceira and much to my surprise this appears to be the first record for Santa Maria. These 3 Greenfinches were heard and seen well at 36 58'23.39"N, 25 9'36.99"W and could concern a local breeding pair. As this site is close to the airport birders can perhaps check this site again in the future. Greenfinches are introduced in the Azores after 1860 and concern the subspecies aurantiiventris. Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria Common on both Terceira and Santa Maria. Macaronesian endemic (Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores). For any questions, remarks, et cetera contact: E.J. Alblas, The Netherlands ej.alblas@kpnplanet.nl