Travelling to and on Fuerteventura, Canary Islands.

Travelling and a bit of birding before the Norfolk Gang arrive tomorrow.

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Jayne and I set the alarm for 03.00 (silly o'clock) and left the house just before 04.00. Jayne dropped me at just before 05.00 and I joined the queue to check in which took an age or it felt like it to patient me 😀😀 but I did fly through security with out an hitches.

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

The flight left bang on time and arrived 15 minutes early even though it had been quite a turbulent trip.

With the bags collected and van hire very efficiently sorted I was quickly on my way west across the island and I did some birding.

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

I started the list with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and 2 Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops) which flew over the road as I drop towards El Cotillo on the coast. I turned off the main road before the town and took to the tracks and almost straight away I had the first of at least 5 Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii), Great Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Norteño / Lanius excubitor koenigi), a couple of Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) sat on a wire and lots more Collared Doves which were by far the commonest species of the day.

La Huesilla Vantage Point.

I continued along this track getting some brilliant views of several Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) before spending a couple of hours sea watching but finding nothing more exciting than Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

I cut inland around a deep dry river bed adding another couple of Berthalots Pipits and just before I reached the coast again a stunning Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata), which although quite distant was a belting Lifer for my Spanish List.

Houbara Bustard (Avutarda Hubara / Chlamydotis undulata).

After watching the Bustard for nearly an hour as it walked slowly along a ridge feeding I returned to the coast at La Huesilla Vantage Point and spent some more time sea watching with pretty much the same results except this time I did see a few Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea) and a single Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) which came in off the sea.

I started to drive back towards the Airport and my hotel in Puerto del Rasario, on the way I had a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) being mobbed by two more Ravens and quite a few great little Barbary Ground Squirrels (Atlantoxerus getulus) on some walls and Rock piles as well as a couple more Great Grey Shrikes and several Vagrant Emperors (Emperatriz emigrante / Anax ephippiger).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

I went to the hotel and relaxed for a while before going for a walk to a nearby rocky beach where I found 4 Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), 4 Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and a few more Corys Shearwaters.

Barbary Ground Squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus).

I later popped out again for some food but the weather closed in and I got a soaking but did see a nice rainbow.

A good start to the trip, looking forward to the rest of the gangs arrival in the morning.

Puerto del Rosario.