Lanzarote October 2013 (1 Viewer)

Not specifically a birding holiday, but we did want to look for Houbara Bustard having dipped in Fuerteventura in February. We stayed in Playa Blanca in the south of the island, the weather was good for the first 3 days then turned very windy and cloudy with the occasional heavy shower. We hired a car for three days to see what we could of the island.
The birds - around the hotel beach and walking the promenade as far as the lighthouse (about an hour each way) Yellow Legged Gull, Common Sandpiper, Wimbrel, Ringed Plover, Spanish Sparrow, Collared Dove, Little Egret, Turnstone, Great Grey Shrike, and the occasional passing Sanwich Tern.
Salinas de Jubilo - We had no problem with access from the beach end of the site on Sunday, and on Monday from the other end. Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Black Winged Stilt, Berthelots Pipit, Kestrel and a flock of about 12 Black Necked Grebe. Off the beach there was a wreck of 30 or so Corey's Shearwater.
Generally driving around we added Hoopoe, Raven, Feral Pigeon, Kestrel and Cattle Egret.
El Rubicon - due to a miscalculation with the clock, didn't know the Cararies adhered to BST !!!, we got to El Rubicon before 9 am. We took the track from just past the cement factory on the Femes road, and went down almost as far as the LZ2. This was 27th October at between 9 and 10 am, nearer to the LZ2 end of the track, we had 4 Cream Coloured Courser right by the track, then 5 Houbara Bustard, again by the track and actually at one time crossing it. We did notice some hunters with dogs further out on the plain, so they may have flushed the birds closer to the road.
Wouldn't recommend Lanzarote as a birding destination in October, very few birds visible, but hope this helps if you're going for some winter sunshine ??

Better late than never, bird sightings for Playa Blanca, Lanzarote between 13th and 20th October. Like the last person, not a birding holiday but still went out everyday either to the beach or the Rubicon plain.

Spoonbill 1 immature on the 17th on the beach near the marina.
Cattle Egret 2-3 birds daily around the Lanzarote Princess hotel frontage
Houbara 4 daily on the Rubicon plain and near the sewage plant
kestrel 1 daily near the sewage plant
Hoopoe 1 daily at the sewage plant
Cream
coloured Courser 2 on the Rubicon plain on the 14th
Common Sandpiper Daily along the beach
Turnstone 2-4 at the marina and harbour most days
Whimbrel 3 near the marina on the 17th
Yellow legged Gull Abundant daily
Sandwich Tern 3-7 daily along the beach
Rock Dove 4 on cliffs near the marina on the 17th
Collared Dove Abundant daily
BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR 1 female at the sewage plant 16th-18th
Berthelots Pipit Fairly abundant daily
Lesser short toed Lark 50+ Rubicon plain near farmhouse on 16th
Sardinian Warbler 1 in roadside bushes on 15th
Southern Grey Shrike 1 most days near the Lanzarote Princess hotel
Spanish Sparrow Fairly numerous around the hotel gardens
Trumpeter Finch A few on the Rubicon plain near the farmhouse.

Must admit having been to Playa Blanca eight times in the past this holiday was the least productive for birds than at anytime previous.

Well done both on the coursers, I did'nt find any at the Rubicon Plain in May.

Like the lanzarote Princess hotel tho Steve! I would return there.