by Francisco Javier García Vargas, Antonio Unquiles Cobos and Juan Sagardía Pradera.

 

On 12/XI/2006, we detected one bird that at the first time was identified as a female Greater Scaup Aythya marila at the tidal lagoon of Janubio salt pans. The bird was relocated on 19/XI and 03/XII/2006 and the jizz of it, made us start thinking the bird had been wrongly identified and we started to consider the possibility of Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis. It was finally identified on 20/I/2007 as Lesser Scaup, based on a detailed observation and  the photographs taken at the bird in flight. With two males at Rosa de Catalina García (Fuerteventura) (photos can be seen here and here), this is the third Lesser Scaup seen at Canary Islands this year and if accepted by the Spanish Rarities Committee, the first for Lanzarote island.

 

LESSER SCAUP. Janubio salt pans. The bird as on 03/XII/2006.  Photo: J. Sagardía

 

LESSER SCAUP and GREATER SCAUP (seen on Janubio last winter), for comparison.

The differences in head shape can be seen. Greater Scaup has a more rounded nape contour and the peak of the head farther forward. Bill shape is different too and Lesser has narrower and more straight-sided bill. Photos: J. Sagardía.

 

LESSER SCAUP at flight. Photo: F. J. García Vargas.

 

LESSER SCAUP at flight as on 20/I/2007.

The wing pattern can be clearly seen, showing less white than on Greater Scaup.

Photos: F. J. García Vargas.

by Juan Sagardía Pradera

 

Like on 08/XII/2006, I made again a “one day trip” to Fuerteventura, where all the american ducks we saw on december, remained at the same place.

The most interesting sightings were made at these two places:

 

ROSA DE CATALINA GARCÍA

Little Egret, Grey Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill (6 birds), Ruddy Shelduck (about 30 birds), Eurasian Wigeon (2 birds), Gadwall (1 bird, adult female), Common Teal (8 birds), Northern Pintail (1 bird), Blue-winged Teal (1 bird, male), Northern Shoveler (2 birds, male and female), Ring-necked Duck (1 bird, a beautiful male), Tufted Duck (10 birds, about 6 males and 4 females), Lesser Scaup (2 birds, males), Booted Eagle (1 adult female dark morph), Barbary Falcon (1 bird, male), Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Common Snipe, Spotted Redshank (5 birds), Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Barn Swallow.

 

GADWALL. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

BLUE-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK and NORTHERN SHOVELER. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

RING-NECKED DUCK and BLUE-WINGED TEAL. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

RING-NECKED DUCK and COMMON TEAL. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

LESSER SCAUP and RING-NECKED DUCK. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

LESSER SCAUP. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

LESSER SCAUP. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

TUFTED DUCK. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

BOOTED EAGLE. Rosa de Catalina García. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

SALINAS DEL CARMEN

Little Egret, Eurasian Wigeon (1 bird), Common Teal (1 bird), Northern Pintail (1 bird), Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper (1 bird), Dunlin, Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone. The Marsh Sandpiper reported here on 02/I was not seen.

 

COMMON TEAL, EURASIAN WIGEON and NORTHERN PINTAIL. Salinas del Carmen. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

EURASIAN WIGEON. Salinas del Carmen. Photo: J. Sagardía

by Francisco Javier García Vargas

 

December 2006 was a month without remarkable surprises, and the few rarities or interesting species seen were long-stayers that reached the island on previous months. About rarities, only the Greater Scaup* (remained at Janubio until at least 23/XII and still probably there) and Mediterranean Gulls (up to three birds at Arrecife, but seen last time on 13/XII). About scarce migrants, Spoonbill (1 at Órzola and 2 at La Santa), European Golden Plover (1 at Arrecife), Red Knot (3 birds at Janubio), Eurasian Curlew (2 birds at Órzola), Stonechat (2 birds at Yaiza and 1 bird wintering at Arrecife) and Garden Warbler (1 bird at Costa Teguise).

 

COMPLETE LIST DECEMBER 2006

Cattle Egret

Little Egret

Grey Heron

*Greater Scaup (THIS BIRD WAS FINALLY IDENTIFIED AS LESSER SCAUP ON 20/I/2007)

 

Lesser Scaup. Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Common Kestrel

Barbary Falcon

Black-winged Stilt

Ringed Plover

Kentish Plover

European Golden Plover

 

European Golden Plover. Arrecife. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Grey Plover

Red Knot

 

Red Knot. Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Sanderling

Little Stint

Dunlin

Bar-tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Eurasian Curlew

 

Eurasian Curlew. Órzola. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Common Redshank

Common Greenshank

Common Sandpiper

Ruddy Turnstone

Mediterranean Gull

 

Mediterranean Gull. Arrecife. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Black-headed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Sandwich Tern

Eurasian Collared Dove

Plain Swift

Hoopoe

Lesser Shot-toed Lark

Barn Swallow

Berthelot´s Pipit

Meadow Pipit

White Wagtail

European Robin

Stonechat

Northern Wheatear

Spectacled Warbler

Subalpine Warbler (1 bird at El Cable on 30/XII, my first december record)

Garden Warbler

Common Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

African Blue Tit

Southern Grey Shrike

Spanish Sparrow

Common Linnet

Trumpeter Finch