Birding Fuerteventura, April 2017

Another family vacation to the Canary Islands, this time to Fuerteventura. As always, I tried to get some time for birding and this Island proved to be the best so far.

We stayed in Morro Jable, in the very south of the island and there were actually quite a lot of birds in the city alone. It might have been that the timing was good, in the beginning of April, but still, surprisingly good. It started out with a Red-rumped Swallow and in the end I managed to find the real target species of the trip; the Canary Islands Stonechat. I had to put in some work to get that one though...

Here are some photos from the trip. 

Morro Jable

Between the beach and the town, there is a large area with shrubbery. It attracted some birds. The golf course was another spot for birding, this is where I found the Yellow-browed Warbler. The Bonelli's was found while walking to the harbour.

Spanish Sparrow (spansk sparv, Passer hispaniolensis)

Red-rumped Swallow (rostgumpsvala, Cecropis daurica)

Spectacled Warbler (glasögonsångare, Sylvia conspicillata)

Barbary Squirrel

Greylag Goose (grågås, Anser anser)

Yellow-legged Gull (medelhavstrut, Larus michahellis)

Spanish Sparrow (spansk sparv, Passer hispaniolensis)

Western Bonelli's Warbler (bergsångare, Phylloscopus bonelli)

Western Bonelli's Warbler (bergsångare,
Phylloscopus bonelli)

Western Bonelli's Warbler (bergsångare,
Phylloscopus bonelli)

Willow Warbler (lövsångare, Phylloscopus trochilus)

Grey Heron (gråhäger, Ardea cinerea)

Berthelot's Pipit (kanariepiplärka, Anthus berthelotii)

Yellow-legged Gull (medelhavstrut, Larus michahellis)

La Pared

The plains outside of La Pared is almost a must, if you are birding in the south of Fuerteventura. A good spot for Houbaras, but I didn't manage to see one unfortunately. Black-bellied Sandgrouse, on the other hand, was a new lifer for me.

Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel,
Lanius meridionalis)

Cream-colored Courser (ökenlöpare, Cursorius cursor)

Lesser Short-toed Lark (dvärglärka, Alaudala rufescens)

Northern Raven (korp, Corvus corax)

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (svartbukig flyghöna,
Pterocles orientalis)

Egyptian Vulture (smutsgam, Neophron percnopterus)

The bird had what looks like a satellite tag, on the back.

Egyptian Vulture (smutsgam, Neophron percnopterus)

Morro Jable (again)

Common Linnet (hämpling, Linaria cannabina)

Common Linnet (hämpling, Linaria cannabina)

Oasis Park

The Red-vented Bulbul is obviously an escapee but I was a bit surprised at first when I found it. I also had a male Lesser Kestrel over the park, at one point, but didn't manage to get a shot of it.

Red-vented Bulbul (rödgumpad bulbyl, Pycnonotus cafer)

Morro Jable - most of the birding was done here. This time, the birds - except for the parakeet - were seen close to the golf course, rather than down by the sea.

Rose-ringed Parakeet (halsbandsparakit, Psittacula krameri)

Laughing Dove (palmduva, Spilopelia senegalensis)

Yellow-browed Warbler (tajgasångare,
Phylloscopus inornatus)

Spanish Sparrow (spansk sparv, Passer hispaniolensis)

Common Kestrel (tornfalk, Falco tinnunculus)

Common Kestrel (tornfalk, Falco tinnunculus)

Monk Parakeet (munkparakit, Myiopsitta monachus)

Ruddy Shelduck (rostand, Tadorna ferruginea)

Esquinzo

I parked the car under the highway bridge going over the barranco which ends in Esquinzo. First I walked down towards the sea and had some nice views of European Turtle Dove and European Bee-eater. Then I started going up the barranco in search of the Stonechat.

European Turtle Dove (turturduva, Streptopelia turtur)

European Bee-eater (biätare, Merops apiaster)

African Monarch (afrikansk monark, Danaus chrysippus)

Canary Islands Stonechat (kanariebuskskvätta,
Saxicola dacotiae)

I finally managed to find it but I had to walk for some time before it showed itself. In the end, there were three birds before I turned back down.

Canary Islands Stonechat (kanariebuskskvätta,
Saxicola dacotiae)

Canary Islands Stonechat (kanariebuskskvätta,
Saxicola dacotiae)

Trumpeter Finch (ökentrumpetare , Bucanetes githagineus)

I had some nice views here of the trumpeter finch, which was a bird that had eluded me on my previous trips. I have seen it befor on Lanzarote but never this well.
The pipe in the background transports water and just here there was a hole in the pipe. Lots of birds took the opportunity to come here and drink.

