Tenerife, Canary Islands.

The last morning on the Canaries.

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae / herrerillo afrocanario).

As usual we were all up for breakfast and then headed out for a couple of hours birding at the picnic site on the way up to Tiede, it was quite cool but sunny when we arrived but it soon started to warm up as the morning went along.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis).

Almost all morning we could hear Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis) hammering or calling and we had some really nice views of a couple, Ann even managed some really good video footage. 

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis).

There were 3 or 4 Blue Chaffinches (Pinzón Azul de Tenerife / Fringilla teydea) in the area but none were particularly helpful but we did manage to get some shots. 

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae / herrerillo afrocanario).

Other species seen included Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), African Blue Tits (Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae / herrerillo afrocanario), Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis).

We dropped back down to the hotel and finished packing and vacated the rooms by 12.00, some of the group had walks in different areas of the gardens seeing a few species. Nick had Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) singing and I added Canary Island Blue (Cyclyrius webbianus) to the butterfly list. We also had Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus), Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli),  African Blue Tits, Canary Island Chiffchaff and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

Once we were sorted and settled the bills we dropped down to the coast for lunch but started our search in Los Christianos but we did not like the look of it and there was just nowhere to park so we made our way back towards La Galletas were we parked by the beach and had a nice meal in one of the nearby restaurants where we could see the van (not that we were getting paranoid much).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

After eating Bob and I went to have a look for the two Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) that had been hanging around on the beach just a few hundred metres away and soon found them.

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

We walked back towards the van via a tree filled park and found 3 very smart Ring-necked Parakeet (Cotorra de Kramer / Psittacula Krameri) in one of the palm trees and just before reaching the others had views off 2 Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and the White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis) in flight. Nick had also seen a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and we had good numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) in the harbour.

Ring-necked Parakeet (Cotorra de Kramer / Psittacula Krameri).

We drove just up the road to El Fragile where everyone except for Nick and I decided to have an afternoon snooze, Nick and I went for a walk out on to the area between the urbanisation and the sea. We found Several Canary Island Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis), Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata), Tenerife Cacti (Euphorbia Canariensis), Prickly Pear (Opuntia dillenii), lots of the endemic Tenerife lizards (Gallotia galloti), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), African Grass Blue (Nina esmaltada / Zizeeia knysna) and just as we got back to the van we had a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and could hear Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) but could not find them.

Ring-necked Parakeet (Cotorra de Kramer / Psittacula Krameri).

The next stop was at the southern Airport where Mike, Judy, Nick, Ann and Bob were getting there flight back to the UK and I headed North to the other Airport for my flight back to Malaga.

At just before 01.00 in met up with Jayne and we travelled home.

Prickly Pear (Opuntia dillenii).

Tenerife Cacti (Euphorbia Canariensis).

Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis).

Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis).

Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti).

Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti).

Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti).

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Tenerife, Canary Islands.

A wet and cool last full day on the Island.

Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii).

The first half of the day was spent up in Santa Cruz sorting documents (an emergency passport for Judy), buying new bags for Judy and I and reclaiming one of the stolen one which had been dumped in the road some way from the crime and found by one very kind local guy.

Once that was all done we had a run back along the Northern coast and up over the mountains with a lunch stop as well.

Bob watching Ann trying her first Sangria, I do believe she enjoyed it.

Due to the weather we did not see a great deal as it seemed to rain heavy whenever we stopped and dry up whilst we were driving.

The day list included Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii), Laurel Pigeon (Paloma Rabiche / Columba junoniae), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus teneriffae), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), African Blue Tits (Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae / herrerillo afrocanario) and Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia).

We returned to the hotel at around 16.00 and it was still covered in low cloud and cool.

Later we had our final evening meal of the trip together.

Tenerife, Canary Islands.

The day after the day before.

Blue Chaffinches (Pinzón Azul de Tenerife / Fringilla teydea).

To my great surprise we were all up and at it first thing and even after the stressful day yesterday we spent a good bit of the time Laughing and enjoying the stunning birds.

Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria).

We started the day with a drive up on to the pine clad slopes of Mount Tiede, on the way up we pulled off at a picnic area and almost instantly we stumbled across the first of a few Blue Chaffinches (Pinzón Azul de Tenerife / Fringilla teydea) which was on the ground near some bins.

Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria).

