Martin Bell
Well-known member
Just back from an easy weeks birding with Phil Hill and Mike Hogan in Fuerteventura, based in Corralejo. The key sightings were:
African Blue Tit - common around Las Penitas / Vega de Rio Palmas and Betancuria.
Barbary Falcon - 4 sightings of up to two individuals (male and female?) on 4th around the Baku water park in Corralejo, and 1 there on the 7th.
Barbary Partridge - Good views of a pair at Las Penitas, with others calling around the valley.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse - At least 50 at Los Mollinos on the 4th, with a German couple reporting some 200 there on the 5th. The birds (+ Ruddy Shelduck) were mainly feeding around the goats, but some were very close to the buildings.
Canary - 2 seen around Las Penitas on the 6th.
Cream-coloured Courser - only 1 seen as it flew from the road just to the east of La Calderata on the 4th.
Cory's Shearwater - decent numbers still of Corralejo and El Cotillo (from the lighthouse)
Fuerteventura Chat - 12 (at least 5 pairs) located in Barranca de Rio Cabras (Willis Barranco) on the 5th. All in the first mile inland from the main road. A male seen near Trequijate on the 5th. A pair in the barranco at Vega de Rio Palmas.
Houbara Bustard - 3 distantly from the hillside above Rosa de los Negres (La Olivia), late afternoon of the 4th heading for the fields but turned around as farm dogs were barking constantly. 2 very close, some 200m (Yes, that close to the town) south of El Cotillo early morning, both 5th and 6th.
Laughing Dove - 2, possibly 3, around Betancuria on the 6th.
Melodious Warbler - 1 at Las Salinas on the 4th
Pied Flycatcher - 1, possibly 2 in the Baku water park on the 4th.
Purple Heron - 1 over Correlajo early on the 4th.
Song Thrush - 1 at Baku water park on 8th and 9th.
Spoonbill - 2 juveniles just to the west of Correlajo on 3rd and 8th. 2 different birds (one ringed) near the lighthouse north of El Cotillo on the 5th.
African Blue Tit - common around Las Penitas / Vega de Rio Palmas and Betancuria.
Barbary Falcon - 4 sightings of up to two individuals (male and female?) on 4th around the Baku water park in Corralejo, and 1 there on the 7th.
Barbary Partridge - Good views of a pair at Las Penitas, with others calling around the valley.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse - At least 50 at Los Mollinos on the 4th, with a German couple reporting some 200 there on the 5th. The birds (+ Ruddy Shelduck) were mainly feeding around the goats, but some were very close to the buildings.
Canary - 2 seen around Las Penitas on the 6th.
Cream-coloured Courser - only 1 seen as it flew from the road just to the east of La Calderata on the 4th.
Cory's Shearwater - decent numbers still of Corralejo and El Cotillo (from the lighthouse)
Fuerteventura Chat - 12 (at least 5 pairs) located in Barranca de Rio Cabras (Willis Barranco) on the 5th. All in the first mile inland from the main road. A male seen near Trequijate on the 5th. A pair in the barranco at Vega de Rio Palmas.
Houbara Bustard - 3 distantly from the hillside above Rosa de los Negres (La Olivia), late afternoon of the 4th heading for the fields but turned around as farm dogs were barking constantly. 2 very close, some 200m (Yes, that close to the town) south of El Cotillo early morning, both 5th and 6th.
Laughing Dove - 2, possibly 3, around Betancuria on the 6th.
Melodious Warbler - 1 at Las Salinas on the 4th
Pied Flycatcher - 1, possibly 2 in the Baku water park on the 4th.
Purple Heron - 1 over Correlajo early on the 4th.
Song Thrush - 1 at Baku water park on 8th and 9th.
Spoonbill - 2 juveniles just to the west of Correlajo on 3rd and 8th. 2 different birds (one ringed) near the lighthouse north of El Cotillo on the 5th.
