Fuerteventura, Canary Islands 2nd - 8th March 2005

Published by John Waldon (john.waldon AT eclipse.co.uk)

Participants: John Waldon

Comments

My wife and I flew to and from Fuerteventura via Madrid. Easyjet flights from Bristol to Madrid and Spanair flights from Madrid provided a very cost effective way of getting to the island. It was cheaper than most flight-only deals and had the benefit to us of using Bristol airport. As the flights were scheduled flights and daily it gave more flexibility to which days we chose to travel on. The only draw back was the length of travelling time.

We had an intentional 24 hour stop-over on the way and a 3 hour wait at Madrid on the return journey. Whilst in Madrid we saw Hawfinches in the Royal Botanical gardens and a White Stork circling over the airport (return journey).

We arrived on Fuerteventura on the 2 March and departed on the 8 March.

We booked accommodation in advance. Three nights in a “rural house” on the edge of the village of Pajara (central) and three nights in an apartment in the coastal resort of El Cotillo (NW corner). The house, Casa Andresito, was booked with Fuerteventura Rural (www.ecoturismocanaries.com). It was excellent and would have been cheaper per head if there had been more of us. Birds seen from the house included Stone Curlews, Southern Grey Shrike, Blue Tit and Egyptian Vultures. The studio apartment was also good, right on the beach and quiet, the only noise provided by Spanish sparrows nesting in a palm outside the windows. The apartments were called Cotillo Lagos and we booked through Bedbookers.com.

Itinerary

Day 1; March 2. Arrived on the island at 1.30 pm. We collected the hire car and drove to Caleta de Fusta to find a bank and supermarket (expensive). Strong NW wind, cloudy and cool. A few Cory’s Shearwaters flying off shore together with two Gannets, Sandwich Terns and Yellow-legged Gulls. We drove onto Las Salinas and the Barranco de la Torre where it was still windy and cool. Amongst the birds seen were six Trumpeter Finches and three Redshanks. En route to Pajara we saw several Kestrels, usually near habitation.

Day 2; March 3. Pajara. Rained in the night. Wind now strong SW and showers in the morning. A walk at 8.30 am for about 1 kilometre along a track outside the house was rewarding. Birds seen included: Hoopoe, Southern Grey Shrike, Blue Tits, Lesser Short-toed Lark and a pair of Fuerteventura Chats. Later in the morning we drove to Le Pared. Two Egyptian Vultures soared over the road and a Common Sandpiper was the lone wader on the beach. Barbary Ground Squirrels entertained us on the headland. Tracks onto the plain were very difficult due to the rain and subsequent erosion. Eventually we had to turn back but did see Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Berthelot’s Pipit and one Cream-coloured Courser. Returned to main road at Le Pared and drove south past Costa Calma and onto the beach at Casas Risco del Paso (near the wind surfing centre). Wind very strong but there was a good selection of waders. An adult Slender-billed Gull and a first winter Black-headed Gull were feeding in the pools. Drove north visiting various small towns. In Gran Tarajal 2 Pallid Swifts were seen flying amongst the buildings.

Day 3; March 4. Pajara Rained again during the night and the morning was cold, cloudy and windy (from the N). A solitary Swallow flew past the house. Drove to Mal Paso, (a side road off of the road to Ajuy from Parajara) and parked at the end of the new road. Almost immediately several Barbary Partridges appeared including one calling, sitting on a rock less than 50 m from the car. Walked up to the hermitage and then on to the small reservoir at Las Penitas. Overhead a single Buzzard was mobbed by three Kestrels and one Egyptian Vulture. The sparse scrub and palm trees held Spectacled Warblers, Sardinian Warblers, Southern Grey Shrikes and Hoopoes. On the reservoir, which was full and over flowing, were only two Coots but Blue Tits, Sardinian Warblers and a Chiffchaff were seen in the surrounding Tamarisks. During a picnic at the head of the valley more Blue Tits were seen along with Ravens, Turtle Doves and a Monarch butterfly. After the walk we drove to Ajuy. A single Swallow was flying over the beach along with Yellow-legged Gulls and two Ravens. Later drove to Pazo Negro and a Hoopoe and Trumpeter Finches were seen during the journey. From the beach over 100 Gannets were seen flying north accompanied by a few Cory’s Shearwaters. On returning to the house found an Algerian Hedgehog at the garden gate.

