Sunday, April 13, 2008 - MARCH 2008 LANZAROTE REPORT

by Francisco Javier García Vargas

On March 2008, three new species were added to our personal list of birds observed in Lanzarote. One of them was a true rarity and (if accepted) first for Lanzarote: Pallid Harrier (1 bird seen by J. Sagardía at Los Ancones on 03/III). Another new species for us was Lesser Kestrel, discovering a flock of about 40 birds roosting in a solitary palm at Famara plains on 03/III. Is possible that these birds were at the area (and ovelooked) on February, when J. Sagardía informed me about a group of kestrels flyng around this palm. The Lesser Kestrel (all the group or at least part of it) have remained at Famara plains into April.

The other new species was Common Wood Pigeon (1 bird seen by J. Sagardía at Guatiza on 07/III).

About rarities, Water Pipits still at Tías golf course, remaining there into April and the ad. male Citrine Wagtail in a farm at Famara plains on 19/III. There is a special photopage of this bird on this blog.

About scarce migrants, the most remarkable was: Northern Gannet (1 ad. bird seen by J. Sagardía from Faro de Pechiguera on 08/III),  Purple Heron (1 bird seen by J. Sagardía at the farm of Famara plains on 05/III), White Stork (9 birds seen by J. Sagardía at Arrecife on 07/III), Common Teal (1 bird I saw at Guatiza on 01/III),  Pintail (1 ad. male seen by J. Sagardía at Los Cocoteros on 31/III, remaining there into April), Marsh Harrier (1 bird at Famara plains on 06 and 31/III), Peregrine Falcon (1 bird seen by A. Unquiles at Famara plains on 27/III), Moorhen at Arrecife, Little Ringed Plovers at Arrecife, Tías golf course, the farm of Famara and Guatiza, European Golden Plover at Arrecife, including 2 birds on 28/III, Little Stints at Los Cocoteros, Eurasian Curlew (2 birds at Janubio on 02/III), Green Sandpiper at the farm of Famara, Common Tern (2 birds at Arrecife on 26/III and 15 birds at the same place on 31/III), Whiskered Tern (1 bird I saw at Tías golf course on 19/III and 4 birds seen by J. Sagardía at Arrecife on 31/III), Sand Martin, Red-rumped Swallow (including flocks of 20 or 25 at Tahíche), Red-throated Pipits at Tías golf course, remaining there into April, Grey Wagtails at Arrecife, Sedge Warbler (1 bird I saw at Arrecife on 26/III) and Woodchat Shrike (1 bird seen by J. Sagardía at Famara plains on 30 and 31/III).

MARCH 2008  COMPLETE LIST

Cory´s Shearwater

Northern Gannet

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret (building nest). Arrecife. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Cattle Egret (building nest). Arrecife. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Purple Heron

Purple Heron. Farm at Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Purple Heron. Farm at Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Purple Heron. Farm at Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

White Stork

White Stork. Arrecife. Photo: J. Sagardía

Common Teal

Pintail

Marsh Harrier

Pallid Harrier

Pallid Harrier. Los Ancones. Photo: J. Sagardía

Pallid Harrier. Los Ancones. Photo: J. Sagardía

Lesser Kestrel

Lesser Kestrel. Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Lesser Kestrel. Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Lesser Kestrel. Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Lesser Kestrel. Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Common Kestrel

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon. Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

Peregrine Falcon. Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

Moorhen

Houbara Bustard

Houbara Bustard (chick). Los Ancones. Photo: J. Sagardía

Black-winged Stilt

Stone-curlew

Cream-coloured Courser

Little Ringed Plover

Great Ringed Plover

Kentish Plover

European Golden Plover

Grey Plover

Sanderling

Little Stint

Dunlin

Bar-tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Eurasian Curlew

Common Redshank

Greenshank

Green Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Turnstone

Black-headed Gull

Black-backed Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern. Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Whiskered Tern. Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Whiskered Tern. Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Common Woodpigeon

Common Woodpigeon. Guatiza. Photo: J. Sagardía

Common Woodpigeon. Guatiza. Photo: J. Sagardía

Eurasian Collared Dove

Eurasian Turtle Dove

Plain Swift

Common Swift

Pallid Swift

Hoopoe

Short-toed Lark

Sand Martin

Barn Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

House Martin

Berthelot´s Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Red-throated Pipit

Water Pipit

Yellow Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail. Farm at Famara plains. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear. Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía

Song Thrush

Sedge Warbler

Spectacled Warbler

Willow Warbler

Southern Grey Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

Common Starling

Spanish Sparrow

Linnet

Trumpeter Finch