FUERTEVENTURA - 7th December

We went back to the Barranco Rio Cabras first thing for another go at the Bittern; we initially employed the tactic of sitting at the top looking down but after a while we wandered along the top and almost straight away I saw the lovely DWARF BITTERN walking along the edge of the stream (present here since 2017) – out of view from where we were sitting, it eventually flew up onto the rocks posing brilliantly.   Other birds here included good views of several African Blue Tits, a nice flock of c20 Trumpeter Finches showing well, good views of several Buzzards, a flock of Lesser Short-toed Larks as well the same selection of water birds down in the Barranco.   

We then drove back up to the El Cotillo Plains for another look around via a big goat farm near Molinos where we had excellent views of 30+ Black-bellied Sandgrouse feeding among the goats; on the plains birds were generally similar but a bit more distant as it was the middle of the day and included 3 Houbara Bustards, more Spectacled Warblers and some bigger flocks of Lesser Short-toed Larks and Trumpeter Finches.   

A drive round the north coast and back south to Las Playitas then didn’t produce too much but we did add Turnstone and Redshank (Salinas del Carmen) to our trip list as well as lots of Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving along the coast, Sandwich Terns, Grey Plovers and a flock of 10 Spoonbills on the rocks at Caleta de Fuste.

Dwarf Bittern

Trumpeter Finch

Buzzard

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Spectacled Warbler

Yellow-legged Gulls

Atlantic Wall Lizard (or something like that)

Nearly a Sally Lightfoot Crab

FUERTEVENTURA - 6th December

Another early start to get down to Jandia Golf Course at Morro Jable for some morning birding around the greens (before we got kicked off by the groundsmen!); we eventually found the EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL up near the pool furthest up the valley that had been present since last week (first record for Canary Islands and second for Spain) which showed well briefly and handily called frequently.   It was a good morning’s birding with high numbers of birds wintering round the couple of pools and the regularly watered greens including 2 Red-throated Pipits and another Yellow Wagtail ssp. (which I couldn’t really work out) with the big flocks of Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails and Grey Wagtails, a RED KITE which drifted up the valley (apparently only the 3rd record for Fuerteventura!), 2 Sacred Ibis (not sure about their status) and a couple of Swallows zipping around amongst a fine selection of other bits such as Hoopoes, Berthelot’s Pipits, Southern Grey Shrikes, Chiffchaffs, Fuerteventura Chats, Spectacled Warblers, Kestrels and a Robin.   

On the way back north we then called into Risco del Paso at the south end of Laguna Sotavento where there was a nice selection of waders for the trip list including a good flock of Kentish Plovers, Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Sanderling and a Grey Plover with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and some Sandwich Terns also present.   Next was the wood at Costa Calma again, concentrating at the other end to where we were the other day but it was quiet with 2 Brambling the only birds of note (scarce on Fuerteventura) followed by a look around the zoo at Oasis Park which looked good but was a bit weird as we got stuck around the back of the [ghost town] garden centre with lots of abandoned-looking plants and greenhouse but no people anywhere!   Birds here included a smart little flock of noisy Lavender Waxbills (presumably local escapees from the zoo), more Siskins, a Blackcap and some Chiffchaffs plus butterflies such as Plain Tiger and Monarch.   
A walk across the Las Playitas golf courses then produced 3 Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank along with Ruddy Shelduck, Berthelot’s Pipits, Kestrels etc. before finally a drive up to Entellada Lighthouse late afternoon added a couple of Gannets offshore and a little flock of c5 Barbary Partridges around a dried-up dam.

Southern Grey Shrike

Red-throated Pipit

Yellow Wagtail ssp. (not the Eastern but it didn't really look like a standard Western race bird)

Cattle Egret

Sacred Ibis

Fuerteventura Chat

The mega Red Kite

Lesser Black-backed Gull (with bit of a hood thing going on)

Kentish Plover

Laughing Dove

Lavender Waxbills

Little Egret

Plain Tiger

Monarch

FUERTEVENTURA - 5th December

Made an early start to get to the El Cotillo Plains (I think that’s what they are called, NW of Tindaya anyway) in the morning where we had great views of some of our target species; highlights included awesome views of at least 4 HOUBARA BUSTARDS right by the road, just wandering around, not really bothered by the car, mediocre views of two fabulous CREAM-COLOURED COURSERS, four distant Black-bellied Sandgrouse in flight, plenty of Berthelot’s Pipits, 10+ Lesser Short-toed Larks, nice views of a couple of Spectacled Warblers and nice but brief views of a big female Barbary Falcon along the cliff edge.   

We then drove back SE a bit to the now famous Barranco Rio Cabras but we failed to find the Dwarf Bittern that has been resident here for ages (plenty of time though!) but it was a great site with water, trees and marshy bits down the bottom of a really steep Barranco; birding was good as totals included at least 6 FUERTAVENTURA CHATS (very confiding!), 2+ African Blue Tits, a single White Stork (scarce I think on Fuerteventura – attracted by the nearby landfill site), a Little Ringed Plover, 5 Black-winged Stilts, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Spoonbills, Little Egrets, 9+ Egyptian Vultures circling the ridges, better views of the smart Southern Grey Shrikes (of the distinctive, dark, smoky looking L. m. koenigi race), lots of Spectacled Warblers, a White Wagtail, Ruddy Shelducks flying about, Hoopoes, lots of confiding Barbary Ground Squirrels running about the cliffs and a peeled, depredated Algerian Hedgehog.   

A little look at Los Molinos Reservoir in the afternoon was quiet (but it was very windy by then) with a few trip ticks though including Grey Heron, Greenshank, Coot, Mallard and Teal.

Houbara Bustards

Berthelot's Pipit

Barbary Falcon record shots

Southern Grey Shrike

Fuerteventura Chats

Barranco scenes

Barbary Ground Squirrel

Egyptian Vulture

Black-winged Stilts

Yellow-legged Gull in Gran Tarajal Harbour in the evening