by Francisco Javier García Vargas

 

In the morning of 14/IV/2011, I was at Janubio salt pans joined by our friend David Pérez (ORNITOADDICTION), when we saw a pair of Ruddy Shelducks swimming in the middle of the salt water lake, something that we saw normal because we had seen these birds there since March.

But what was our surprise when we saw that 5 beautiful chicks were swimming behind the adults.

I could only take record shots because the birds were always very far from us.

Until the present day, breeding of Ruddy Shelducks in the Canaries were only known on Fuerteventura and this is the first breeding record known out of this island.

Ruddy Shelduck-Tadorna ferruginea-Tarro Canelo

(Adults with five chicks)

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

 

Ruddy Shelduck-Tadorna ferruginea-Tarro Canelo

(Adults with five chicks)

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

 

 

 

by Juan Sagardía Pradera

 

On 09/IV/2011, I could detect a migrant pipit in a garden inside the house of my father in law at Montaña Blanca, that in a first time I thought it could be a Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis.

A nearest observation of the bird and the analysis of the pictures taken, make me started to think about the possibility of an Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni.

I sent a picture of the bird to Francisco Javier García Vargas, who told me that he was totally convinced that it was really an Olive-backed Pipit.

Twenty minutes later, F. J. García Vargas arrived to the place and he could observe the bird and heard its voice, before it  flew out of the garden.

I saw the bird again early in the morning of 10/IV, but the attempts to relocate it later joined by F. J. García Vargas and A. Unquiles Cobos were unsuccessful.

This is a totally unexpected new addition to our list and It will be (if accepted), the first confirmed record for the Canary Islands of this eastern vagrant.

Olive-backed Pipit-Anthus hodgsoni-Bisbita de Hodgson

Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía

Olive-backed Pipit-Anthus hodgsoni-Bisbita de Hodgson

Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía

Olive-backed Pipit-Anthus hodgsoni-Bisbita de Hodgson

Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía

Olive-backed Pipit-Anthus hodgsoni-Bisbita de Hodgson

Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía

Olive-backed Pipit-Anthus hodgsoni-Bisbita de Hodgson

Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía

by Francisco Javier García Vargas

 

On March 2011, despite the signs of migration have been rather scarce, one new species has been added to our list of birds recorded in Lanzarote: Jack Snipe (1 bird seen at Tías golf course on 10/III (J. Sagardía) and again on 11/III (F. J. García Vargas).

About rarities, only the Greater Flamingo has been present all month at Janubio.

About scarce migrants, 2 Ruddy Shelducks were seen at Janubio on 22/III.  On 01/III, we could obtain the information of our friend D. Pérez about the presence of a Northern Shoveler at Tías golf course, being photographed minutes later (F. J. García Vargas). The bird was seen again on 02/III (F. J. García Vargas) and 03/III (A. Unquiles Cobos).

4 Northern Gannets were seen flying North from Arrecife coast on 26/III (F. J. García Vargas), 4 Eurasian Spoonbills were observed at La Santa on 07/III (F. J. García Vargas), another bird was seen at Arrecife on 08/III (F. J. García Vargas and J. Sagardía) and 3 birds were present at Órzola on 19/III (F. J. García Vargas).

1 Western Marsh Harrier was seen at Famara plains on 07/III (J. Sagardía) and 1 Montagu´s Harrier was near Tias golf course on 29/III (F. J. García Vargas).

The Eurasian Oystercatcher has been all month at Janubio, 3 Little Ringed Plovers were seen at the farm at Famara plains on 01/III (F. J. García Vargas), when another 4 were detected in rain pools at Tahíche (F. J. García Vargas), 23 Eurasian Dotterels were seen at the same field of Famara plains on 01/III (F. J. García Vargas) and 07/III (F. J. García Vargas, J. Sagardía) and 1 Red Knot was seen at Janubio, where 1 Curlew Sandpiper and some Little Stints were observed too.

1 Green Sandpiper was observed in rain pools at Tahíche on 01/III (F. J. García Vargas), another was seen in rain pools at Guatiza on 02/III (F. J. García Vargas) and 09/III (J. Sagardía) and a third was present at Arrecife on 08/III (J. Sagardía), 2 Common Snipes were seen at Tías golf course and another 5 in rain pools at Tahíche on 01/III (F. J. García Vargas) and another 1 was seen again at Tías golf course on 03/III (A. Unquiles Cobos).

