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
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:

  1. Cattle Egret (Kohejre) Seen in Arrecife and along the roads mostly inland

  2. Little Egret ( Sølvhejre ) Many at beach near Orzola .
  3. Spoonbill (Skestork) 16/2 Coastline near La Santa
  4. Mallard (Gråand)21/2 Fuertoventura
  5. Gray Heron ( Fiskehejre )21/2 Fuertoventura
  6. Egyptian Vulture (Ådselsgrib) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs :2.

    Egyptian Vulture


  7. Buzzard (Musvåge)21/2 Fuertoventura
  8. Kestrel (Tårnfalk) 15/2 Salinas de Janubio
  9. Barbery Falcon 13/2 Seen at Mirador del Haria : 2.
  10. Barbery Partridge ( Berberhøne) 13/2 at Tachiche golf cource : 2.

    Barbery Partridge


  11. Coot (Blishøne) 22/2 Penitãs : 1.
  12. Houbara Bustard (Kravetrappe) 14/2 and 21/2 El Jable : 1.
  13. Black-winged Stilt (Stylteløber) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio
  14. Cream Coloured Courser ( Ørkenløber) 14/2 El Jable : 3.

    Cream Coloured Courser


  15. Ringed Plover (Stor Præstekrave) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio : Several.
  16. Kentish Plover (Hvidbrystet Præstekrave) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio : Several.
  17. Sanderling (Strandløber) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
  18. Little Stint (Dværgryle) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: 1.
  19. Curlew Sandpiper (Krumnæbbet ryle) 23/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: 8.
  20. Dunlin (Alm. ryle) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: ca.10
  21. Eurasian Curlew (Storspove) 15/2 San Juan harbour : 1
  22. Whimbrel (Småspove) 16/2 Near Club la Santa : 1
  23. Redshank ( Rødben) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio
  24. Greenshank (Hvidklire) 18/2 Salinas near Cocoteras: 2.
  25. Common Sandpiber (Mudderklire) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
  26. Turnstone (Stenvender) 16/2 Near Club la Santa: 2.
  27. Yellow-legged Gull (Gulbenet Måge) 12/2 El Golfo. Common around the coast

    Yellow-legged Gull


  28. Sandwich Tern (Splitterne) 12/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1
  29. Blackheaded Gull (Hættemåge) 15/2 Salinas de Janubio: 1.
  30. Rock Pigeon (Klippedue) Timanfaya national park
  31. Collared Dove (Tyrkerdue) Very common .
  32. European Turtle Dove (Turteldue) 13/2 Mirador del Haria: 1
  33. Common Swift (Mursejler) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen : 4
  34. Pallid Swift (Gråsejler) 21/2 Fuertoventura
  35. Hoopoe (Hærvejsfugl) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen : 3
  36. Lesser Short-toed Lark (Dværglærke) 14/2 El Jable Plain
  37. Swallow (landsvale) 13/3 Costa del Carmen
  38. Red-rumped Swallow (Rødrygget Svale) 16/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen 2
  39. Berthelot's Pipit (Canarisk piber) 13/2 Tachiche golf cource (foto), seen everywhere.
  40. Yellow Wagtail (Gul vipstjert) 13/2 Haria town-center.
  41. White Wagtail (Vipstjert) 17/2 El barranquillo, Costa del Carmen
  42. Robin (Rødhals) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs
  43. Northern Wheatear (Stenpikker) 21/2 Fuertoventura , south of Cotillo
  44. Sardinian Warbler (Sorthovedet Sanger) 21/2 Fuertoventura , Penitãs
  45. Blackcap (Munk) 13/2 Tachiche golf cource
  46. Chiffchaff (Gransanger) 13/2 Haria town-center
  47. Blue Tit (Blåmejse) 13/2 Mirador del Haria: 3. (Notice the black cap , not blue)

    Blue Tit

  48. Great Grey Shrike (Stor tornskade) 14/2 El Jable
  49. Carrion Crow (Sortkrage) 22/2 Beach near Orzola : 5.
  50. Raven (Ravn) 14/2 El Jable
  51. Spanish Sparrow (Spansk Spurv) 16/2 Teguise
  52. Linnet (Tornirisk) 21/2 Fuertoventura , south of Cotillo
  53. Trumpeter Finch (Ørkendompap) 19/2 Salinas de Janubio