The Group:

Leader:  Josele J Saiz (Josele runs the Boletas Birdwatching Centre) + Andrew Bray, Mark Easterbrook, John & Gill Wheeler

Introduction

A last minute decision, to use up some outstanding leave and get a bit of sun after the depressing UK August.  The sole intention being to see the Canary Island endemics that I had not seen during a previous visit to Gran Canaria – this was achieved with some aplomb.

Daily Activities

Day 1 – 30 Aug

A late afternoon flight to Tenerife South airport from Luton, arriving at 2015 and time to enjoy a shower and good evening meal at Guimar.

Day 2 – 31 Aug

A drive into the Teide foot hills and to the Las Najas picnic site.  En route several Plain Swifts were noted along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit and several Tenerife Kinglets.  A Southern Grey Shrike was seen before we reached the famous picnic site and water trough.  Here at least 6 Blue Chaffinches were seen, many Canaries, and at least 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.  Later in the day we were treated to our first fleeting glimpse of a Bolle's Pigeon and half a dozen Pallid Swifts at Las Mercedes mountain view point.

Day 3 – 01 Sep

Today, our first site was at the Ruiz Gorge (a remnant of Laurel Forest).  This would appear to be a little known site where both Pigeons roost and can be viewed from below.  Upon arrival we were almost immediately greeted by perched views of Laurel Pigeon and 7 in total were noted in about a 45 minute period.  We continued onto Monte del Agua, where numerous Kinglets were seen, along with 2 Common Buzzards and a male Sparrowhawk.  Later at Punta de Teno, many Cory's Shearwater was seen, with 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Whimbrel and a few more Pallid Swifts.  After leaving the point 3 Barbary Partridges were flushed from the nearby fields.

A second visit to Ruiz Gorge produced a perched Bolle's Pigeon, 2 more Laurel Pigeons and an immature Barbary Falcon, leaving everybody pleases about the prospect of moving Fuertaventura, having cleaned up on Tenerife.

Day 4 – 02 Sep

We took a mid morning flight from Tenerife North airport to Fuertaventura arriving at about lunch time.  We quickly found ourselves in the traditional site for Fuertaventura Chat at Barranco Rio Cabeas, however this was unsuccessful as the birds appear to have moved on.  Several Linnets were seen along with a Southern Grey Shrike, a few Raven and at least 5 Common Buzzards.

We ate lunch and then drove to the nearby Salinas, stopping to view 2 Stone Curlews stood in fields along the side of the road.  At the Salinas, several common waders were noted and the only Kentish Plover of the trip.  A largish flock of Trumpeter Finches was the highlight.  En route to the Barranco near Los Molinos we drove off the road and disturbed at least 6 Cream-coloured Coursers near Antigua.  On reaching the Barranco which looked like perfect habitat for the Chat we began to search.  We were not disappointed at this site where AB first found a pair of Chats closely followed by a very showy male Spectacled Warbler – a great result!

We moved to Casillas de Angel near to our hotel at Antigua in search of Houbara.  We found fresh tracks of the bird but alas it did not give itself up.  Several Lesser-short Toed Larks, more Trumpeter Finches, 2 Hoopoe and at least 3 Southern Grey Shrikes were present though.  Another Stone Curlew stood motionless at the side of the road allowed photographs before realising that it wasn't invisible and ran off into the vegetation.

Day 5 – 03 Sep

An early morning drive to the South of the Island and Punta del Hable.  It took a while to locate the first Houbara Bustard, closely followed by 6 Coursers and 7 Black-bellied Sandgrouse.  Throughout the course of the next 2 hours 8 Bustards, one with an injured leg, 6 female/immature males types and one stunning male in breeding plumage were located with 18 Sandgrouse and at least 6 Coursers – a very successful morning.

