Lanzarote Trip Report - Part 2 - Bird List

Bird List

1. Bulwer’s Petrel: 19 seen heading north on 13.05.10 Caleta Negra, 2 seen heading north on 14.05.10 Janubio.
2. Cory’s Shearwater: Very common, seen every time you looked out to sea!
3. Macronesian Shearwater: 1 seen heading north close in on 08.05.10 Janubio.
4. Gannet: 1 juv heading north on 13.05.10 Caleta Negra.
5. Squacco Heron: 2 on 11.05.10 Tias Golf Course.
6. Cattle Egret: 2 in breeding plumage at Janubio, others seen at Teguise Golf Course and farmland as driving around the country.
7. Little Egret: 1 on 04.05.10 at Janubio.
8. Purple Heron: 1 on 11.05.10 Tias Golf Course.
9. Greater Flamingo: 1 bird present on all visits to Janubio, very nervous and flushed readily by unsuspecting tourists/dog walkers/low-flying hand-gliders etc!
10. Ruddy Shelduck: A pair of birds at Janubio throughout.
11. Black Kite: 1 adult on 13.05.10 Llano de Zonzomas drifting low along the road before being lost to view over nearby farmland.
12. Osprey: 1 bird roosted on 09.05.10 Janubio.
13. Common Kestrel: Endemic race (dacotiae) very common throughout.
14. Barbary Falcon: 1 adult on 07.05.10 Mirador del Rio.
15. Barbary Partridge: Seen at several locations, e.g Janubio, Uga and Tachiche Golf Course, commonest at Tachiche Golf Course where over 100 were seen on a single visit.
16. Houbara Bustard: Endemic sub-species (fuertaventurae) seen easily at El Rubicon on all visits, up to 7 seen in one flock.
17. Oystercatcher: Single bird seen at Janubio during second week.
18. Black-winged Stilt: Very common at Janubio where they were breeding – young seen.
19. Stone Curlew: Endemic race (insularum) common on El Rubicon.
20. Cream-coloured Courser: Endemic race (bannermani) common on El Rubicon.
21. Collared Pratincole: 3 on 11.05.10 Tias Golf Course.
22. Little Ringed Plover: Single bird on 12.05.10 Janubio.
23. Ringed Plover: Seen at Janubio, up to a dozen, including very obvious tundrae birds.
24. Kentish Plover: Common at janubio, peaking at 21 birds on 14.05.10.
25. Grey Plover: Low numbers at Janubio throughout.
26. Sanderling: Up to a dozen at Janubio, in a variety of plumages.
27. Little Stint: 1 adult in winter plumage on 04.05.10 Janubio.
28. Semi-palmated Sandpiper: Excellent scope views of this Nearctic vagrant at very close range on 04.05.10 at janubio. Partially webbed feet clearly seen. The bird would associate with the Baird’s Sandpiper and Sanderling when flushed however would feed fairly distant from the other birds and in this regard was always on its own.
29. Curlew Sandpiper: 1 winter plumage bird on 04.05.10 and 2 birds (winter and spring plumage) on 06.05.10 both Janubio.
30. Dunlin: Maximum of 10 on 04.05.10, including several birds in summer plumage, considered to belong to alpina race all at Janubio.
31. Baird’s Sandpiper: Excellent scope views at close range of this Nearctic vagrant present on 04.05.10. The bird was actively feeding along the shoreline of the laguna at janubio. It would associate with Sanderling when in flight if flushed (as was the case due to dog-walkers/tourists etc) but whilst feeding it was incredibly aggressive towards them, puffing its feathers up and chasing after them.
32. Eurasian Whimbrel: Low numbers (less than 5) roosting at Janubio throughout.
33. Greenshank: One present on 12.05.10 and 14.05.10 Janubio.
34. Common Sandpiper: One on 08.05.10 Janubio.
35. Turnstone: Common at Janubio along the rocky shrore.
36. Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 at Janubio during both weeks.
37. ‘Azorean’ Yellow-legged Gull: endemic sub-species (atlantis) very common throughout the country.
38. Common Tern: A single bird north on 13.05.10 Caleta Negra.
39. Rock Dove: Commonly seen along coastlines, cliff-faces and up in the barren volcanoes, believed to belong to the endemic sub-species (canariensis).
40. Feral Pigeon: Common in cities/towns.
41. Collared Dove: Very common throughout, especially in towns and on beaches!
42. Barbary Dove: A couple of birds seen at Playa Blanca that looked a bit more Barbary Dove like than Collared Dove like.
43. Turtle Dove: Fairly common, where there was cover, especially in the northeast of the island.
44. Monk Parakeet: 2 birds seen briefly on 14.05.10 Arrerife, though to belong to this species, though other escapes not totally ruled out.
45. Common Swift: Occasional birds seen, best views on 11.05.10 Tias Golf Course.
46. Pallid Swift: Commonly seen all over the island, best views on 10.05.10 Jameos del Agua and on 11.05.10 Tias Golf Course where birds were seen down to several feet. Birds seen belonged to race brehmorum.
47. Eurasian Hoopoe: Very common throughout the country, peak count on 13.05.10 of 65+ birds at Tachiche Golf Course, including flocks here of 11 and 23 birds, large numbers also seen at Tias Golf Course.
48. Lesser Short-toed Lark: Singing birds recorded at El Rubicon with peak counts made on 13.05.10 of 65+ birds at Tachiche Golf Course. Birds seen belong to endemic sub-species (polatzeki).
49. Sand Martin: 2 birds on 04.05.10 Janubio.
50. Barn Swallow: Several birds seen at a variety of locations throughout the country.
51. Red-rumped Swallow: 4 birds flew north over the villa on 03.05.10 La Goleta.
52. House Martin: Several seen over Playa Blanca during first week.
53. Berthelot’s Pipit: Common all across the country, birds seen belong to endemic race (berthelotii).
54. Iberian ‘Yellow’ Wagtail: Stonking adult male seen at close range on 09.05.10 Janubio (Motacilla flava iberiae).
55. Common Blackbird: Two males heard singing from deep cover with one male seen briefly, contact calls of female also heard all on 13.05.10 Tachiche Golf Course. Song was like a melancholy version of nominate, however race uncertain – seeking confirmation of whether they were likely to be western Canary Island Race/North African race.
56. Spectacled Warbler: Endemic sub-species (orbitalis) common in dunes on 12.05.10 La Caleta de Famara.
57. Sardinian Warbler: A family group seen on 07.05.10 Tachiche Golf Course entrance road.
58. Common Chiffchaff: One seen on 07.05.10 Tachiche Golf Course entrance road with another seen near Playa Blanca. Race unassigned.
59. African Blue Tit: Endemic sub-species (degener), pairs seen on 10.05.10 Jameos del Agua and Haria.
60. Southern Grey Shrike: Endemic sub-species (koenigi), incredibly common countrywide, birds were heard calling, singing, young birds also seen.
61. Raven: A pair of African Raven sub-species (tingitanus) was seen on 07.05.10 Haria.
62. Spanish Sparrow: Very common throughout, seen in most habitats.
63. Atlantic Canary: Two birds seen on 07.05.10 and 10.05.10 at Haria.
64. Common Linnet: Common throughout, birds belonging to the endemic race (harterti).
65. Trumpeter Finch: Common throughout, birds belonging to the endemic race (amantum).

Details of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, insects etc coming soon…