Trading ''Two Wheels for Four'' Fuerteventura Dec.26th-Jan.2nd. Part Four (1 Viewer)

Wednesday's experience was clearly a ''one-off'' Thursday would be much more sedate...wouldn't it?

Set off to Pajara hoping to add African Blue Tit to the list, that would be our days objective, upon arriving and parking close to the ''Town Park'' we remarked on how attractive the town and gardens were. A profusion of flowering shrubs (oranges and purples) with fantastic Palms surrounding a central car parking area and a Kiddies play park.

I quickly declared that I'd got ABT!....a bit too quick though, as a more prolonged view revealed a Chiff Chaff...drats! Moments later the real McCoy African Blue Tit presented itself, before I could savour this ''life tick''....my attention quickly evaporated when I caught sight of a small, very fast Phyllosc. sp. arrowing into a tree with heavy leafage! I was left with a distinctly smaller than a Chiff Chaff feel!

I mentioned to my wife that it looked interesting! That was her cue to stroll round the town, leaving me in ''a was it..or wasn't it'' mode. Eventually I re-found it, (after 2 hours and for the first time in my life..I heard it call!) I'd managed some ''almost'' decent shots...of Yellow-Browed Warbler!!

I was extremely pleased! also of note a briefly seen Sardinian Warbler and two odd looking Chiff Chaffs, one Olive Brown uppers with prominent Super, and another bright-ish Green uppers with almost (white unders for both)...If anybody wants a ''racial'' stab...be my guest.

For me probably on a par with an attitudinal ''Houbara...you looking at'' incident...the bizarre case of ''When a few crumbs of comfort become...a Ruff deal'' To be continued.

The concluding part of a ''week in the sun''.....on ''Houbara'' day (wed), my wife visited the Chiringuito Restaurante, Caleta del Fuste, located at the end of the boardwalk jutting out c100m from the beach and lagoons. Whilst there she noted that amongst the turnstones ''hanging-out'' on the adjacent café wall where they forage for ''scraps''was a ''Greenshank'', that was taking morsels from the deserted Café tables.

I did question her ID as this sounded ''not quite right'', she was adamant that it was a much bigger wader with longer bill and green legs!! not only that, but that it was chasing off the Turnstones for the scraps on offer.
I had grave doubts about the ID..but in the light of me calling out a Houbara....well anything's possible?

Thus after a stroll through the adjacent desert strip on Friday seeing Kentish Plover, Cattle Egret, Southern Great Grey Shrike, Berthelot's Pipit and an offshore immature Gannet, we returned to the ''Cafe'' for a much needed snack, as we approached the tables....I was ''gob-smacked''....my wife had clearly Mis-ID'd the bird...that was no Greenshank! It was a RUFF!!!!

Am still trying to come to terms with the fact, that an uncommon Winter visitor on Fuerteventura should be (attracted no doubt by the regular ''DECOY'' Turnstones) and behave in a most ''un-Ruff-like'' way. Indeed it's a wader that I don't see that often, and my impressions have always been...that it is an un-confiding species at best with humans?

I finished the week with 46 species....Quality over Quantity every time for me...and do I dare to come back? :eek!: Cheers and a Happy New Year to All.