Fuerteventura & Lanzarote Pelagics, Red-billed Tropicbird, etc. (1 Viewer)

[nymbus]

Hi,

i´m curruntly planning a two week self-made birding trip to Fuerteventura & Lanzarote in September. I know it´s not the ideal time of the year especially for the desert species but i want to make the best of it... In general i´ve researched all the informations about the obvious birding spots on both islands but now i need the help of the forum for the following points:

1. Pelagics: September seems to be a perfect time for pelagic trips on the canaries, therefore i´d like to attend such a trip. Unfortunately the only pelagic trip operator "Lanzarote Pelagics" offers no dates whilst our stay between 13.- and 25. September. So my question is, does anyone know if there is any other possibility to atend on a pelagic trip on Fuerteventura or Lanzarote?

2. Red-billed Tropicbird: Does anyone know if the Red-billed Tropicbirds currently breeds on Fuerteventura or are there any up to date informations of its presence on both islands?

3. If you have any other up to date informations about the obvious target species (e. g. Canary Island Stonechat, Houbara Bustard, Cream-Coloured Courser, Trumpeter Finch,.....), please let me know.


Many thanks in advance

Greetings,

Flo

 

[opisska]

I have seen the tropicbirds 3 years ago on Fuerteventura, they looked like a breeding pair in a suitable site. The stonechats are quite common on Fuerteventura, find a stony valley and they will be there. For pelagics in the worst case you can always take a ferry to Tenerife and watch from it, but it takes quite some time

 

[nymbus]

Thank you Jan! I guess the Cliffs south of El Cotilo is still the place to go? We´ll take the (rather short) ferry to Lanzarote there we hope for some seabirds and we plan to take part on a boat tour with "eco insider" in which we will discover the remote islands of Alegranza and Montana Clara, i´ve read the chances of seeing Eleonora´s Falcon on the cliffs of the small islands are not bad and there are good numbers of Cory´s Shearwater. Btw "eco insider" offers a half day birdwatching tour which we´ll taking part (the reviews are promising...).

​

 

[THE_FERN]

Thank you Jan! I guess the Cliffs south of El Cotilo is still the place to go? We´ll take the (rather short) ferry to Lanzarote there we hope for some seabirds and we plan to take part on a boat tour with "eco insider" in which we will discover the remote islands of Alegranza and Montana Clara, i´ve read the chances of seeing Eleonora´s Falcon on the cliffs of the small islands are not bad and there are good numbers of Cory´s Shearwater. Btw "eco insider" offers a half day birdwatching tour which we´ll taking part (the reviews are promising...).

​

You can see the stonechat by walking from the airport. It can be a little tricky to cross the busy road. If you head out past the obvious buildings, then behind is rough stony ground which is good in itself for larks etc. Walk further and you make contact with the ravine where the dwarf bittern was for a long time. That whole area is good: hoopoe, waders etc etc. Alternatively, start from the recycling plant on fv20. Remember to look up for egyptian vulture, buzzard etc

 

[david kelly]

No up to date information but

On the whale watching trips out of Caleta de Fuste I have seen Barolo Shearwater and Madeiran Storm Petrel on both trips.

Trumpeter Finch was easy on the headland just to the north of the promenade at Caleta.

The Barranco del Torre south of Las Salinas has Egyptian Vulture and Fuerteventura Chat, the chat is quite far up near the quarry.

Tropic Bird was seen near El Cotillo.

I have seen the courser on both islands but Houbara only near Teguise on Lanzarote, with Egyptian Vulture there too.

David

 

[nymbus]

Thank you for your informations! @David Do they use chum on such whale watching trips?

Flo

 

[david kelly]

Thank you for your informations! @David Do they use chum on such whale watching trips?

Flo

No, they just go out and back in about 2 hours. Apparently they don’t book online so you have to go to the marina at Caleta and book in person.

David

 

[Rob Smallwood]

Does anyone know if the Tropicbirds are still present, and if so, are the resident or just come in to breed?

 

[opisska]

I don't know if they are still present, but when they were there, they used to disappear for winter, but returned already in late February.

 

[Owene]

Thank you Jan! I guess the Cliffs south of El Cotilo is still the place to go? We´ll take the (rather short) ferry to Lanzarote there we hope for some seabirds and we plan to take part on a boat tour with "eco insider" in which we will discover the remote islands of Alegranza and Montana Clara, i´ve read the chances of seeing Eleonora´s Falcon on the cliffs of the small islands are not bad and there are good numbers of Cory´s Shearwater. Btw "eco insider" offers a half day birdwatching tour which we´ll taking part (the reviews are promising...).

​

I've done the eco-insider half day on Lanzarote. Very good views of Houbara, Stone Curlew, Coursers and trumpeter finch (and Berthelots Pipit and the lark which I think has been recently split or renamed) and very knowledgeable and interesting guide

 

[pbjosh]

No up to date information but

On the whale watching trips out of Caleta de Fuste I have seen Barolo Shearwater and Madeiran Storm Petrel on both trips.

David

Hi David,

Curious what time of year you did the trips? I'll be on Fuerteventura towards the end of the month and am considering doing a trip...

 

[david kelly]

Hi David,

Curious what time of year you did the trips? I'll be on Fuerteventura towards the end of the month and am considering doing a trip...

Once in October and once in November.

David

 

[pbjosh]

Once in October and once in November.

David

Appreciate the info. I think I'll likely give it a try, even if conventional wisdom is that Jan/Feb/Mar is pretty dead for seabirds there.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Some amazing pictures on Facebook of a tropicbird at a shopping centre and golf course at Calleste de Fuste, Fuerteventura in recent days

 

[Jos Stratford]

Ultimate ferry for pelagics would be the one from mainland Spain to the Canaries, they should be excellent in August and September

 

[Jos Stratford]

Once in October and once in November.

David

I also had a Madeiran Storm Petrel in late December just gone on the ferry from Tenerife to Gran Canaria (but it was the only seabird on that crossing)

 

[Swissboy]

Appreciate the info. I think I'll likely give it a try, even if conventional wisdom is that Jan/Feb/Mar is pretty dead for seabirds there.

Let us know what you see. We plan a February stay for next year.

 

[opisska]

Is this "dead for seabirds" talk founded and valid for the entire canaries? We are going to La Palma in two weeks for work reasons and plan to take maybe some unnecessary ferries around, but if there are no seabirds ....?

 

[pbjosh]

Is this "dead for seabirds" talk founded and valid for the entire canaries? We are going to La Palma in two weeks for work reasons and plan to take maybe some unnecessary ferries around, but if there are no seabirds ....?

No idea but I have read enough references that I give it some credence. On Lanzarote now and 20 minutes spent watching the sea from a prominent headland with good conditions (strong onshore wind) produced one distant Cory’s and nothing else.

Still though, I will take one or more ferries or join a whale watch or something. Barolo SW must be around and is one of 3 Atlantic seabirds that continue to evade me (to be fair I’ve not been in its range much).

 

[James Lowther]

there's another ongoing thread on the forum (by Brian Stone) and he has reported a Barolo Shearwater from Tenerife (from land) - i'm pretty sure that is within the last week or so,
James