Trumpeter Finch (ökentrumpetare , Bucanetes githagineus)

Morro Jable - last day

Plain Swift (enfärgad seglare, Apus unicolor)

Plain Swift (enfärgad seglare, Apus unicolor)

Hadada Ibis (hadadaibis, Bostrychia hagedash)

Red-rumped Swallow (rostgumpsvala, Cecropis daurica)

Kentish Plover (svartbent strandpipare,
Charadrius alexandrinus)

Birds on Fuerteventura (in order of appearance), new lifers marked with *:

Morro Jable: 
Cory's Shearwater (gulnäbbad lira, Calonectris borealis)
Yellow-legged Gull (medelhavstrut, Larus michahellis)
Greylag Goose (grågås, Anser anser)
Rock Dove (klippduva, Columba livia)
Eurasian Collared Dove (turkduva, Streptopelia decaocto)
Monk Parakeet (munkparakit, Myiopsitta monachus)
African Blue Tit (koboltmes, Cyanistes teneriffae)
Barn Swallow (ladusvala, Hirundo rustica)
Red-rumped Swallow (rostgumpsvala, Cecropis daurica)
Spectacled Warbler (glasögonsångare, Sylvia conspicillata) *
Spanish Sparrow (spansk sparv, Passer hispaniolensis)
Common Linnet (hämpling, Linaria cannabina)
African Sacred Ibis (helig ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus) *
Grey Heron (gråhäger, Ardea cinerea)
Eurasian Hoopoe (härfågel, Upupa epops)
Sand Martin (backsvala, Riparia riparia)
Willow Warbler (lövsångare, Phylloscopus trochilus)
Western Bonelli's Warbler (bergsångare, Phylloscopus bonelli) *
Berthelot's Pipit (kanariepiplärka, Anthus berthelotii)
Rose-ringed Parakeet (halsbandsparakit, Psittacula krameri)
Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel, Lanius meridionalis)
Ruddy Shelduck (rostand, Tadorna ferruginea)
Laughing Dove (palmduva, Spilopelia senegalensis)
Common Kestrel (tornfalk, Falco tinnunculus)
Yellow-browed Warbler (tajgasångare, Phylloscopus inornatus)
Hadada Ibis (hadadaibis, Bostrychia hagedash)
Little Egret (silkeshäger, Egretta garzetta)
Egyptian Vulture (smutsgam, Neophron percnopterus)
Kentish Plover (svartbent strandpipare, Charadrius alexandrinus)
Plain Swift (enfärgad seglare, Apus unicolor)
Pallid Swift (blek tornseglare, Apus pallidus)
Common House Martin (hussvala, Delichon urbicum)

La Pared:
Egyptian Vulture (smutsgam, Neophron percnopterus)
Cream-colored Courser (ökenlöpare, Cursorius cursor)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (svartbukig flyghöna, Pterocles orientalis) *
Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel, Lanius meridionalis)
Northern Raven (korp, Corvus corax)
Lesser Short-toed Lark (dvärglärka, Alaudala rufescens)
Berthelot's Pipit (kanariepiplärka, Anthus berthelotii)

Oasis Park:
Hadada Ibis (hadadaibis, Bostrychia hagedash)
Lesser Kestrel (rödfalk, Falco naumanni)
Northern Raven (korp, Corvus corax)
Red-vented Bulbul (rödgumpad bulbyl, Pycnonotus cafer)

Esquinzo (including the barranco):
Grey Heron (gråhäger, Ardea cinerea)
Common Buzzard (ormvråk, Buteo buteo)
European Turtle Dove (turturduva, Streptopelia turtur)
European Bee-eater (biätare, Merops apiaster)
Common Kestrel (tornfalk, Falco tinnunculus)
Western Yellow Wagtail (gulärla, Motacilla flava)
Common Linnet (hämpling, Linaria cannabina)
Trumpeter Finch (ökentrumpetare , Bucanetes githagineus)
Canary Islands Stonechat (kanariebuskskvätta, Saxicola dacotiae) *
African Monarch (afrikansk monark, Danaus chrysippus) - Butterfly

Birding on Tenerife - Oct/Nov 2017

So, it was time for another trip with the family, to the Canary islands. This time to Tenerife. 

A couple of days of birding was all I had time for, but this time my dad and my sister tagged along. But of course, we used a couple of the mornings to walk around Golf del Sur, where we stayed.

As this was my fourth visist to the islands, with Lanzarote being the first, Gran Canaria the second and Fuerteventura the third (I still have to write a blogpost from this trip), just 6 months ago, I had seen most of the Canary endemics, except for those which are not resident on those islands. And then, of course, the Blue Chaffinch was split into two species after I left Gran Canaria, so I still haven't seen that one. 

In any case, the definite targets of this trip were the Tenerife Blue Finch, the Laurel Pigeon and the Bolle's Pigeon. 

Despite quite some time spent at Erjos Pools, neither of the Pigeons were seen, unfortunately. We tried the La Grimonas Viewpoint as well, but it was quite late in the day and the clouds were heavy so we nothing beyond a possible Laurel Pigeon. However, the Blue Finch was relatively easy at the camping site of Las Lajas. 

I have added some photos below. 

