Travelling and a bit of birding before the Norfolk Gang arrive tomorrow.
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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 que 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.
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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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tYr6oYVkVjcs1FP9kBtS7Ig9MfC0SG445A2JRCcNKVZy2eTw9Oi2D93O1toigQWFMZI60TnTpt0DHhtqMnH0sKg0QXmk5yJq7zRV91eL26s_ObNEcFjrgcuSyIsQGHCmkAgc7tJbj_c/s640/14th+Oct+18-2.jpg) |
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.
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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.
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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).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cjNvaJpoVNK7mf5L4LwARRxtYI7lq6GnFWy59fnQZEE7jKJIXVdqaDINsPqDzCBfmeQOwiBaZvrFQalMQnQa6p7Ky2ItI65pG3bA3ZMw1u4O0PNInURI-sP_cUckgyeyyJNmqDW5zh8/s640/14th+Oct+18-3.jpg) |
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UO1sLFwL8d6rbB5ozf3TJ9sByqQaHQtl3idhzDsTvmWM2kxMLSmZH0Z-8MjXoXUdKSqqsy7uqd6qkdvK4Sa8ddjvEpYswG9NsPmuSLXQNU55U23Awxwyo87WHMosczXxc9numcWD0pc/s640/14th+Oct+18-1.jpg) |
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.
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Puerto del Rosario. |
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