We then drove to a feeding station near to the village of Tiscaminita where 4 Egyptian Vultures, several Ravens, 3 Hoopoes, a Lesser Short-toed Lark and a Trumpeter Finch were noted.  Stopping once more at a pond near to Catalina Garcia produced 2 Ruddy Shellducks, a Spoonbill, 3 Little Egret, a Spotted Redshank and a Dunlin.  Later in the day near to the village of La Oliva, 4 more Fuertaventura Chats were seen; 2 adult males, a female and an immature.

Day 6 – 04 Sep

Before departing Fuertaventura, at least 7 Barbary Partridges were seen in a roadside field on the way to the airport and a Southern Grey Shrike.  We arrived back on Tenerife at about midday and returned to our hotel at Guimar before heading off to Montana Roja.  Here the only Black-headed Gull, Knot and Sanderlings ere noted along with a single Whimbrel.  The National Park at Punta Rasca was fairly uneventful producing only Berthlot's Pipit, Southern Grey Shirke and Spectacled Warbler – the 3 most common birds on the Island.

Day 7 – 05 Sep

The day was devoted to a trip to La Gomera.  Of most interest was the ferry crossing from Los Christianos to La Gomera.  Following previous trip reports it was decided to go for a Port outbound and Starboard inbound approach to seawatching.  The outward journey was productive with 43 Cory's Shearwaters, many of which were very close to the boat, followed by our first Little Shearwater rising from the water below us and spotted by JS and AB.  Soon another rose from amongst a flock of Cory's and headed across in front of us and was spotted by ME.  An Arctic Skua put in an appearance before we docked. 

On the island we headed to the nature reserve where 15+ Bolle's Pigeons were seen and 1 Laurel Pigeon.  Numerous Kinglets flitted around whilst the island race of Chaffinch ate bread crumbs at the picnic site.  The return ferry crossing produced 1 more sighting of a Little Shearwater spotted by J & GW, in roughly the same place as the outward journey – so it could have been the same bird.  Two pods of Short-finned Pilot Whales made steady progress past the ship before we once again docked in Los Christianos, Tenerife.

Day 8 – 06 Sep

An afternoon departure from Tenerife to Manchester and Luton respectively, both of which were delayed but otherwise uneventful, the usual more common species were evident throughout the day.

