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Monday 22 October 2018

Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Three good birds but disaster strikes again but the defiant gang smile and bird on.

As we few out to Tenerife.
Today we were moving Island so I finished packing before breakfast and whilst doing this had the odd quick glance out of the window and finished the hotel list off with Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus / herrerillo afrocanario), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
After breakfast we loaded up the van with our bags and Lynda's kit which was divided up between us and left the Hotel Boutique & Villas Casa Vieja and set off for the airport just adding Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) on the way.
We checked in, got rid of the cases and went and sat down to wait for the flight which was very good and uneventful.
Came through the Airport at Tenerife North with out any problems except for a car hire guy with a sense of humour.
Once the van was loaded up we headed for La Galletas where Eduardo Garcia del Rey had given us some information about a White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis) which had been there for a few days, during the drive we had Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Yellow-legged Gull and Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia).
We parked and checked the area out, not the nicest spot but there were some small pools and scrapes in amongst piles of rubble and rocks.
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
We searched the area but to start with just had 4x Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and lots of Scarlet Darters (Crocothemis erythraea), Bob and Ann went back towards the beach but I thought I would check another area and found another pool but still no birds. Just as I was about to turn away three small Waders flew in calling, two were Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) but the third was the target White-rumped Sand, Mike had followed me and came over the gravel ridge behind me next closely followed by Judy and Nick.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).
After making sure they were on the bird I went and Waved to Bob and Ann so that they knew we had the bird before going back and getting some photos, next thing I saw was Bob and Ann taking photos for two Eastern European guys which I thought was odd but as I started to walk over towards them the two guys headed off and Bob and Ann came over to join us.  Not until later in the evening did Bob discover that his wallet had gone and the only possibility was that these two pieces of scum had targeted them and picked Bob's pocket.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).
We went and had some lunch nearby seeing several Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) and then walked along the seafront to a spot again given to us by Eduardo where we found two Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and a Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus) out on the rocks.
Once we had finished taking a few shots of the sleeping Meds the others headed back towards the Van whilst I went in search of a bank in the town. On my way back to the van I had a Great Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Norteño / Lanius excubitor koenigi) and then met the others watching the Sandpiper again.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).
We left the site and followed the satnav directions up a rather interesting windy, very steep road to the hotel.
Around the hotel we saw and heard Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and our first Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria) of the trip which I missed.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).
We checked in and soon after Bob discovered the thieves had taken his wallet, so we had a rather tense drive down to Las Americas National Police Station to do the report for the crime number with Bob and Ann trying to cancel the debit card that had been in there with the cash.
The police were quite efficient and we were back at the hotel in time to have a late meal.

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