pandachris
Well-known member
Merry Christmas all
We're just back from an 11 day trip to Tenerife and La Gomera. Here's a couple of updates that might or not be of use to other visiting birders.
A number of trip reports have observed that the Navieras Armas 'slow' ferry between the islands was the better choice for birders and cetacean spotters. It probably still is but at present their policy is to allow passengers outside in one very small area at the rear of the boat - and this was packed to the extent that we didn't fancy it - and of course lots of the people who were there were smokers. We had to content ourselves with views through the windows which was ok-ish for dolphins but rubbish for birds (there weren't any, so it didn't matter much). We'd been looking forward to the crossings. Hopefully this is a temporary or seasonal (it was almost flat calm) arrangement.
A number of trip reports have mentioned parking at Bar del Puente when visiting Tejina Pools on Tenerife. As far as we could tell, this no longer exists. To see the pools, we drove up the very steep Cami de Arico and turned into the narrow Cami Parma where there was parking overlooking the pools. Not much there when we visited apart from a Moorhen and a dozen or so Cattle Egrets.
After 3 December visits to the islands in 2018, 2019 and this time of year I've come to the conclusion that it's probably not worth taking a telescope. I think we got some value from it thrice in three visits (maybe more, if you count getting better looks at the waders and Spoonbills on the shoreline at Corralejo) - once the first time I put it up, at the lighthouse near Playa Blanca, to see two Bryde's/Sei Whales passign between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, once when searching for the Fuerteventura Dwarf Bittern and once this year watching a pod of dolphins (most likely Bottle-nosed) from Charco del Viento on Tenerife. Perhaps we'll try going at a different time of year for a chance at some seabirds.
All in all, a pretty good trip. We got most of our targets except Laurel Pigeon and a few bonuses.
We're just back from an 11 day trip to Tenerife and La Gomera. Here's a couple of updates that might or not be of use to other visiting birders.
A number of trip reports have observed that the Navieras Armas 'slow' ferry between the islands was the better choice for birders and cetacean spotters. It probably still is but at present their policy is to allow passengers outside in one very small area at the rear of the boat - and this was packed to the extent that we didn't fancy it - and of course lots of the people who were there were smokers. We had to content ourselves with views through the windows which was ok-ish for dolphins but rubbish for birds (there weren't any, so it didn't matter much). We'd been looking forward to the crossings. Hopefully this is a temporary or seasonal (it was almost flat calm) arrangement.
A number of trip reports have mentioned parking at Bar del Puente when visiting Tejina Pools on Tenerife. As far as we could tell, this no longer exists. To see the pools, we drove up the very steep Cami de Arico and turned into the narrow Cami Parma where there was parking overlooking the pools. Not much there when we visited apart from a Moorhen and a dozen or so Cattle Egrets.
After 3 December visits to the islands in 2018, 2019 and this time of year I've come to the conclusion that it's probably not worth taking a telescope. I think we got some value from it thrice in three visits (maybe more, if you count getting better looks at the waders and Spoonbills on the shoreline at Corralejo) - once the first time I put it up, at the lighthouse near Playa Blanca, to see two Bryde's/Sei Whales passign between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, once when searching for the Fuerteventura Dwarf Bittern and once this year watching a pod of dolphins (most likely Bottle-nosed) from Charco del Viento on Tenerife. Perhaps we'll try going at a different time of year for a chance at some seabirds.
All in all, a pretty good trip. We got most of our targets except Laurel Pigeon and a few bonuses.
Really these ferries were the best things about the whole archipelago. The Fred's can be somewhat used (I have had plenty of success with that this year) but it's not optimal.
