Island Tour - Part 4 - Tindaya Plains and Houbara Bustards!

 Apart from the Fuerteventura Chat, the other bird that was high on our "wish list" was Houbara Bustard. The bird lives over much of the island, but the most reliable spot to see it is an area called the Tindaya Plains, near the village of Tindaya, in the north of the island. Although the roads are pretty dodgy, if you drive very carefully (!) you'll be ok! whilst there, we used the car as a hide, and got all the photos from there.

Mount Tindaya (Montana de Tindaya)

It was about a half hour drive from Corralejo, so we set off early to arrive on site form sunrise (7.30am). At the start, it was quite frustrating, as it is a very large area to cover, and there were no birds at all (except the ubiquitous Rock Doves/Feral Pigeons and Collared Doves) but, as the day warmed up, so did the birds! The most numerous were Berthelot's Pipits and Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, followed by Plain Swift, Swallow(2), Raven, Trumpeter Finch (male and female) and Egyptian Vulture (1).

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark

Trumpeter Finch

After the best part of three hours, we were just about to give up, when we spotted a large white object spinning around, about a kilometre away, on the horizon! We got the binoculars on it, and realized that we'd found a displaying male Houbara Bustard! We were able to watch it for about half an hour, and managed to get some very distant (!) photos and video footage.

Houbara Bustard

Houbara Bustard

Houbara Bustard displaying (amazing!!!)

Island Tour - Part 3- Morro Jable

 Our last stop on 30th March was the seaside resort of Morro Jable, on the south coast of the island. We parked on the outskirts of the resort, by the old abandoned zoo, where we were able to see a couple of the island's more exotic species; Hadada Ibis and Monk Parakeet.

Morro Jable lighthouse and boardwalk

Hadada Ibis

Monk Parakeets (waiting to be hand fed!)

Other birds seen on a walk around the beach and lighthouse were: Cattle Egret (adult and juveniles), Plain Swift (2 over), Spectacled Warbler (our only sighting!), House Martin (2 over), Yellow-legged Gull, Goldfinch and our first Great Grey Shrike (ssp koenigi). 

Great Grey Shrike

Barbary Ground Squirrels were also seen here.

Corralejo- March 28th and 29th

 Jayne and I arrived in the resort of Corralejo on Saturday afternoon. We spent the rest of the day, and the Sunday in the resort.

The first species seen on the island was.... Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon. This species was seen on everyday, at every location visited. Other species seen on the journey to the resort were: Kestrel, Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove (very common everywhere) and Buzzard (our 1 and only sighting).

On arrival at the hotel, we saw many more Collared Doves, Spanish Sparrow (very common across the island), Barn Swallow and Whimbrel (common on the rocky foreshore, and seen on every visit).

The next day, Sunday 29th, we walked around the town, and recorded the same species, as well as our first "lifer", Plain Swift, with 2 over the hotel. Other species added were: Turnstone (common, in small groups on the foreshore), Common Sandpiper (seen on every visit in 1s and 2s), Ringed Plover (3 seen), Sanderling (5 seen), Raven (1 over) and Little Egret (1 fishing on the shore).

Little Egret

Back at the hotel, we spent time by the pool, and had fly-over Ruddy Shelduck (2), a Kestrel (hunting the Atlantic (Haria) Lizard in the grounds, and, best of all, a couple of Laughing Dove (2nd lifer), that also flew over our heads. Unfortunately, this was our only sighting of the trip, so no photos.

Kestrel and half a lizard!