Day 4; March 5. Early morning trip to Catalina Garcia (about 20 minutes drive).Lots of water and birds. On the main pool were three Ruddy Shelducks, One male Ringed Necked Duck, 11 Little Egrets, four Black-winged Stilts and other waders. Over the water were small flocks of Pallid Swifts, a few Swallows and at least three Plain Swifts. Other pools in the area were rewarding with Kentish, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers. The drive back to the house was also productive. Hoopoes, Southern Grey Shrikes and Ravens were all seen clearly. At the house two Stone Curlews were sitting in the field outside the kitchen window. These birds were probably responsible for the calling we heard at night. At 10.30 we drove through the hills to Betancuria. Wonderful scenery and a Barbary Partridge right on the road side. After visiting the town, an amazing church (well worth the entrance fee), and Blue Tits, we drove to the Embalse de la Molinos. The surrounding area is very bleak with various camels, goats and donkeys wandering about. The water in the reservoir was high and had submerged the dead Tamarisk. The bird highlights were 9 Ruddy Shelducks, a male Fuerteventura Chat, two Plain Swifts and five Teal. As we left and drove towards Puerlito de los Molinos we watched two Egyptian Vultures standing only 100 m from the car. After a late lunch we drove north to El Cotillo. Whilst driving through the outskirts of La Oliva we saw a Stone Curlew sat amongst the road side palms (in the town). On the beach at El Cotillo were a number of waders including Sanderlings, Turnstones and Kentish Plovers. Cory’s Shearwaters and Gannets were seen flying off shore.

Day 5; March 6. El Cotillo. A warm dry day with a moderate northerly wind. At 7.30 am I drove onto the plain to the south of the town. New tracks confused the best route but at last I found the main track south. Southern Grey shrikes and Berthelot’s Pipits were frequently seen and then four Coursers and 5 Black-bellied Sandgrouse. After about one hour I saw a fine male Houbara Bustard preening and feeding close to the track. Later in the day various waders were seen on the beach along with a Little Egret. In some pines planted in the town Linnets and Goldfinches were calling. In the evening Cory’s Shearwaters and Gannets flew north, some close inshore.

Day 6; March 7. El Cotillo. Drove to Corralejo and caught the ferry to the Island of Lobos. No birds seen during trip apart from two Sandwich terns in the harbour. On the island we completed the walk around its perimeter before visiting the beach within the volcanic crater and then onto the main beach. Haiter lizards were common. A colony of Yellow-legged Gulls was restricted to the northern part. A few waders were on the lagoon and a single Kestrel and Southern Grey Shrike appeared to be on territories. A pair of Trumpeter Finches was nest building close to the path. A buzzard flying over and landing on a hill caused the gulls to panic. The buzzard appeared longer winged than normal for a Common Buzzard and had a pale front streaked with rusty brown marks. A Turnstone and several Berthelot’s Pipit approached us on the beach and were fed. A couple of Cory’s Shearwaters and one Black Headed Gull were seen on the return trip.

Day 7; March 8 El Cotillo. A quick visit to the beach before leaving for the airport. We stopped at the Dunas de Corralejo National Park, these sand dunes seemed to be devoid of bird life and heavily used by people. A flock of 70 Sandwich Terns flew along the beach and Sanderlings, plovers and Dunlin fed on the shoreline. We arrived at the airport at noon.

