Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Wood Duck |
 Rock Sparrow |
 Blue Chaffinch |
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At last, I found a reasonably cheap flight from Oslo with Norwegian to Tenerife to secure the Canary endemic birds and some of the butterflies. Until now, these winter-flights have been very expensive. I paid 250 Euro for the tickets.
I landed at 3pm on the 25th and, hence, got three hours of birding on my first day. I picked up the rental car at the airport and visited a couple of places on the south of the island before dusk. One of my first birds was a female Wood Duck (of unknown origin) at Amarillo golf course, also a Greenshank , 5 Little Egret and 6 Spoonbill.
Before dusk I found Bertheloth´s Pipit, Canary Chiffchaff and Spectacled Warbler by the Guargacho dams. Only the most westerly dam held water, and it attracted Little Plover, Pied and Grey Wagtails. At Montaña Roja, the last place I before I headed to my hotel in Puerto Cruz, 4 Trumpeter Finches and 7 Sanderlings were present.
On day two I went to Erjos to look for the two endemic species of pigeon. Bolle´s was quite common there. I heard 3-4 cooing, saw one perched and many flying around along the track. Laurel´s, on the other hand, was much scarcer and only seen once in three attempts. This one, magnificent, creature flew at close range by the big rock, which is located one hour´s walk across the valley. Tenerife Goldcrest, Tenerife Chaffinch and Tenerife Blue Tit were common there. I recommend going there early in the morning when the birds are most active, and you won´t be bothered by all the annoying hikers and bikers.
In the following afternoon I drove towards El Teide through Santiago Del Teide and stopped by the first picnic-site to get stunning views of Blue Chaffinch. On the way back I spotted a gathering of 60 Plain Swifts for ten minutes before they headed west. I was surprised to find so many of them, since they are supposedly hard to find in winter. I saw other flocks of them during the week in different places, primarily over my hotel at dusk in Puerto Cruz. This meant that all endemics were secured in one day.
The best day later in the week was definitely at Punta Teno, a very exciting site for seabirds and vagrants. During four hours of birding on the 28th of Dec, I saw Gannet, male Hen Harrier, 3 Barbary Falcon, 3 Barbary Partridge, 200 Rock Sparrow, 4 Linnet, 5 Corn Bunting, 4 Skylark and 4 Lesser Short-toed Lark.
Staying at Puerto Cruz proved ideal, reaching every site within the hour of driving. I stayed at Hotel Chimisay in the center of the city. I paid 25 Euro per night including breakfast, so it was cheap, but I won´t recommend it, though. The rooms were far from soundproof, and I even woke up one night by the sound of a man wiping his nose. It also proved difficult to find a parking space, so parking in the outskirts and walking for ten minutes to the hotel became a daily habit.
The food was satisfying, especially the seafood. In Puerto Cruz, I want to recommend Sapori di Casa, a wonderful, little Sardinian restaurant. The staff was very friendly and hospitable, and they served great pasta and seafood.
During my entire stay the sun was up from 8 am to 7 pm, and the temperature was comfortable ranging from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius. I saw 58 species of birds.
Birds - in Norwegian and Latin: (“common” means seen in more than three different places)
Brudeand Aix sponsa
Female Amarillo golf
Krikkand Anas crecca
Female Erjos ponds
Berberhøne Alectoris barbara
Erjos ponds, Punta del la Rasca, Punta Teno
Havsule Morus bassanus
Punta Teno
Gråhegre Ardea cinerea
Valle Molino, Puerto Cruz, Palm Mar
Silkehegre Egretta garzetta
Amarillo golf, Valle Molino, Palm Mar
Skjestork Platalea leucorodia
Amarillo golf
Myrhauk Circus cyaneus
Punta Teno
Spurvehauk Accipiter nisus granti
Valle Molino
Musvåk Buteo buteo insularum
common
Sivhøne Gallinula chloropus
Erjos ponds
Sothøne Fulica atra
Erjos ponds
Sandlo Charadrius hiaticula
common
Dverglo Charadrius dubius
common
Strandsnipe Actitis hypoleucos
common
Gluttsnipe Tringa nebularia
common
Småspove Numenius phaeopus
common
Steinvender Arenaria interpres
common
Sandløper Calidris alba
Montaña Roja
Gulbeinmåke Larus michahellis atlantis
common
Sildemåke Larus fuscus intermedius
common
Larus fuscus graellsii
common
Splitterne Thalasseus sandvicensis
Palm Mar
Klippedue Columba livia canariensis
common
Kanaridue Columba bollii
Erjos, Chanajiga, Las Mercedes
Laurbærdue Columba junoniae
Erjos
Tyrkerdue Streptopelia decaocto
Very common
Saheldue Streptopelia roseogrisea
Puerto Cruz
Kanariseiler Apus unicolor
common
Flaggspett Dendrocopos major canariensis
common
Tårnfalk Falco tinnunculus canariensis
Very common
Berberfalk Falco pelegrinoides
Palm Mar, Punta Teno
Halsbåndparakitt Psittacula krameri
Purto Cruz
Munkeparakitt Myiopsitta monachus
Purto Cruz
Krattvarsler Lanius meridionalis koenigi
Punta del la Rasca, El Medano
Ravn Corvus corax
common
Flekkdverglerke Calandrella rufescens rufescens
Punta Teno
Sanglerke Alauda arvensis
Punta Teno
Kalottmeis Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae
common
Kanarifuglekonge Regulus teneriffae
common
Gransanger Phylloscopus collybita collybita
Erjos
Kanarigransanger Phylloscopus canariensis canariensis
Very common
Munk Sylvia atricapilla heineken
common
Maskesanger Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis
common
Svarthodesanger Sylvia melanocephala leucogastra
common
Rødstrupe Erithacus rubecula superbus
Very common
Svarttrost Turdus merula cabrerae
Very common
Vintererle Motacilla cinerea canariensis
common
Linerle Motacilla alba
common
Kanaripiplerke Anthus berthelotii
Very common
Kornspurv Emberiza calandra
Punta Teno, Los Rodeos
Bokfink Fringilla coelebs canariensis
common
Blåfink Fringilla teydea
common
Trompeterfink Bucanetes githagineus
Montaña Roja
Stillits Carduelis carduelis parva
Erjos
Tornirisk Carduelis cannabina meadewaldoi
Punta Teno, Los Rodeos
Kanariirisk Serinus canaria
Very common
Middelhavsspurv Passer hispaniolensis
common
Steinspurv Petronia petronia
Punta Teno
Butterflies:
Green-striped White common
Bath White common
Small White Very common
Canary Large White Erjos
Indian Red admiral Chanajiga
Painted Lady Very common
Monarch Valle Molino
Reptiles:
Canary Lizard Very common
Canary Skink Very common
Mammals:
Rabbit Very common
House Mouse common
Bottle-nosed Dolphin common
Pilot Whale common
Dragonflies:
Ischnura saharensis Tejina ponds
Anax imperator common
Crocothemis erythraea common
Sympetrum fonscolombei common