We saw a couple more of these beautiful birds as well as lots of Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria), several Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and whilst we were watching these birds there was a great commotion going on above us between several Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and a silvery looking Barbary Falcon (Halcón Tagarote / Falco pelegrinoides) which was nice.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis).

We drove further on and stopped briefly at the parking area for the cable car to the summit bit it was windy and a tad cool so we decided to drop back down to the picnic area via several view points on the way where we took some view shots and saw Berthelots Pipit (Bisbita Caminero / Anthus berthelotii).

Blue Chaffinch (Pinzón Azul de Tenerife / Fringilla teydea).

Back at the picnic site we had fantastic views of another Great Spotted Woodpecker which was feeding close to us for a while, as well as 4 more Blue Chaffinches and Atlantic Canary.

Up on Tiede.

We dropped down to the hotel having some lunch on the way, we had an hour the to sort out some administration after the big problems of yesterday. At 15.00 we went down to the coast at La Galletas to have another look at the White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis) which we saw earlier in the week. The bird showed well along with it's mates, two Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Up on Tiede.

Whilst there we also had views of Red-veined (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Vagrant Emperor (Emperatriz emigrante / Anax ephippiger) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Green rocks on Tiede.

We walked out on the prom nearby where we eventually found the two regular Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Up on Tiede.

We returned to the van and then we took the windy steep way back to the hotel.

Up on Tiede.

Mick up on Tiede.

Up on Tiede.

Nick on Tiede.

Blue Chaffinch (Pinzón Azul de Tenerife / Fringilla teydea).

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major canariensis).

White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).

White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).

White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).

White-rumped Sandpiper (Correlimos Culiblanco / Calidris fuscicollis).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Tenerife, Canary Islands.

And we didn't think it could get any worse, the Bastards even stole the imodium.

Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria).

Before breakfast I had a short walk out to the car park and around the garden where I picked up Canary Island Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Canario / Phylloscopus canariensis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Birding at Pico de Ingles.

After breakfast we loaded up and headed off North and into the Laurel Forests of An again where we made our first stop at the Mirador de Jardine where we soon found African Blue Tits (Cyanistes teneriffae teneriffae / herrerillo afrocanario), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Atlantic Canary (Canario / Serinus canaria), Sardinian Warbler, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs canariensis), Blackbird, Canary Island Chiffchaff and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

View from Mirador Pico de Ingles.

Next we drove out to the Mirador Pico de Ingles where we parked and spent a good while scanning the tree canopy for the two target Pigeons, almost straight away we had short flight views of a couple of Bolle's Pigeons (Paloma Turqué / Columba bollii) and then shortly after these we had a very nice Laurel Pigeon (Paloma Rabiche / Columba junoniae) sit on the top of a bush for a few seconds showing off his white tail nicely.

Bolle's Pigeons (Paloma Turqué / Columba bollii).

In the same area we had European Robin again, a noisy Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), several Painted Lady's (Vanessa cardui), Cleopatra (Cleopatra / Gonepteryx cleopatra) and Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta).

Bolle's Pigeons (Paloma Turqué / Columba bollii).

We're drove a little further on and made a quick stop adding Canary Speckled Wood (Pararge xiphioides) to the butterfly list before turning around and heading down to Mirador Cruz del Carmen were we had a short walk into the Laurel Forests, here we saw Common Chaffinch again, African Blue Tits, European Robin and several of the local subspecies of Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus teneriffae).

Laurel Pigeon (Paloma Rabiche / Columba junoniae).

Next came a simple lunch before heading back up to Mirador Pico de Ingles were we again had good views of both Bolle's and Laurel Pigeons, Mike picked up an the Canary Speckled Wood butterfly so I went back to the van with Mike to get the other camera out of the bag and this was when we made the disastrous discovery that the van had been broken into via the small window in the sliding door and around €3000+ of our kit had been stolen.  

Canary Speckled Wood (Pararge xiphioides).

We were just 25 or so meters away and the van could be seen. They must have been quite and quick, we suspect we disturbed them when we came back as they had left Mikes bag which had another couple of thousand euros worth of stuff in it.

Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs canariensis).

So again we spent quite a while in the National Police station but this time in Santa del la Curzon and then we had to change the van at the Northern Airport.

Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs canariensis).

What a day, we headed back to the hotel where we had a late evening meal before heading to bed totally peeeeeeeeeeeeed off.

European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).