Species Lists

Birds recorded on Fuerteventura March 2005	Latin Name	DAY 1	DAY 2	DAY 3	DAY 4	DAY 5	DAY 6	DAY 7
Cory's Shearwater	Calonectris diomedea borealis	8	.	20+	50	60	2	.
Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus	2	1	100+	2	18	.	.
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	.	.	.	12	1	.	2
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	.	1	.	2	.	.	.
Ruddy Shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	.	.	.	12	.	.	.
Teal	Anas crecca	.	.	.	5	.	.	.
Ringed-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	.	.	.	1	.	.	.
Egyptian Vulture	Neophron percnopterus percnopterus	.	2	2	5	.	.	.
Buzzard	Buteo buteo insularum	.	.	1	2	.	1?	.
Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus dacotiae	2	1	4	4	.	1	.
Barbary Partridge	Alectoris barbara koenigi	.	.	6	1	.	.	.
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus chloropus	.	.	.	3	.	.	.
Coot	Fulica atra atra	.	.	2	50	.	.	.
Houbara Bustard	Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae	.	.	.	.	1	.	.
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	.	.	.	4	.	.	.
Stone-curlew	Burhinus oedicnemus insularum	H	H	.	3	.	.	.
Cream-coloured Courser	Cursorius cursor bannermani	.	1	.	.	4	.	.
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius curonicus	.	.	.	5	.	.	.
Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula	.	2	.	2	.	.	2
Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus	.	20	.	3	.	.	1
Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	.	37	.	.	.	.	.
Sanderling	Calidris alba	.	3	.	8	8	.	9
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	.	1	.	1	.	.	2
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	.	20	.	.	1	1	.
Spotted Redshank	Tringa erythropus	.	.	.	1	.	.	.
Redshank	Tringa totanus	3	.	.	.	.	6	.
Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	.	1	.	2	.	3	.
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	.	1	1	2	.	2	.
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	.	.	.	10	20	1	.
Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus	.	1	.	.	.	1	.
Slender-billed Gull	Larus genei	.	1	.	.	.	.	.
Yellow-legged Gull	Larus cachinnans atlantis	6	40	2	8	14	100+	.
Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis	2	6	.	.	.	2	70
Black-bellied Sandgrouse	Pterocles orientalis orientalis	.	8	.	.	9	.	.
Rock Dove	Columba livia canariensis	4	.	8	.	.	.	.
Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto decaocto	8	4	4	6	5	7	2
Turtle Dove	Streptopelia turtur	.	.	4	.	.	2	.
Plain Swift	Apus unicolor	.	.	.	4	.	.	.
Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus brehmorum	.	14	.	21	.	.	.
Hoopoe	Upupa epops	.	3	2	4	.	.	.
Lesser Short-toed Lark	Calandrella rufescens polatzeki	.	10	.	8	4	.	.
Swallow	Hirundo rustica	.	.	2	6	.	.	.
Berthelot's Pipit	Anthus berthelotii berthelotii	.	3	2	2	3	11	.
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba	.	.	.	1	.	.	.
Fuerteventura Chat	Saxicola dacotiae dacotiae	.	2	.	1	.	.	.
Spectacled Warbler	Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis	H	.	3	1	.	.	.
Sardinian Warbler	Sylvia melanocephala	H	.	5	2	.	.	.
Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	.	.	1	.	.	.	.
Blue Tit	Parus caeruleus degener	.	2	8	2	.	.	.
Southern Grey Shrike	Lanius meridionalis koenigi	.	3	4	4	2	2	.
Raven	Corvus corax tingitanus	1	2	5	4	.	2	.
Spanish Sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis	X	X	X	X	X	8	.
Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis parva	.	H	.	.	2	.	.
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina harterti	.	2	.	.	2	.	.
Trumpeter Finch	Bucanetes githagineus amantum	6	3	2	2	.	2	.

H = Heard only
X = Not counted /abundant.

John Waldon
March 2005.

Contact details: john.waldon AT eclipse.co.uk