Lost and Found!...Xmas '17 on Fuerteventura (1 Viewer)

Sitting on the apron at Gatwick Airport on the 23rd December for an hour past our take-off time, two passengers not ''joining their cases'' was a little disconcerting. However eventually we took off, and 3 hrs.40 mins.later we arrived! A cab to the accommodation and check in, followed by a trot around the bay at Caleta de Fustes in failing light...raised Sandwich Tern, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Grey Plover. A quick dinner with requisite ''nightcap'' before hitting the pillow, where I counted ''Red-billed Tropics'' passing by....(these were the only ones I would see :-C )

After an early rise and breakfast at 8am, I picked up the hire car and headed North past the airport, then took the road to Casillas del Angel, where some 7 kilometres West of Puerto del Rosario...I noticed some trickling H2O through a barranco (rare in these parts), thus I turned around, took the slip road off the roundabout, parked up, and followed the adjacent track....let the ''pioneering'' begin! In the first few hours I'd notched up c20 species to include an ''Island tick''....a pair of Green Sandpipers! with LRP, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, FTV Chat, Berthelot's Pipit, White Wagtail, Collared Dove, Kestrel, Buzzard sp, Hoopoe, Raven, Trumpeter Finch, YLGull, Southern Grey Shrike (with white supercillium?). Moving down the barranco and scanning the Tamarisk, I noted Spanish Sparrow, Sardinian Warbler, African Blue Tit (was surprised to find one here!), Spectacled Warbler and my first ''string''....two fast moving doves! exclaiming Turtle Dove! similtaneously shooting with the camera, only just getting ''it'' in the frame, a look at the received image revealed Laughing Dove! (hopefully that would be the last of the strings!)

To be continued.....

Excellent fieldcraft Ken to get so close to that LRP, (unless it was 'Sage and Onion'ed)

Richard Prior said:

Excellent fieldcraft Ken to get so close to that LRP, (unless it was 'Sage and Onion'ed)

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Thanks Richard....I "mince-pied it"....hopefully there will be more "stuff-in" to follow. :-O

Further to my trip ''up the barranca'' I bumped into a local Spanish birder who told me that the Dwarf Bittern had gone from the original barranca de cabares site, and he was currently searching all other possible venues, as he hadn't yet seen it. Thus we joined forces and made our way along the watercourse, in doing so we came across a Mipit and a female Common Redstart, both Island ''ticks'' for me! Eventually he had to leave for a business appointment, whereby we exchanged goodbyes, and I about turned for one last meander along the gorge, shortly after I met a Dutch birder, who told me that he had dipped at the original site a few days before, and like the Spanish birder, he too was looking at alternative sites. I reasoned that it was probably not too far (if at all?) from the original site, and decided that I would visit the OS later in the week. The following day (Xmas day) we visited Pajara from where a YBWarbler had recently been reported, after much searching of the leafage, I drew a blank on the latter, however consoling myself with Sardinian/Spectacled Warblers, African Blue Tit, Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps and (Hoopoes which appeared numerous this time?) unlike most years when I've struggled to see one, (sometimes none!) let alone the double digit numbers that I had encountered so far.

To be continued.....

Boxing Day Dec.26th was a casual day spent around the bay at Caleta de Fustes, doing much sea watching, not a lot of action here save for fly-by YLGulls, Sandwich Tern the odd Legret, however good numbers of waders were present on the rocky tideline, be it incoming or outgoing. Wednesday the 27th was earmarked for possible Little Bunting at Costa Calma, (time and patience being the requisite) and the Hoopoe Larks/Desert Wheatear at the very SW tip Punta Pesebre. Arrived at Costa Calma with a less than approximate location for the buntings other than the Palm Forest strip, that appears to run the length of the resort (perhaps several kilometres long?).

Because of the lack of parking space, we were forced higher almost to the roundabout at the top of the hill. With car parked, I ambled down the hill on the path between the Palm Forest strip and the assorted Tamarisk/Palm and other shrub/tree strip. After an hour I'd traversed the strip several times to no avail, apart from Hoopoe, Southern Grey Shrike, Blackcap and Chiff Chaff then Song Thrush , another Island Tick! just to keep the pot boiling. However this was eating into my Punta Pesebre time, angst was just beginning to creep in, when I came across a flock of finches feeding beneath the Palm strip. A quick glance, revealed Goldfinches, Linnets and Spanish Sparrows (wouldn't have expected any of these finches under heavily shaded trees, effectively a forested habitat albeit a circa 20m.width?).

