Birdwatching trip report - Canary Islands

During a family summer holiday I was able to do some ‘birding on the side’ and managed to connect with the targeted birds. We stayed one week on Tenerife (=’T’) and one on Fuerteventura (=’F’) in rented private houses near Icod de los Vinos (T) and Villaverde (F). This short report mainly contains information about sightings of the mentioned target species (lifers in bold print). Please feel free to contact me (Thierry [dot] Jansen [at] xs4all [dot] NL) in case you need information about other birds or additional details considering sites.

I used the following sources in order to determine which sites to visit:

·         A Birdwatchers’ Guide to The Canary Islands – Tony Clarke & David Collins (1996);

·         Finding Birds in The Canary Islands – Dave Gosney (1994);

·         Trip reports on TravellingBirder.com.

Wood Duck – Aix sponsa
An unexpected couple – 1cy and adult female – at Erjos Ponds (T, 18/8), just south of Erjos and west of the TF-82 road. Origin unknown; birds did not seem to be ringed and were alert, state of the wings not properly seen. Sighting reported to the Spanish Rarities Committee.

Barbary Partridge – Alectoris barbara
- A group of approximately 6 birds in a small barranco in Teno NP (T, 18/8) that crosses the road, a few kilometers west of Mirador de la Monja (see Barbary Falcon).
- A group of up to 11 birds near La Oliva (F, 23&24/8). Same site as bustards.

Barbary Falcon – Falco pelegrinoides
- A pair at the Mirador de la Monja (T, 18/8), also known as Mirador de Don Pompeo, along the TF-445 road some 3-4 km west of Buenavista del Norte.
- One hunting bird at Embalse de los Molinos (F, 23/8), see under the bush chat for site info.

Canary Islands Bustard – Chlamydotis undulata fuerteventurae
- 1, 3 and 1 birds at the well known site near La Oliva (F, 23/8 @ 11hrs, 24/8 @ 19hrs, 26/6 @ 19hrs). No birds on 27/8 @ 19hrs. The site can be reached by entering a track from the FV-10 road just NW of La Oliva (near sign 26km), ignoring a sign “finca / no entry”. Drive west passing the finca (mind the dogs!) and turn right uphill and next follow the road to the left along a fence until you reach the highest point. Look south from there towards a small barranco with some fig trees and bushes, this is the place where the birds showed up almost daily.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse – Pterocles orientalis
- A fly-by of 10 birds at the bustard site (F, 23/8).

Bolle’s Pigeon – Columba bollii
- 5 birds at Monte del Agua / Erjos (T, 17/8). The usually mentioned view point at the rock with the rain pipe produced 2 flying birds, a better place (3 birds, also perched) is closer to Erjos / road TF-82 along the same track where you can overlook cultivated land and laurel forest just past a radio tower.
- 3 birds at Mirador de Lagrimona (T, 18/8). See site info at Laurel Pigeon.
- 3 birds at Erjos Ponds (T, 20/8). The pigeons came in for a quick drink and took off again.

Laurel Pigeon – Columba junoniae
- appr. 6 birds (12 sightings in 1 hour) at the Mirador de Lagrimona (T, 18/8), situated right along the TF-5 road above playa del Socorro between 2 small tunnels some 2 km east of Barranco de Ruiz.

Tenerife Robin – Erithacus superbus
- 2 birds at Monte de Agua (T, 20/8), one at the rock with the rain pipe and one some 400 meters further to the west at a sharp turn in the track with a large bramble bush.

Canary Islands Bush Chat – Saxicola dacotiae
- 1 male at Embalse de los Molinos (F, 23/8), a couple of hundred meters south of the dam. The site can be reached by entering a track going south at a goat farm (mind the dogs!) at the west end of Las Parcelas along the road FV-221 west of Tefía.
- a pair in Barranco de Muley (F, 27/8), where the barranco is close to the FV-413 road east (not north) of Triquivijate approximately 500 meters east of the 6km sign.

Ménétries’s Warbler – Sylvia mystacea
An unexpected male bird in Betancuria (F, 26/8) in a garden approximately 50 meters south of the church. Sighting reported to the Spanish Rarities Committee. ID based on noted details: light grey head, much lighter than male Sardinian Warbler. Grey upper parts, whitish under parts. Orangey legs and eye ring. Bill two-colored, part of base yellowish. I learned from the Spanish Rarities Committee this bird would be the first in 30 years for the Canary Islands if accepted. Unfortunately I´ve got no pictures and only brief notes, so I hope someone else will be able to make pictures of it soon!

Canary Islands Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus canariensis
Common (T), even on our ‘private garden list’.

Canary Islands Kinglet – Regulus teneriffae
Several birds at Monte de Agua / Erjos (T, 17/8) and Montañeta Forest (T, 21/8) west of the “Ermita San Francisco” along the TF-373 road SW of Icod de los Vinos.

European Pied Flycatcher – Ficedula hypoleuca
An unexpected female in Betancuria (F, 26/8), same garden as Ménétries’s Warbler.

Tenerife Blue Tit – Cyanistes teneriffae
Quite common (T), even on our ‘private garden list’.

Ultramarine Tit – Cyanistes ultramarinus
One bird in Betancuria (F, 26/8), same garden as flycatcher and warbler.

Blue Chaffinch – Fringilla teydea
Four birds at the well known Las Lajas picnic site (T, 19/8), drinking water from puddles at the taps amidst picnicking tourists around lunch time.

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