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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paul Chapman" data-source="post: 3177538" data-attributes="member: 69491">Now on Fuerteventura so we have swapped the island of low cloud and wind for the island of dust and wind!We were parked up at the Antigua Plain as it started getting light. Our efforts for Houbara Bustard there failed but there were still good numbers of birds with plenty of Corn Bunting, Lesser Short-toed Lark and Berthelot's Pipits. At least two Quail were calling and there were at least two Barbary Partridge. At least half a dozen Ruddy Shelduck did several flypasts and a Great Grey Shrike performed whilst a Buzzard kept watch.Throughout the day, Berthelot's Pipits, Spanish Sparrows and Ravens were constant.So we headed on to the Tindaya Plain. There we were treated to a fantastic display by an amorous male Houbara Bustard trying to win over a female. The thirty minutes spent watching and photographing them were my most enjoyable half an hour since the time spent last year photographing Red-necked Phalaropes on the Varanger Peninsula. They were not close and you never know until you've seen photos on screen but I should have one or two of them scrapping. She certainly wasn't having any of it despite his best white feather duster impersonations and John Cleese strutting!Also a Black-bellied Sandgrouse flew over and plenty of Lesser Short-toed Larks were in evidence.Our fill of Bustard meant that it was time for the Chat. We checked the end of the road at Los Molinos before checking the reservoir. Two Egyptian Vulture overflew the barranco by the coast. At the reservoir, there were 25+ Ruddy Shelduck with very young ducklings plus quite a few Coot and the odd Moorhen. Waders seen were a Snipe, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper and a Swallow flew through. We split up and one of our party had a pair of Canary Islands Chat below the dam but they could not be relocated. A Trumpeter Finch also voiced it's presence but immediately disappeared.Having reviewed further Chat options, we headed for Barranco de la Maley as set out in Richard Howard's report from last month. This is basically site 3 of page 25 of Gosney. It proved excellent with a co-operative pair of the Chats, Great Grey Shrike, Spectacled Warbler, plenty of Trumpeter Finch, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ruddy Shelduck and Lesser Short-toed Lark.We had now succeeded so took a break back at Costa de Antigua with a cold drink to the back drop of Ireland giving England a rugby lesson.We had a few hours of daylight left so tried Salinas del Carmen next. 5 Ringed Plover and a Redshank were the only waders whilst a Little Egret flew around and Cory's Shearwaters passed offshore. A determined stare into the distance simply produced one adult Gannet.We headed south and en route, we had our only Kestrel of the day and a Swift sp. over Costa Calma.Our final stop at Hotel Melia Gorriones produced no waders at all! A Grey Heron, a Spoonbill and 2 Little Egret were the only rewards for distant scanning. Great Grey Shrike showed nicely however and a Hoopoe was a trip tick. Following up a friend's texted advice, we checked the holiday complex and despite being very considerably outnumbered by its bigger cousins, a single Barbary/African Collared Dove rounded off the day. Deep within the trees outside the hotel another also called.So a good day. An excellent experience with the Bustards - reminiscent of memories of line drawings in BWP - and a very co-operative pair of Chats was more than we could have hoped for. Of course, though, for me there was only one real highlight. :-OThe trip list has now climbed to 60 which seems less absurd. We head back tomorrow night so some final pottering around tomorrow and then I can check out whether any of those rather distant Houbara photos are sharp!All the best</blockquote>

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