[RockyRacoon]

Tenerife
14th of May to 21st of May 2004

Driving to the Airport

Eurasian Sparrowhawk in a conifer tree next to the road in a sub-urban looking place, it was a male.

Last animal in U.K : - Rook, flew over our plane and then turned and over again just as we were taking off


First animal in Tenerife: - Eurasian Collared Dove, a pair on a hotel balcony.

While Dave was checking in : - Spanish Sparrows, Eurasian Collared Dove, Canary Island Chiffchaff singing in a tree in front of me, more chiff whiff than chiffchaff

Heading to room: - Blackcap male in tree singing, fluteier song

Others in the place I saw the Blackcap later (The Blackcap was now on the ground, Spanish Sparrows and a Female Eurasian Blackbird)


My visits to the dry, sandy, rocky, open areas with scattered low vegetation –
Berthelot’s pipits often calling, too-shree, some visits I saw five and heard more.
On two visits a Great-Grey Shrike, the first time it was attacking a Rabbit and after it perched on a bush, before flying low a fluttering for insects, until out of sight. The second time one perched on a stone wall. Rock Doves were common in the area, once saw a single one, with a Berthelot’s pipit near, feeding, and at a different time there were two feeding in roughly the same place.

Streets: - Eurasian Collared Doves
Common Swifts over
Canary Island Chiffchaffs
Blackcaps
Canary Island Lizards, one ran into a building site from the pavement
In the same place a few days after one was in a bush avoiding the sun
One time a Grey Wagtail as we passed in the car on a round about
European Kestrels

From our hotel balcony: -
Eurasian Collared Doves sometimes on our balcony, I once fed a pair fairy cakes almost by hand (check gallery)
Spanish Sparrows also on our balcony
Drinking at the pool, Spanish Sparrows and Eurasian Collared Doves, the latter commonly scaring rivals by flying up behind them while they were drinking
Common Swifts in large numbers over
Grey Heron flying very high over our resort, heading towards the sea


The beach: - Yellow-legged gulls, a lot shyer than Herring Gulls
A Pallid swift flew out close from a shop on the promenade
Eurasian Collared Doves and Spanish Sparrows frequent
Common Swifts commonly over most places
Kestrel on path just off promenade
A Grey Wagtail flew out calling from a wall next to the promenade beach side

Laurel forests: - Common Raven calling from a tree
Common Kestrel, one male
In lumps of Rock Lizards were very common in large groups
Blue Chaffinches next to our car hide, them along with lizards were
eating crisps and bread we dropped.
Canary island Kinglet singing in a tree in front of us
Tenerife Blue tit flew to a muddy bank next to the road searched for food
(Just below the Laurel Forests) Laurel pigeon on a rooftop, none of these
in the forests themselves.


Last animal in Tenerife: - Canary Island Lizard on a hill side that in dry, rocky, sandy with low vegetation. Collared Doves on the patio of a bar. Last: Male Spanish Sparrow flew to the corner of a building, while we were at the airport on the bus just finding a place to park.

First animal in U.K: - Two Rabbits on a tiny disused field in the middle of the airport with weedy floor. A Magpie on a bush as we were driving home.


Other Notes: Mating Spanish Sparrows, a female of this species with a single chick
Spanish Sparrows mating several times on a gutter pipe on a shop before flying off together

Eurasian Collared Doves aggressive to each other, saw a pair mating at the water park

Canary Island Lizards common at the water complex on the dry plant beds

Spanish Sparrows seemed unusually territorial, I saw one male on a ledge of a hotel singing often in the same place. Spanish Sparrows can make many different notes whilst singing, based on their ‘chirps’.











List of wildlife in Tenerife: -

(Eurasian Collared Dove)

Spanish Sparrow

(Common Swift)

Canary Island Chiffchaff

(Blackcap)

(Grey Heron)

Yellow-legged gull

Pallid swift

(Eurasian Blackbird)

Canary Island Lizard

Berthelot’s pipit

Rock Dove

Great Grey Shrike

(European Kestrel)

Common Raven

Tenerife Blue tit

Blue Chaffinch

Canary Island Kinglet

(European Rabbit)

Laurel pigeon

Grey Wagtail