Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.

A good day with the camera's for Bob, Ann and myself.

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

First thing after breakfast we all headed for the port at Corralejo where Nick, Lynda, Judy and Mike were getting a ferry over to Lanzarote where they were meeting another guide to spend the next two day out at sea looking for pelagic birds. 

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

We were a little bit early so we checked out a bit of rocky shoreline just before the port.

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

We scanned the rocks and soon found a couple of Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), a single Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii) and out to Sea several Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) and a Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

After dropping the Pelagic group off Ann, Bob and I returned to the beach and got some photos of the waders before driving to a cracking spot on the beach at Majanicho where we had a great time photographing the waders there which included large numbers of Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plovers as well as two Grey (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone, Greenshank and Whimbrel.

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

After getting the shots that were needed we dropped south to the northern track out on to Tindaya plains here we headed south not seeing very much until we had almost reached the southern track, where Bob Spotted a couple of distant Cream-coloured Coursers (corredor Sahariano / Cursorius cursor).

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola).

We reached the crossroads and turned towards the coast scanning the stoney fields, after just a short distance we had a stunning Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata) even closer to the van than the two we were so please with yesterday, it saw us but only walked away slowly giving us unbeatable views. 

Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Well happy we turned around and started to scan the fields again on the way back for more Coursers and just before the crossroads I picked up three that were moving quickly towards the road so we moved in to meet them when they got there and much to my surprise it worked and they walked right up to the van and we again had amazing views.

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Very pleased with our mornings photos we went to a nearby bar and had some lunch before heading south again to the mouth of the Barranco de la Molinos where we again searched the stream for dragonflies and soon found loads of Sahara Bluetails (Ischnura saharensis) including some Rufous females, Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea),  Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Vagrant Emperor (Emperatriz emigrante / Anax ephippiger) and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria). 

Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii).

There were also several Berthalots Pipits on the rocks, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), a couple of Ruddy Shelducks (Tarro Canelo / Tadorna ferruginea) which dropped in on the river upstream and several Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) overhead.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

As we drove back to the track out to the Embalse Molinos we had a single Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) fly in front of the Van.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

At the dam we had a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which flushed all the Little Egrets, Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Ruddy Shelducks. 

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

We also had the Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) which we saw on our last visit, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Greenshank, Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and a calling Barbary Partridge (Perdiz Moruna / Alectoris barbara).

Cream-coloured Courser (corredor Sahariano / Cursorius cursor).

We turned around and started to make our way back towards the hotel where when we were having our evening meal we got a message from the Pelagic group that Lynda had had an accident on board the boat, she had fallen and hit her head so they were steaming for port to get her to hospital. Thanks to regular updates from Nick and Mike at around 11,30 I got the message to say the hospital were not worried about her injuries and we're not keeping her in overnight, great news and a great relief.

Cream-coloured Courser (corredor Sahariano / Cursorius cursor).

Cream-coloured Coursers (corredor Sahariano / Cursorius cursor).

Cream-coloured Coursers (corredor Sahariano / Cursorius cursor).