La Gomera

La Gomera 25th January - 7th February 2005

• We aimed to get a bit of winter sunshine to help break up the long UK winter, and hopefully some good birding and walking.  We had previously visited La Gomera in January 2003. In 2003 we spectacularly failed to identify either of the 2 endemic laurel pigeons although we saw many, but not for long enough or close enough to be sure which was which. This time we hoped to put this right...Alan & Rose Saunders report.

La Gomera 1-8 December 2002

• We spent most of the sunny day exploring San Sebastián and the surroundings by foot. A slow and very nice city at this time of the year, which is off season. Sea watching from the harbour wall (16:30-18:00) produced one delicate Barbary Falcon and one Little Shearwater, which passed by northwards relatively close to the jetty....Niklas Holmström reports.

Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde
Tony Clarke: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• Long awaited. This excellent guide is the first to deal exclusively with the birds of this spectacular region. It covers all resident, migrant and vagrant species found in Macaronesia which comprises the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. This has to be the field guide of choice for anyone visiting the islands. The status notes on all the birds are particulary welcome.

Collins Bird Guide
Lars Svensson et al: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• One of the few (and the best) European fieldguides that give coverage to all of the Canary Island specialties.... Fuerteventura Chat, Bolles Pigeon, Berthelots Pipit, Canary etc and some of the island forms like the Tenerife Goldcrest and Tenerife Bluetit.

The Mini Rough Guide to Tenerife
Christian Williams: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• Great to see at last a book that shows the real Tenerife. Must sees that the books backs up are Teide & Gomera. Can't wait to explore the Northern island on my next trip! Hope the fact that a book exists about the island will be enough to make people view this as a possible holiday destination.

AA Essential Lanzarote & Fuerteventura
Andrew Sanger: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• One of the best guides available. It is very user friendly with easy to use codes which covers just about everything you may need to know. Descriptions of places and attractions is brief but to the point, the only thing which could be improved would be the map as it not very accurate for driving purposes. Overall excellent guide with general information to interest all.

Lonely Planet: Canary Islands
Miles Roddis: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

• This guide book covers all seven Canary Islands and provides information on how to hop from one to the other. It covers activities from surfing to cycling, provides details of the fiesta and ferias held in the region, and offers information on traditional crafts and indigenous architecture.