Golf del Sur

Best thing is to walk to the northernmost part of the golf course. There you can see two ponds, which attract some birds. Quite a few of Black-capped Night Herons but also Lesser Egret and Cattle Egret. On the second visit we heard a Yellow-browed Warbler from the bushes inside the course and we also saw a Long-tailed Glossy Starling. The later was apparently an escapee... This is also a good spot for Barbary Partridge, which we saw on both occasions. 

The weather in Tenerife is great for excercise so I ran a couple of times. The first time I ran over to Montaña Amarilla and found a Barbary Falcon just sitting there on a rock beside the track. I was less than 10m from it before the track turned away. Cool bird... just sitting there looking at me (or perhaps staring at me...)

Black-crowned Night Heron (natthäger, Nycticorax nycticorax)

Las Lajas 

Just at the entrance, there are a couple of watering spots and this is where you find the birds.

Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (teneriffablåfink , Fringilla teydea)

Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (teneriffablåfink , Fringilla teydea)

Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (teneriffablåfink , Fringilla teydea)

Atlantic Canary (kanariesiska , Serinus canaria)

African Blue Tit (koboltmes, Cyanistes teneriffae)

African Blue Tit (koboltmes, Cyanistes teneriffae)

Teide

Before going up the cable car, we walked for a while on the plain below. This beautiful Northern wheatear showed itself nicely but otherwise, there were not many birds around.

Northern Wheatear (stenskvätta, Oenanthe oenanthe)

Northern Wheatear (stenskvätta, Oenanthe oenanthe)

Berthelot's Pipit (kanariepiplärka, Anthus berthelotii)

This Berthelot's pipit had taken the role of the House Sparrow up on the mountain.

Erjos pools

The pools were completely dried out when we got there, which might have been a factor in us seeing neither the Laurel or Bolle's Pigeon. We walked up the track to the top of the hill and down into the Laurel forest on the other side but nothing. Common Chaffinch was pretty common and we saw European Robin and Goldcrest a couple of times. All three have their distinct subspecies here and, who knows, mabye they will be split into species in the future.

Common Chaffinch (bofink , Fringilla coelebs)

Goldcrest (kungsfågel, Regulus regulus)

Goldcrest (kungsfågel, Regulus regulus)

Common Buzzard (ormvråk, Buteo buteo)

Golf del Sur, again...

Black-crowned Night Heron (natthäger, Nycticorax nycticorax)

[Long-tailed Glossy Starling (långstjärtad glansstare,
Lamprotornis caudatus)]

Barbary Partridge (klipphöna, Alectoris barbara)

Depending on which list you follow, I managed to see two or three different species. Barbary Falcon is no longer considered a distinct species in Sweden (if you follow the Swedish taxonomy commitée) but in my list tool (www.igoterra.com - check it out!!) I use the IOC list, and there Barbary Falcon is still a species. Confusing... ;-)

Species seen (in order of appearance):

Yellow-legged Gull (medelhavstrut, Larus michahellis)
Rock Dove (klippduva, Columba livia)
Eurasian Collared Dove (turkduva, Streptopelia decaocto)
Barbary Falcon (berberfalk, Falco pelegrinoides) (*)
Berthelot's Pipit (kanariepiplärka, Anthus berthelotii)
Barbary Partridge (klipphöna, Alectoris barbara) *
Cory's Shearwater (gulnäbbad lira, Calonectris borealis)
Black-crowned Night Heron (natthäger, Nycticorax nycticorax)
Grey Heron (gråhäger, Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret (silkeshäger, Egretta garzetta)
Common Moorhen (rörhöna, Gallinula chloropus)
Canary Islands Chiffchaff (kanariegransångare, Phylloscopus canariensis)
Common Blackbird (koltrast, Turdus merula)
Spanish Sparrow (spansk sparv, Passer hispaniolensis)
Grey Wagtail (forsärla, Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (sädesärla, Motacilla alba)
Spectacled Warbler (glasögonsångare, Sylvia conspicillata)
Sardinian Warbler (sammetshätta, Sylvia melanocephala)
Goldcrest (kungsfågel, Regulus regulus)
Common Buzzard (ormvråk, Buteo buteo)
African Blue Tit (koboltmes, Cyanistes teneriffae)
Tenerife Blue Chaffinch (teneriffablåfink , Fringilla teydea) *
Atlantic Canary (kanariesiska , Serinus canaria)
Northern Wheatear (stenskvätta, Oenanthe oenanthe)
Common Kestrel (tornfalk, Falco tinnunculus)
European Robin (rödhake, Erithacus rubecula)
Common Chaffinch (bofink , Fringilla coelebs)
Northern Lapwing (tofsvipa, Vanellus vanellus)
Western Cattle Egret (kohäger (15), Bubulcus ibis)
Yellow-browed Warbler (tajgasångare, Phylloscopus inornatus)
[Long-tailed Glossy Starling (långstjärtad glansstare, Lamprotornis caudatus)]
Sanderling (sandlöpare, Calidris alba)