Peering into the shade I eventually noticed a single bird that didn't quite jizz with the others, perhaps smaller and moving quicker than the others at ground level. I gingerly secreted myself behind a Palm and waited for it to appear, hopefully in a more favourable light, primed and with everything pre focused to the ''emergent spot'' I waited with baited breath! Then out it popped, a magnificent Little Bunting!....on the ''Richter scale of Beauts'' it has to be up there with the best, and if I may borrow some estate agent speke...simply stunning. At the time I saw three birds (I believe 5 were reported?)

Fuerteventura is becoming the place to see Sibes...who needs Shetland, especially at circa £65 return, and in the sun. After multiple shots taken, there might just be time for Punta Pesebre? we jumped in the Jam Jar and drove towards Morro Jable, which once again proved to be ''unparkable'' thus we headed to the harbour (where there was ample parking). After a Coffee and Croissant stop, we noted that the tarmacadam was about to run out, and the hairpin bends were increasing with no barriers. Then seeing some locals ''joi de vie-ing'' it around the bends, I approached with caution, with a distance of perhaps 10km, I was reckoning that one might possibly safely average 20-30 mph, thus we set off....it only lasted two hairpins...before my wife declared to all and sunder, that to proceed any further....was in no uncertain terms ''an absolute No-No!'' It was then, that I assumed the '' full male mantle of control with invincibility''...and duly capitulated! On the adage of...a Little Bunting almost in the hand, was worth two outside the bush in the dunes...I mused.

To be continued.....

Arose early am Thursday, with the prevailing NNE wind perhaps strengthening a touch, I decided to sea watch after breakfast, walking several kilometres North to a headland point, I encountered the ubiquitous YLGull, several Sandwich Tern, and a little further out....small groups of Gannets duly heading into the wind. After trying unsuccessfully to conjure up a Booby or two, amongst the Gannets, I decided to quit and head for the Dwarf Bittern Barranca! Circa 15 minutes later I'd found a parking place just past the aforesaid, and forewarned, with an approximate 1 hour walking time to site, I duly set forth.

The first bird that I noted as I walked NNW along the dried out riverbed was Fuerteventura Chat, a further 30 minutes elapsed before I hit the first Dam and my second FTV.Chat! Forging on across the old reservoir bed, I emerged from a stand of Tamarisk to find two other birders whose nationality escaped me, suffice to say their English was certainly better than my ''whatever theirs was''. They proclaimed that they didn't know anything about the DB, but there were plenty of birds in the Barranca to see. Whether the sight of the camera around my neck, played any part in any ''possible'' DB denial, I'll never know.

I just found it hard to believe that a pair of seemingly efficient birders, should hike out into this desolate area, a little far fetched? Especially, as like me, they were wearing inappropriate footwear for the terrain...what I would have given for a pair of rock climbing boots! I bade them farewell, and pushed on. Sometimes on the river bed, then on the edge, wherever the terrain would allow, I found the Barranca difficult to assess, as every 200m it disappeared around another, then another, bend. At 2.30pm I decided that 3pm was to be my deadline for the return leg. During this interim period I logged Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, White Wagtail, FTV.Chat, Common Sandpiper, Trumpeter Finch, Spanish Sparrow, Raven, Ruddy Shelduck, Buzzard sps. another scarce Ipit! and what for me were.....simply breath taking, close proximity views, of up to 5 Egyptian Vultures, with interaction/display between two adult birds! I suspect that their performance might just have had the edge, on a diminutive DB...which I never connected with! a Lost mission, but nevertheless, pleased with the outcome.

To be continued....

After an exhausting day in the Barranca on Thursday, I decided on Friday 29th., to take it easy, and hang out with the waders in the bay. What was interesting, was the numbers involved with some of wader species-
7 Spoonbills, 17 Sanderling, 38 Ringed Plover, and just South of the bay at the end of the hotel strip...13 Little Ringed Plovers! All being large counts for me at this end of year time, more sea watching through the afternoon (nothing out of the ordinary save the usual suspects), an early dinner beckoned, followed by an early night for a 7.30 am rise on Saturday 30th.(our last 6 hours before ''Iron Bird Time'') taking breakfast at 8am, and out the door by 8.25.

I took an 8 minute cab ride from the hotel South to the Salinas (salt pans), from here I walked back to the resort c 3kilometres North, taking in the desert strip and beach en-route. Within 15 minutes or so, I'd encountered a large mobile flock of Trumpeter Finches with smaller numbers of Lesser Short-Toed Larks, probably totalled 30+ birds. As I scanned them, my 2nd string of the trip occurred...coming fast from behind! Two ''Doves'' suddenly appeared before morphing into Cream-Coloured Coursers!..my first for the trip, and not really expected at almost the eleventh hour. I watched them losing height rapidly, before disappearing North over the ridge and out of sight.

