Golden Oldie

Still the weather stops me from birding so I'm hitting the memory trail from the warmer, drier days of Lanzarote and January 2015.

Remember to click the pics for a light box slide show of Lanzarote.

We drove north and west heading for the coast at Famara hoping to find Houbara Bustard, Cream-coloured Courser, Stone Curlew and other bits & bobs along the way. After breakfast we said goodbye to the hotel’s Collared Doves and Spanish Sparrows, the two species which dominate the grounds and where the few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs stay mostly hidden amongst the greenery. Passing Kestrels may take a brief look at what’s on offer. 

Collared Dove

Kestrel

The male Spanish Sparrow is a rather handsome chap who inevitably bears the brunt of camera clicks while the less photogenic females look on. 

Spanish Sparrow

Spanish Sparrow

We took the road via La Geria, the wine growing area with its traditional methods of cultivation. Single vines are planted in pits 4–5 m wide and 2–3 m deep, with small stone walls around each pit. This agricultural technique is designed to harvest rainfall and overnight dew and to protect the plants from prevailing winds. The vineyards are part of the World Heritage Site as well as other sites on the island. This landscape is pretty much devoid of birds although the ubiquitous Berthelot’s Pipit or a patrolling Kestrel is often encountered. 

Lanzarote

La Geria, Lanzarote

Berthelot's Pipit

We passed through farmland near the centre of the island Teguise and drove north towards the spectacular cliffs of Famara, stopping or diverting the Corsa across rough tracks to look for speciality birds of Lanzarote. Near Teguise a Stone Curlew flew across the road and landed in an uncultivated patch of land near to a half-grown chick - a nice find indeed. The chick crouched in an attempt to become invisible while the adult walked off and tried to distract me from its offspring.

Stone Curlew

Stone Curlew

Stone Curlew chick

Johnny Cash fans will know of the Boy Named Sue. In Lanzarote there is also a place named Soo, not far away from the Riscos de Famara and it’s a good area in which to look for Houbara Bustards. With just a small population in the Canary Islands, this species is mainly found in mainland North Africa west of the Nile and in the western part of the Sahara desert region in Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. 

A Town Named Soo, Lanzarote

Houbara Bustard

Near Famara, Lanzarote

Looking for bustards, Lanzarote

As you might expect from a species historically hunted in large numbers the Houbara Bustard is very shy and will either hide or run from a vehicle. The cryptic plumage gives a bird the chance of escaping detection. 

Houbara Bustard

Houbara Bustard

We stopped at the windy Wild West town of Famara to survey the rugged cliffs and sandy dunes where we found Yellow-legged Gulls and a single Little Egret along the rocky shore near the jetty. We followed up with a light lunch before hitting the road back south taking detours along the many dusty trails in search of more birds. 

Little Egret

Sand dunes at Famara, Lanzarote

Lanzarote lunch

The Desert Grey Shrike was a lucky find, the bird diving into a grey, thorny bush that upon inspection held a newly built, lined nest ready for eggs, and which from the female’s behaviour were the eggs surely imminent. I took a number of shots and left the bird to her domestic duties. 

Desert Grey Shrike

Desert Grey Shrike

It had been a great day of exploration and discovery but time to head back to Peurto Calero and a well-earned rest. 

The LZ2 road Lanzarote

There’s more news, views and photos soon from Another Bird Blog.

Linking today to Stewart's World Bird Wednesday.

Blast From The Past

The whole country seems to have come to a standstill via The Beast from The East. Here on the Lancashire coast we escaped the worst of the snow with just a smattering of snow showers but days of minus temperatures. The easterly wind chill factor has made for bitterly cold and unfavourable birding weather. Even the garden has been devoid of birds except for Starlings and one or two Goldfinch.  Sue spent most of yesterday looking through the window but then about 4pm, I let her in the house.

So in the absence of any news and until the weather relents, I’m posting about our holiday to the warmer climes of Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands in January 2013. 

Although holding a certain attraction, the beaches of Fuerteventura weren’t the sole interest in our holiday. A hire car for a few days gave a chance to explore the island although at approximately 650 square miles there’s a lot of ground to cover, and a pure white car isn’t the best colour for approaching cautious birds. Remember to "Click the pics" for a close-up tour of the birds and the island.

Exploring Fuerteventura

Over the Plains Fuerteventura

The plains above Costa Calma and La Pared hold Houbara Bustards, Cream-coloured Coursers and Stone Curlew, but in a couple of tries we didn’t have much luck apart from 3 distant Stone Curlew and brief views of a running Courser. 

