Lanzarote Februar 11-25, 2002
by Henrik & Ross Madsen
Denmark
TRIP REPORT:
When me and my wife went to Lanzarote , I did`nt have time to buy any fieldguides,
but had to rely on trip-reports found on the internet. I copied out Sjaak Schilperoorts
report from a trip in 1998, and thanks to his descriptions we were able to find
most of the endemic species on the Island. We more or less followed his footprints,
rented a car for a week ( very cheap) , and took the Fred Olsen -ferry 1 day
to Fuertoventura. The lack of a good fieldguide with road-instructions turned
out to be "fatal" since we did`nt manage to find Los Molinos on Fuertoventura.
We wasted precius time, and missed the best place for spotting waders (according
to our hero Sjaak). The lesson to learn is : buy a decent map , since a lot
of roads and dirttracks have been changed recently. We saw 53 different species
, 10 of them on our trip to Fuertuventura. 12 new species was added to our list.
Houbara bustard , El Jable 14/2/2002
To see the Houbara Bustard was by far the greatest thrill. We saw it twice
on el jable plains, the first time 14/2 in the morning. We stopped the car
at a waterstation 1 km outside Tiagua on the way to Soo, and bumbed into to
this fine creature just 100 meters into the plains. It was aware of me all the
time , but kept on commin closer , and was circling around me for almost an
hour. Just a few hours later we saw 3 Cream-Coloured Courser`s near Munique
and a few Lesser Short-toed Larks .We never managed to see any birds on El Rubicon
- proberbly due to the lack of a fieldguide and also due to lots of new settlements
for turists.
Salinas de Janubio is the best place for spotting waders on Lanzarota, but
dont miss out on a visit to Los Cocoteros if you like to take photos!!. Here
you can park your car right up to the salinas and watch the birds from only
a few meters distance. A field north of El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen turned
out to be the best place for smaller birds. Hoopoe, common swift and barn swallow
was regular sightings, and one day even red-rumped swallow.
BIRD SPECIES LIST:
Cattle Egret (Kohejre) Seen in Arrecife and along the roads mostly inland
- Little Egret ( Sølvhejre ) Many at beach near Orzola .
- Spoonbill (Skestork) 16/2 Coastline near La Santa
- Mallard (Gråand)21/2 Fuertoventura
- Gray Heron ( Fiskehejre )21/2 Fuertoventura
- Egyptian Vulture (Ådselsgrib) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs
:2.
- Buzzard (Musvåge)21/2 Fuertoventura
- Kestrel (Tårnfalk) 15/2 Salinas de Janubio
- Barbery Falcon 13/2 Seen at Mirador del Haria : 2.
- Barbery Partridge ( Berberhøne) 13/2 at Tachiche golf cource :
2.
- Coot (Blishøne) 22/2 Penitãs : 1.
- Houbara Bustard (Kravetrappe) 14/2 and 21/2 El Jable : 1.
- Black-winged Stilt (Stylteløber) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio
- Cream Coloured Courser ( Ørkenløber) 14/2 El Jable : 3.
- Ringed Plover (Stor Præstekrave) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio : Several.
- Kentish Plover (Hvidbrystet Præstekrave) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio
: Several.
- Sanderling (Strandløber) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
- Little Stint (Dværgryle) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: 1.
- Curlew Sandpiper (Krumnæbbet ryle) 23/2 Salinas near Cocoteras:
8.
- Dunlin (Alm. ryle) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: ca.10
- Eurasian Curlew (Storspove) 15/2 San Juan harbour : 1
- Whimbrel (Småspove) 16/2 Near Club la Santa : 1
- Redshank ( Rødben) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio
- Greenshank (Hvidklire) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: 2.
- Common Sandpiber (Mudderklire) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
- Turnstone (Stenvender) 16/2 Near Club la Santa: 2.
- Yellow-legged Gull (Gulbenet Måge) 12/2 El Golfo. Common around
the coast
- Sandwich Tern (Splitterne) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1
- Blackheaded Gull (Hættemåge) 15/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
- Rock Pigeon (Klippedue) Timanfaya national park
- Collared Dove (Tyrkerdue) Very common .
- European Turtle Dove (Turteldue) 13/2 Mirador del Haria: 1
- Common Swift (Mursejler) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen : 4
- Pallid Swift (Gråsejler) 21/2 Fuertoventura
- Hoopoe (Hærvejsfugl) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen : 3
- Lesser Short-toed Lark (Dværglærke) 14/2 El Jable Plain
- Swallow (landsvale) 13/3 Costa del Carmen
- Red-rumped Swallow (Rødrygget Svale) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa
del Carmen 2
- Berthelot's Pipit (Canarisk piber) 13/2 Tachiche golf cource (foto),
seen everywhere.
- Yellow Wagtail (Gul vipstjert) 13/2 Haria town-center.
- White Wagtail (Vipstjert) 17/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen
- Robin (Rødhals) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs
- Northern Wheatear (Stenpikker) 21/2 Fuertoventura , south of Cotillo
- Sardinian Warbler (Sorthovedet Sanger) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs
- Blackcap (Munk) 13/2 Tachiche golf cource
- Chiffchaff (Gransanger) 13/2 Haria town-center
- Blue Tit (Blåmejse) 13/2 Mirador del Haria: 3. (Notice the black
cap , not blue)
- Great Grey Shrike (Stor tornskade) 14/2 El Jable
- Carrion Crow (Sortkrage) 22/2 Beach near Orzola : 5.
- Raven (Ravn) 14/2 El Jable
- Spanish Sparrow (Spansk Spurv) 16/2 Teguise
- Linnet (Tornirisk) 21/2 Fuertoventura , south of Cotillo
- Trumpeter Finch (Ørkendompap) 19/2 Salinas de Janubio