Then proceeding North with redoubled effort, I managed to access the ridge and began to scan, It wasn't long before I found them c300m away. Moving East to outflank them, until I eventually stood between them and the sea. At this point I was perhaps c60m away, and I stayed put for the duration as they produced short runs, before stooping to feed, then amazingly one of the birds started to move towards me, until perhaps only 20metres away!

At this point I was emptying the space on the camera's SD card, such was the joy at getting close proximity footage...when I noticed a head, then a body appear, before disappearing behind a shallow sand hill, with a low shrub topping! It was here, that my third and final momentary string occurred!...well it couldn't have been Mistle Thrush I thought! before re-appearing...Christ! I exclaimed, I've found....Dotterel! I was unsure of it's status, but assumed that it was a relatively scarce visitor to the Island. My tenth visit to the Island, with scarce birds found on each visit, a total of 47 species seen during the week, 6 new island ticks, of which 5 are scarce-rare, depending on one's perspective...to be recommended.

Cheers

Nice entertaining Trip report Ken as usual, and excellent pics, It is making me re - consider where to spend xmas 2018 !

markspirito said:

Nice entertaining Trip report Ken as usual, and excellent pics, It is making me re - consider where to spend xmas 2018 !

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Thanks mark...your comments much appreciated.:t:

Nice report Ken - even if Fuerteventura is a bit far to be viable from Hong Kong!

Cheers
Mike

MKinHK said:

Nice report Ken - even if Fuerteventura is a bit far to be viable from Hong Kong!

Cheers
Mike

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Cheers Mike, Happy Island might be a bit closer for you....:t:

The usual great trip report Ken with some wonderful photos (especially loving - and deeply jealous of - the CCC and Dotterel)!
Congratulations on some fantastic birds, the hard work certainly paid off Mate!

Chris

Scridifer said:

The usual great trip report Ken with some wonderful photos (especially loving - and deeply jealous of - the CCC and Dotterel)!
Congratulations on some fantastic birds, the hard work certainly paid off Mate!

Chris

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Thanks Mate!...as a CCC afficiendo, I thought you might like this one, bit like me sometimes, not knowing whether I'm coming....or going. :t:

Them CCCs are stunning little birds.

Lovely report to read, as usual.

I reckon your photos get better each time Ken.

wolfbirder said:

Them CCCs are stunning little birds.

Lovely report to read, as usual.

I reckon your photos get better each time Ken.

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Thanks Nick!....yes CCCs are for me simply elegant and feminine....such grace and charisma...perhaps only challenged by BWStilts? :t:

Hello Ken. Great report. I'm thinking of maybe doing a week in Fuerteventura this spring. As you've been many times can you recommend a part of the island or even a specific hotel where I can explore and bird within a mile or two of the hotel on days or half days that I wouldnt be driving a hire car?

Digbert Hi,

We've always stayed in Caleta de Fuste (10 min transfer from the airport), and because we normally go with our grandson, we stay at the Barcelo Thalasso, as it has entertainment and sporting facilities. At the other end of the hotel strip there is the Elba Carlota adjacent to the "drain", a water outlet that regularly attracts waders, then the desert strip that runs South to the Salinas (Salt Pans). There are several beach cafes between that hotel and the Barcelo circa a mile between the two. It is a family/mature resort and can be recommended. Let me know if you require any other info.

Cheers Ken

KenM said:

Thanks Mate!...as a CCC afficiendo, I thought you might like this one, bit like me sometimes, not knowing whether I'm coming....or going. :t:

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Love it Ken! :t:

Chris

KenM said:

Digbert Hi,

We've always stayed in Caleta de Fuste (10 min transfer from the airport), and because we normally go with our grandson, we stay at the Barcelo Thalasso, as it has entertainment and sporting facilities. At the other end of the hotel strip there is the Elba Carlota adjacent to the "drain", a water outlet that regularly attracts waders, then the desert strip that runs South to the Salinas (Salt Pans). There are several beach cafes between that hotel and the Barcelo circa a mile between the two. It is a family/mature resort and can be recommended. Let me know if you require any other info.

Cheers Ken

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Cheers for the info. Do you book car hire before you travel or is it easy to hire a car at the resort hotels?

Digbert Doobrey said:

Cheers for the info. Do you book car hire before you travel or is it easy to hire a car at the resort hotels?

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I'd pre-book before if I were you, preferably with one of the leading car rental companies, as on one occasion (not pre-booking) I couldn't get a hire car at the resort, although it was at Xmas and and the Island was full. Outside the school holidays would be my preferred choice, as prices all round are cheaper.

Cheers