Cream-coloured Courser

There were lots of Lesser Short-toed Larks on the dry, open plains with small gangs of Linnets and occasional Southern Grey Shrikes. The Linnets are very unapproachable, as are the Goldfinches that can be glimpsed in greener parts of the island. 

Linnet

Southern Grey Shrike

Lesser Short-toed Lark

We journeyed through the centre of the island through the village of Betancuria and on to the highest parts of the island at 600 meters, giving a spectacular outlook on the landscape below and distant views of an Egyptian Vulture. This species is apparently now rare on the island as they are elsewhere in its range and we had just two sightings of the vulture in two weeks. 

Egyptian Vulture

Exploring Fuerteventura

Exploring Fuerteventura

A walk exploring the outskirts and the village of Betancuria provided Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Kestrel, African Blue Tit, Spectacled Warbler and Trumpeter Finch. The latter three were all new birds for me with the wary Trumpeter Finch a particular favourite, due to its slightly comical appearance. 

Betancuria - Fuerteventura

Betancuria - Fuereventura

Trumpeter Finch

Trumpeter Finch

A few Spectacled Warblers were in song, and I guess the breeding season is quite early in these parts. 

Spectacled Warbler

The so named Canary Islands Stonechat is actually found on Fuerteventura only where it is said to be best found in the dried up river beds, the barrancos, dotted around the island. I found them in a couple of locations where houses ran down to the beach, one time finding one feeding on the tide wrack with Berthelot’s Pipits, until I disturbed it whereupon it flew chat-like to the nearby fence. To me they appeared much like a very dark-headed Whinchat rather than a Stonechat. 

Berthelot's Pipit

Berthelot's Pipit

Berthelot's Pipit

Canary Islands Stonechat - By Frank Vassen [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 

Exploring Fuerteventura

It seems were are stuck with the Arctic weather for a few more days but there will be a little local birding and ringing soon. Don'y miss it.

Linking today to Anni's Birding Blog and Eileen's Blog.

 

Wholly Whimbrel

Nothing much to report this morning and no new photographs so here's the Whimbrels promised recently.

The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus is one the most wide-ranging shorebirds in the world, breeding in the Arctic in the eastern and western hemispheres, and migrating to South America, Africa, south Asia, and Australia. It is a smaller version of the curlew family of birds and breeds on moorlands and uplands but uses coastal habitats as it migrates south. 

A Whimbrel is streaky, greyish-brown with long, blue-grey legs and a down-curved, kinked bill. It can be distinguished from the larger Eurasian Curlew by its shorter bill and strong face pattern with a dark crown, a pale stripe down the middle and dark eye-stripe. 

It’s not often I get to see a Whimbrel close up. Here in the UK and probably in much of the Northern hemisphere they are a very wary species which keeps a safe distance from man, probably as a result of being a target for hunters.

When the opportunity recently arose in Fuerteventura to not only watch Whimbrels at close quarters, but also to take a series of photographs, I felt very privileged. No apologies then for over 30 pictures of Whimbrel in today’s post. 

The following sequence of pictures was taken on two separate mornings, one of them sunny, the other quite dull. They show how a Whimbrel uses the down-curved bill to probe rocky crevices for food and how the whole bird can with a front view can look quite slim and with a side view can appear very elongated. One of the individuals is shown preening, resting and roosting in between bouts of feeding. 

Clicking on the pics will give a close-up slide show of the action in a lightbox.

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

This Whimbrel would stand more or less motionless, sometimes on one leg for a while before resuming feeding. 

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Preening is the how a bird cares for its feathers and involves two different actions, nibbling and stroking. Preening serves the function of returning feathers to their correct position and shape, using  the addition of oil to the feathers from the Uropygial gland. Wiping is simply wiping the feathers with the bill, pressing them into place and perhaps spreading some oil over them. The bird uses its bill to nibble along the edges of feathers straightening them out and ensuring the barbules are all zipped up. 

Preening keeps birds feathers clean, waterproofed, and in optimum condition for flying. Birds spend a great deal of time preening because having feathers in tiptop condition is important in keeping the bird insulated and weatherproof, a condition which helps an individual's chances of survival. Birds usually preen after a bath and after feeding. Puffing up the feathers during the preening allows air to the feathers, letting them dry out from the grooming process. 

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Whimbrel

Time to air those newly groomed feathers.

Whimbrel

 Whimbrel

Whimbrel

 Whimbrel

  

Whimbrel

Time to resume feeding. Whimbrels feed a lot of the time by probing soft mud for small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. Prior to migration, berries become an important part of their diet.

Whimbrel

More birds soon on Another Bird Blog, but probably not Whimbrels. Log in soon to see what.