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Message: <blockquote data-quote="markgrubb" data-source="post: 1241591" data-attributes="member: 11067">The MountainsI had one morning up in the mountains and had plans to head for Las Lajas renowned as the place to go to see blue chaffinches. On the way up I saw a couple of rock sparrows on wires near Vilafour and a couple of barbary partridges. I stopped at an area that Clarke/Collins call “the leaking pipe site”. Well the leaking pipe has been replaced by plastic ones and leaks no more. However the area was stuffed full of birds. Most of the pine forest has no scrub due to the acidifying effect of the fallen pine needles but this area had a lot of broom like bushes. There were many chiffchaffs, some of the local ssp of blue tit and 2 Tenerife goldcrests with their distinctive black markings across the forecrown.  A Blue chaffinch was feeding a youngster. There was an old broken concrete drainage box and it must have held water as I saw birds flying down into it. I sat quietly in the scrub for 15 minutes and saw a slow but steady stream of canaries and blue chaffies coming in to drink just 5 metres away-magical. On up to Los Lajas where the attraction for the birds were the drinking fountains. There were at least 5 of the ssp of GSW, a couple of turtle doves and rock doves. Blue chaffinches were singing and there must have been around 10 present coming down to drink by the fountaionsThe seaWe went on a catamaran trip to Los Gigantes-quiet on the way up apart from a few Cory’s shearwaters and one star bird-a little black bird flitting over the ocean showing a white rump-a storm petrel. It was hard going at this point as the boat was pitching in a considerable swell and about a third of the passengers were throwing up into bin liners (including my good lady). On the way back there must have been in excess of 500 Cory’s. The birds were definitely overshadowed on this occasion by the Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins and the short finned pilot whales. We also took the Ferry to La Gomera and I was quite excited at the prospect as Bulwers petrel and little shearwater have been seen before. However there was only a relentless stream of Cory’s present though 6 sightings of Dolphins helpedErjos-the laurel forestI went up late one afternoon to the laurel forest the attraction being Bolle’s and Laurel pigeon. On arrival at the site there was a notice saying in Spaish “Entry forbidden except to workers” with pictures forbidding driving and walkers. The track now apparently leads to a desalination plant. After looking at alternatives I decided to go anyway, especially as it was a Saturday. The track was very smooth and has obviously been resurfaced recently. As time was short I stopped at the first vantage point and c looked over the forest-very nice except lacking in hot pigeon action. I stayed for an hour and had about 6 or 7 sightings of birds usually going like the clappers out of trees. Finally one bird took off just below me giving good viewsand I was able to satisfy myself that it was a Bolle’s pigeon-at this point the low cloud rolled in and it was time to go-all rather frustrating and it perhaps sums up Tenerife birding-some really good bits but an awful lot of dross in between</blockquote>

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