Fuerteventura October 2017

Fuerteventura Trip Report - October 10th - 17th 2017

Introduction -

A weeks family holiday combining some birding where possible. 1 day was spent out with Derek Bradbury of Fuerteventura Birdwatch tours http://www.fuerteventurabirdwatch.co.uk/ and an excursion to Oasis Park were very productive. Our accommodation was in Caleta de Fuste which is approx 10 minutes drive from the airport. Ideally located for most sites needed to visit, especially for the islands specialities. Caleta itself has many hotels and appartments leading down to the beach with some lush gardens and migrant traps for birds whilst the man made beach in the harbour is ideal for roosting gulls/terns and waders. There is also a golf course nearby which also looks worthwhile exploring but unfortunatley I did not get time to do this.

Day out with Derek Bradbury of Fuerteventura Birdwatch - 12th October 2017

I had booked the services of Derek Bradbury to take me out for the day with many of the islands speciality species our target birds. I had seen the Houbara Bustards in Lanzarote on a recent holiday along with Barbary Falcon, Partridge and Trumpeter Finch. My primary targets today were to see the Fuerteventura Stonechat, Cream-coloured Courser and Black-bellied Sandgrouse.

Derek met me at my appartment as agreed at 8am and we headed for the Tindaya plains, Derek was very easy to get on with and had taken on board the target species for the day and planned as such to visit suitable sites. Derek was honest and mentioned that the chances of Cream-coloured Courser was slim as he had heard of only 1 reported sighting recently...but did say they should start returning to the plains soon...fingers crossed!

Reaching the plains, the conditions were not ideal as the wind had really picked up here and searching for any Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew's and any passerines proved difficult, we searched various sites with little reward, there was some hunting witnessed throughout the day as locals headed out on their bank holiday, mainly hunting rabbit. We did find some sandgrouse footprints and a Houbaras dropping so the birds are around!

Things picked up when I spotted some Barbary Partridge running across a nearby track, heading away from us the whole time but good views were gained from the car. At least 10 birds present but difficult to determine exact number as they scrambled across the rocky terrain before disappearing over a small stone wall. Then as we approached a crossroad a sandy bird ran across the road and Derek announced 'Courser' and was soon clapping my eyes on my first sighting of Cream-coloured Courser, a bird I had always wanted to see and was great to see one in it's natural environment, I watched the bird almost road-running, occassionally standing still before moving further away from us. Derek tried to position the car in the hope I could grab some photos but I was quite happy watching the bird, before another flashed past and I proclaimed there was 2 birds! The camera then came out and some record shots were made, attentions then turned to a flock of small flock of birds mobile in the scrub and land behind and Lesser Short-toed Lark was added to the day list. I had previously seen this species in Donana in Spain but many years ago so was good to see again. The 2 Coursers gradually moved away from us and we drove on to a nearby barranco where we stopped for lunch.

Cream-coloured Courser - 1 of the 2 birds we first dicovered on the Tindaya plains

The barranco we stopped at for lunch contained 2 small pools which seemed popular with dragonflies which seemed very active in the sheltered spots but the persistent wind made searching for passerines difficult. Birds were around though and 2 Ruddy Shelducks flew up and away from the first pool and then we got brief views of a Barbary Falcon as it shot overhead. Berthelot's Pipits liked it here and offered close views and Linnets were added to the day list. A couple of hunters arrived in the are and a few shots were heard. A couple of Ravens flew over and a Spectacled Warbler sent out its call from nearby scrub giving brief views and remained elusive. Up on the rock face I noticed a small bird flycatching and soon realised I was watching my first ever Fuerteventura Stonechat and got Derek onto the bird which performed well allowing a few record shots. We moved onto another barranco which had some surface water creating some shallow pools. This area was hugely productive with extensive scrub and greenery nearby and the wind now dropping produced sightings firstly of a male Spectacled Warbler. Here also held a small family of Fuerteventura Stonechats which were conveniently perched up for long periods at least 4 birds in the area including a smart male bird. At least 2 Ringed Plovers were feeding on the waters edge and 3 Trumpeter Finch were buzzing around although a bit too distant for any pics as they came down to drink.

My first ever Fuerteventura Stonechat - seen flycatching on rock face

Family of the endemic Fuerteventura Stonechat's - they pose and show nicely with patience

We then moved onto a feeding station for Egyptian Vultures. This was basically a fenced off area with goat carcasses and pigs heads scattered on the ground so all looked pretty grim but my did it attract the birds...well everything except Egyptian Vultures it seems. Ravens were around in good number and Hoopoes were everywhere we looked. I have never seen such numbers in one place! I then spotted a couple of distant pale bird scampering across the ground...surely they cannot be coursers? Fortunatley Derek had a scope and my initial hunch was right as 5 Cream-coloured Coursers brought the days total to 7 birds....not bad considering there was only 1 confirmed sighting recently! Good scope views were had as we watched them in the haze. 2 Northern Wheatear were also here adding to the daylist. No sign of any vultures unfortunatley so we departed through La Olivia and onto Los Molinos reservoir

As we entered the track which leads upto Los Molinos there was a goat farm which held several Berthelots Pipits and White Wagtails. Onto the reservoir itself, the echoing calls of the many Ruddy Shelduck bounce around the surrounding rock faces. There was probably a good 200 Ruddy Duck here, difficult to get a accurate account as they were constantly moving around as were the Coot and Yellow-legged Gulls on the water. Around the edges, waders were present with 2 Black-winged Stilts and 2 Greenshank were present and there was good number of Grey Heron and Little Egret. 5 Black-bellied Sandgrouse flew over and kept going and unfortunatley did not land