Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - THE BEST PLACES FOR BIRDWATCHERS IN LANZAROTE
by Francisco Javier García Vargas.
This is a little guide of the best places for birders in Lanzarote. For more details is interesting you see "A BIRDWATCHER´S GUIDE TO THE CANARY ISLANDS" (Tony Clarke & David Collins, 1996 Prion Ltd. Perry).
1.-FAMARA CLIFFS
This beautiful landscape with cliffs up to 600m high is one of the best places in the island for Barbary Falcon. In the appropriate season (late spring and summer), Eleonora´s Falcon can be seen too, and with luck, Osprey and Egyptian Vulture. If you visit the area on migration, this is a good place for passage migrant raptors and passerines, specially a wooded called “el bosquecillo”.
Famara cliffs with the Archipiélago Chinijo. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
2.-ÓRZOLA COAST
On the coast of Órzola there is a place called “saladar” that at low tide attracts a good number of waders and other kind of birds. Great Cormorant has been seen here and Osprey and Eleonora´s Falcon can be seen flying over this place. This is the classic wintering area for Spoonbill and the best place of the island for Curlew.
Saladar at Órzola. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
3.-GARDENED AREAS AT THE VILLAGES
The most gardened villages are Haría, Máguez, Mala and Guatiza at north and Yaiza and Uga at south. These gardened areas are highly attractive to migrants and the more densely planted areas should be checked if there is any indication of migration during your visit. At Mala and Guatiza Laughing Doves can be seen easily.
Gardened areas at Uga. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
4.-LOS COCOTEROS SALT PANS
This small area of salt pans is a very good place for migrant waders and Kentish Plover nests in the area. Some rarities like Common Shelduck, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral and White-rumped sandpipers, Temminck´s Stint and Grey Phalarope have been seen here.
Los Cocoteros salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
5.-TEGUISE GOLF
This large area of irrigated grassland is the best place in the island for Barbary Partridge and very good for Laughing Dove too. Very attractive to a wide range of migrants like Bee-eaters, swallows, pipits, warblers, flycatchers, thrushes and Black-crowned Night Heron, Wryneck, Scops Owl and Golden Oriole have been seen here.
6.-GARDENED AREAS AT TOURIST COMPLEXES
Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen have many gardens associated with the hotels that are highly attractive to migrants and the more densely planted areas should be checked if there is any indication of migration during your visit. Some passerines like Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Redwing or Starling can be seen on winter.
7.-ARRECIFE COAST
The rocky shore and offshore reefs are the best place in Lanzarote for gulls and terns, and herons and waders can be seen in the area too. The Islas Canarias park, next to the Reducto beach attracts a good number of passerine migrants and Cattle Egret nests in the tall trees along the sea avenue. The best place for gulls, terns and other migrant birds is the reef behind the San Gabriel castle, where Black-crowned Night Heron, Spoonbill, Northern Pintail, Audouin´s, Mediterranean and Ring-billed gulls, Sandwich, Common, Roseate, Little and Whiskered Tern have been seen. Next to the capital, on the beach of El Cable there are dunes where Short-toed Lark and Trumpeter Finch can be seen in good numbers.
8.-JANUBIO SALT PANS
The large area of salt pans and specially the tidal lagoon is the best place of Lanzarote for migrant and wintering ducks. The most interesting in this place is the shore of the lagoon, where a good number of waders can be seen and the bushes attracts migrant passerines. Black-winged Stilt and Kentish Plover nest here and rarities like Greater Flamingo, Ruddy and Common Shelduck, Greater Scaup, White-rumped and Spotted Sandpiper and Grey Phalarope have been seen here too.
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
9.-LA SANTA COAST
Here is the other “saladar” of the island, which attracts a good number of herons, egrets, waders, gulls and terns. Spoonbill is frequently seen here too. American Golden Plover has been seen at this site.
10.-FAMARA PLAINS
This extensive sandy plain is one of the best sites in the island for Houbara Bustard, Cream-coloured Courser and Stone-curlew. Other species include Short-toed Lark, Hoopoe, Berthelot´s Pipit and Great Grey Shrike. Short-eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Skylark and White Wagtail can be seen here on winter.
11.-BARRANCO DE TABAYESCO
This barranco has many trees and is the best place in the island for African Blue Tit and Canary. Sardinian and Spectacled Warblers can be seen here too. The trees attract a good numbers of migrating passerines and thrushes, Robin and Blackcap are present on winter. These birds attract Sparrowhawk on winter and Common Buzzard is often present here at this season. There is a little dump where Osprey and Barbary and Eleonora´s Falcons come to drink frequently.
NEW ADDITIONS
12.-TÍAS GOLF COURSE
Located next to the LZ-505 road (Tías-Puerto del Carmen). Despite having been built recently, the list of species observed in this golf course is fairly wide. Rare and scarce migrants include Squacco Heron, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Collared Pratincole, Little Ringed Plover, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Snipe, Green and Wood Sandpipers, Whiskered Tern, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Greater Short-toed Lark, Sand Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Tree and Meadow Pipits, Grey Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Western Olivaceous Warbler and Woodchat Shrike among others.
Red-throated Pipits have wintered here on several occasions and Eleonora´s and Barbary Falcons often visit the area.
Rarities seen here include Semipalmated and Pectoral Sandpipers, Temminck´s Stint, Calandra Lark, Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail and Citrine Wagtail.
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
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