The Birds – Systematic List

x – Common
F – Fuertaventura
T – Tenerife
G – La Gomera
H - Heard

English & Scientific Names	31	01	02	03	04	05	Remarks
Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea		x		x	x	x	Common at seawatching sites
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauritanicus		x					only from Punta de Teno
Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis baroli						3 (2)	Tenerife – La Gomera Ferry
Little Egret Egretta garzetta				3			Catalina Garcia (F)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	2	1		1		3
Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia				1			Catalina Garcia (F)
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea				2			Catalina Garcia (F)
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus				5			Tiscaminita (F)
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti		1				1	Monte del Agua
Buzzard Buteo buteo insularum		4	6	3	2	1	(T) (F) & (G)
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis/dacotiae	x	x	x	x	x	x
Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides		1	1				Ruiz Gorge (T) & Barranco Rio Cabeas (F)
Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara		3			7		(T) & (F)
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus							Catalina Garcia (F) & Chejenijs Res (G)
Coot Fulica atra							Catalina Garcia (F)
Houbara Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae				8			Punta del Hable (F)
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus				5			Catalina Garcia (F)
Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus insularum/distinctus			5				Casillas de Angel (F)
Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor			4	6	1		Antigua & Punta del Hable (F)
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula			6	1	1		Montane Roja (T) & Las Salinas (F)
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus			1				Las Salinas (F)
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola			1				Las Salinas (F)
Knot Calidris canuta					1		Montane Roja (T)
Sanderling Calidris alba					4		Montane Roja (T)
Dunlin Calidris alpina			1	1			Las Salinas & Catalina Garcia (F)
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus		2	1		1		Punta de Teno & Montane Roja (T)
Spotted Redshank Tringa erytropus				1			Catalina Garcia (F)
Redshank Tringa totanus			1		1		Montane Roja  (T) & Las Salinas (F)
Greenshank Tringa nebularia			1				Las Salinas (F)
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos			3				Las Salinas (F)
Turnstone Arenaria interpres			3		3		Las Salinas (F) & Montane Roja (T)
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus			1				Catalina Garcia (F)
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus						1	Tenerife – La Gomera Ferry
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus					1		Montane Roja (T)
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis atlantis		x	x	x	x	x	(T)(F) & (G)
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis			4				Las Salinas (F)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis				18			(F)
Rock Dove Columba livia			2				(F)Showing characters of Rock Dove
Bolles Pigeon Columba bollii		1	2			15+	Ruiz Gorge & Las Mercedes (T) & Garajonajay NP (G)
Laurel Pigeion Columba junoniae			7			1	Ruiz Gorge (T) & (Garajonjay (G)
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto	X	X	X	X	X	X
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur				1			Guimar (T)
Plain Swift Apus unicolor	8	5	3		4	2	Tide Foot Hills, Ruiz Gorge, Monte del Agua (T) & Garajonjay NP (G)
Swift Apus apus	4		9				anywhere
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus	6	2					Las Mercedes & Punta de Teno (T)
Bee-eater Merops apiaster			1				Los Molinas (F)
Hoopoe Upupa epops				2	3		Casillas de Angel & Tiscaminita (F)
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendroc. major canariensis	6						Tide Foot Hills & Las Najas (T)
Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens polatzeki			40+		1		anywhere (F)
Berthelot’s Pipit Anthus berthelotii	x	x	x	x	x	x	anywhere
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea canariensis	1					1	(T) & (G)
Robin Erithacus rubecula superbus	1						Las Mercedes (T)
Fuerteventura Stonechat Saxicola dacotiae			2	4			Los Molinos Barranco & La Oliva (F)
Blackbird Turdus merula cabrerae	1	3				3	(T) & (G)
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis	x	x	x	x	x	x	anywhere 1s &2s in suitable habitat
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla	H	1			H	1	(T) & (G)
Canary Island Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis	x	x			x	x	(T) & (G) - anywhere
Canary Islands Goldcrest Regulus teneriffae	x	x				x	Tide Foot Hills, Las Mercedes (T) & Garajonjay NP (G)
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata					1		Antigua (F)
Blue Tit Parus caeruleus degener/teneriffae	x	x				x	(T) & (G)
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor koenegi	x	x	x	x	x	x	widespread
Raven Corvus corax canariensis			x	x			widespread (F)
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis				x	x		Antigua (F)
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs canariensis	x	1				x	Island Race (T) & (G)
Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea teydea	7						Las Najas (T)
Canary Serinus canarius	x	x	x			x	(T) & (G) - widespread
Serin Serinus serinus	1						Guimar (T)
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris		H					Monte del Agua (T)
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis	x						Monte del Agua (T)
Linnet Carduelis cannabina meadewaldoi/harterti			4				Barranco Rio Cabeas, Los Mollinos Barranco (F)
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus amantum			8	2			Las Salinas, anywhere – widespread (F)

Summary

A well organised and enjoyable short break.  All of the target species were seen well with outstanding prolonged perched views of both Pigeons.  The other endemics performed well with the highlight being an adult male Houbara in full breeding regelia, strutting around in front of the vehicle – Fantastic!

Of Interest:

Butterflies:

Bath White, Monarch, Cleopatra, Long-tailed Blue, Canary Blue, Painted Lady, Small White, Canary Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Large White, Cardinal, Clouded Yellow, Green Striped White

Dragonflies:

Emperor & Red-veined Darter.

Reptiles:

Canary Lizard Galiotia galiotia & Canary Skink Chalcides viridanus

Mammals:

Barbary Ground Squirrel & Short-finned Pilot Whale.