Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.

Tindaya Plains, Barranco Cabras, Salinas del Carmen, Barranco del la Torre and Caleta de la Guinea Sea front.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

Straight after breakfast we headed out on to the stoney desert areas of the Tindaya plains looking for the elusive Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata), we had see a nice female yesterday but hoped to get better views earlier in the day with out the heat haze.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

As we made our way out we had two Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) fly over the van calling, which was a good start, Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Great Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Norteño / Lanius excubitor koenigi) and the the first of two absolutely stunning Houbara Bustards which were much closer than our previous sightings. 

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

We spent quite a long time watching these two birds which were just a km or so apart along the track, we were all very pleased with our views and photographs.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

We made our way off the area and south To the Barranco de la Cabras where we parked and straight away we had a pair of African Blue Tits (Cyanistes Teneriffae / Herrerillo canario) fly past and whilst we were getting better views of them we found at least 3x Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) in the same area.

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes Teneriffae / Herrerillo canario).

A good start but it was going to get even better just a short way along the Barranco when Judy and Nick called us to see a group of 11 Barbary Partridge (Perdiz Moruna / Alectoris barbara) which were moving up the slope out of the Barranco.

As we moved around the site we had more Laughing Doves and African Blue Tits along with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto),  Canary Island Chat (Tarabilla Canaria / Saxicola dacotiae), Great-grey Shrike, Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a single Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and a Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

Canary Island Chat (Tarabilla Canaria / Saxicola dacotiae).

We returned to the van and started to make our way back towards the coast but made a stop just down the road to have a look at another stretch of the Barranco which still had a flow of water in it and soon found a Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) which flew off calling, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a male Canary Island Chat, more African Blue Tits, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard, Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and back near the van a male of both Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

Canary Island Chat (Tarabilla Canaria / Saxicola dacotiae).

Lunch was the next stop and as we had been happy with the place near the Salinas de la Carmen we stopped there again.  

Canary Island Chat (Tarabilla Canaria / Saxicola dacotiae).

During the stop we recorded Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii) and a couple of Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) which were quite close to shore.

Barbary Partridge (Perdiz Moruna / Alectoris barbara).

After we had finished lunch we went down to the Barranco de la Torre where we parked and did a short sea watch but only picked up a few more Cory's so we continued on up the Barranco and parked.

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

We walked a little more and sat at a spot in front of some cliffs where we had had good views of Trumpeter Finch (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus) a couple of days earlier and after about 5 minutes the first of around 15 birds came in and sat on the cliff above where we were sat and gave us good views before flying off along the valley again. 

Trumpeter Finch (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus).

We walked back to the van and to a then we to look for Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) nearby but by now the wind had got quite strong and even though we saw the birds they only stayed in view for a second or two at a time.

We moved on again and went just up the coast to Caleta de la Guirra where we had great views of a couple of Plain Swifts (Vencejo Unicolor / Apus unicolor) which came too within a couple of meters of us.

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

Out on the jetties we again saw a few Waders including a very nice Whimbrel which sat nicely for the cameras, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Ringed Plover, Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Yellow-legged Gulls and Corys Shearwaters.

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

The wind was getting stronger so we decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel where we had another superb evening meal.

Plain Swift (Vencejo Unicolor / Apus unicolor).