1 Ruff was at Janubio on 10/III (J. Sagardía), 1 adult Mediterranean Gull was seen at Janubio on 10/III (J. Sagardía) and again on 22/III (F. J. García Vargas), a flock of between 10 and 12 European Bee-eaters were seen near Teguise golf course on 27/III (A. Unquiles Cobos), Sand Martins were seen at Tías golf course and Puerto del Carmen, 1 Red-rumped Swallow was seen at Tías golf course on 11/III (F. J. García Vargas) and some birds were at Costa Teguise on 27/III (J. Sagardía), about 5 or 6 Red-throated Pipits have remained all month at Tías golf course and Grey Wagtails have beeb present at Tías golf course and Arrecife.

MARCH 2011 COMPLETE LIST

Ruddy Shelduck

Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler-Anas clypeata-Cuchara común

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

Northern Shoveler-Anas clypeata-Cuchara común

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

Northern Shoveler-Anas clypeata-Cuchara común

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

Barbary Partridge

Cory´s Shearwater

Northern Gannet

Cattle Egret

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill-Platalea leucorodia-Espátula común

Arrecife. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Greater Flamingo

Greater Flamingo-Phoenicopterus roseus-Flamenco común

Janubio salt pans. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Egyptian Vulture

Egyptian Vulture-Neophron percnopterus-Alimoche común

Teseguite. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Egyptian Vulture-Neophron percnopterus-Alimoche común

Teseguite. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Egyptian Vulture-Neophron percnopterus-Alimoche común

Maciot. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Western Marsh Harrier

Montagu´s Harrier

Common Kestrel

Eleonora´s Falcon

Barbary Falcon

Houbara Bustard

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Black-winged Stilt

Stone-curlew

Little Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Kentish Plover

Eurasian Dotterel

Eurasian Dotterel-Charadrius morinellus-Chorlito carambolo

Famara plains. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Eurasian Dotterel-Charadrius morinellus-Chorlito carambolo

Famara plains. Photo: F. J. García Vargas

 

Grey Plover

Red Knot

Sanderling

Little Stint

Curlew Sandpiper

Dunlin

Ruff

Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe-Lymnocryptes minimus-Agachadiza chica

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Common Snipe

Bar-tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Redshank

Greenshank

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper-Tringa ochropus-Andarríos grande

Arrecife. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Common Sandpiper

Ruddy Turnstone

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull-Larus melanocephalus-Gaviota cabecinegra

Janubio salt pans. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Black-headed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull-Larus fuscus-Gaviota sombría

Teseguite. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull-Larus fuscus-Gaviota sombría

(Blue YG22, ringed in  Hvaleyrarlón-Iceland on 23/07/08)

Teseguite. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Yellow legged Gull

Sandwich Tern

Eurasian Collared Dove

Laughing Dove

Ring-necked Parakeet

Plain Swift

Plain Swift-Apus unicolor-Vencejo unicolor

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Pallid Swift

Pallid Swift-Apus pallidus-Vencejo pálido

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

European Bee-eater

Hoopoe

Lesser Short-toed Lark

Sand Martin

Sand Martin-Riparia riparia-Avión Zapador

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Barn Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow-Hirundo daurica-Golondrina dáurica

Tías golf course. Photos: F. J. García Vargas

 

House Martin

House Martin-Delichon urbicum-Avión común

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Berthelot´s Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit-Anthus pratensis-Bisbita pratense

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Red-throated Pipit

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail- Motacilla flava-Lavandera boyera

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Grey Wagtail

 Grey Wagtail-Motacilla cinerea-Lavandera cascadeña

Arrecife. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

White Wagtail

Black Redstart

Black Redstart-Phoenicurus ochruros-Colirrojo tizón

Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía

 

Common Redstart

Spectacled Warbler

Common Chiffchaff

Southern Grey Shrike

Spanish Sparrow

Common Linnet

Trumpeter Finch

 

by Antonio Unquiles Cobos

 

On 13/III/2011, when I was driving by the tracks at Famara plains, I could see an adult male Houbara Bustard. For my surprise, the bird started with its courtship display very near the car.

This is the first time that I see houbara´s display in March and normally, the birds show this behavior at the end of January or in February.

I obtained pictures of all the complete sequence and these are shown here.

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos

 

Houbara Bustard-Chlamydotis undulata-Avutarda hubara

Famara plains. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos