by Francisco Javier García Vargas
On October 2011, no new species were added to our list.
About rarities, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers were seen at Janubio salt pans on 02/X (F. J. García Vargas), being the first time that three birds are present together at the same time on the same place.
1 Lesser Withethroat was detected by J. Sagardía in a private garden at Montaña Blanca on 08 and 09/X, being the second record for Lanzarote and the Canary Islands. Sadly, the observer could not take pictures of this very elusive bird.
Unprecedented numbers of Grasshopper Warblers were seen at Tías golf course: 1 bird on 04/X (F. J. García Vargas), up to 3 birds were observed on 07/X (F. J. García Vargas), 2 birds on 07/X (J. Sagardía), 1 bird on 10/X (F. J. García Vargas) and finally 1 bird on 14/X (J. Sagardía). Based on our observations of Grasshopper Warblers in Lanzarote in the last years, made in both spring and autumn migrations, we think that this species is a scarce but regular passage migrant instead a rarity like it has been treated until the present day.
1 Yellow-browed Warbler was seen near Teguise golf course on 31/X (J. Sagardía). A special entry about this bird can be seen here.
By last, 1 Ortolan Bunting was seen near Tabayesco on 10/X (J. Sagardía).
About scarce migrants, 3 Ruddy Shelducks were seen flying over Tías golf course in the morning of 24/X (F. J. García Vargas), 1 Great Shearwater was observed during a pelagic trip to the South of the island on 15/X (J. Sagardía, A. Unquiles Cobos), the Spotted Crake at Tías golf course was seen there again on 23 and 28/X (F. J. García Vargas), 1 Common Coot was seen at Tías golf course on 10/X, remaining there until November (J. Sagardía, F. J. García Vargas, A. Unquiles Cobos), 1 Black-tailed Godwit was present at Janubio on 24 and 28/X (F. J. García Vargas), 1 Ruff was observed at Janubio on 02/X (F. J. García Vargas) and 2 birds at Tías golf course on 07/X (F. J. García Vargas), remainig 1 of the birds until 10/X (F. J. García Vargas, J. Sagardía).
3 Pomarine Skuas were seen during a pelagic trip to the South of the island on 15/X (J. Sagardía, A. Unquiles Cobos) and a juvenile bird was seen roosting on a shore of Janubio salt lake on 24/X (F. J. García Vargas), 2 Mediterranean Gulls were seen at Janubio on 18/X (F. J. García Vargas), remaining 1 bird there on 24/X (F. J. García Vargas) and 4 Long-eared Owls were detected by J. Sagardía on 14/X in a place of Haría that for the moment we are going to keep confidential.
At least 3 of the birds were still at the same place on 16/X (J. Sagardía, F. J. García Vargas, A. Unquiles Cobos). We don’t know if these birds are only migrants or wintering birds arrived from the continent or if these are birds arrived from other island of the Canaries trying to establish in Lanzarote like happened in Fuerteventura in recent years. We will keep studying these birds, trying to know if they stay in Lanzarote during the breeding season and to confirm a breeding record for the island.
In a good season for Wrynecks, 1 bird was seen at Uga on 08/X (F. J. García Vargas), but 10/X was the Wryneck’s day in Lanzarote and J. Sagardía the lucky observer, with 4 birds in gardens at El Cable, 2 birds at Tías golf course and 1 bird at Montaña Blanca.
A little group of Sand Martins was seen at Puerto del Carmen on 01/X (F. J. García Vargas), the first 2 Red-throated Pipits of the season was detected at Tías golf course on 23/X (F. J. García Vargas), remaining there until November, Grey Wagtails have been present at Janubio and Tías golf course, 1 Whinchat was seen at Famara plains on 03/X (F. J. García Vargas), 2 birds were seen at Tías golf course on 04 (F. J. García Vargas), 07 (F. J. García Vargas, A. Unquiles Cobos) and 10/X (J. Sagardía) and a good number of birds were seen at El Bosquecillo on 10/X (J. Sagardía).
1 very secretive Sedge Warbler was seen at Tías golf course on 04/X (F. J. García Vargas), 1 Reed Warbler was seen in the farm at Famara plains on 03/X (F. J. García Vargas) and 2 birds at Tías golf course on 04/X (F. J. García Vargas),
OCTOBER 2011 COMPLETE LIST
Ruddy Shelduck
Barbary Partridge
Cory´s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Common Kestrel
Eleonora´s Falcon
Barbary Falcon
Spotted Crake
Coot
Coot-Fulica atra-Focha común
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Houbara Bustard
Black-winged Stilt
Stone-curlew
Cream-coloured Courser
Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Grey Plover
Sanderling
Little Stint
Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper-Calidris melanotos-Correlimos pectoral
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Pectoral Sandpiper-Calidris melanotos-Correlimos pectoral
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Pectoral Sandpiper-Calidris melanotos-Correlimos pectoral
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Ruff
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Redshank
Greenshank
Common Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Pomarine Skua
Pomarine Skua-Stercorarius pomarinus-Págalo pomarino
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Pomarine Skua-Stercorarius pomarinus-Págalo pomarino
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Pomarine Skua-Stercorarius pomarinus-Págalo pomarino
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Mediterranean Gull
Mediterranean Gull-Larus melanocephalus-Gaviota cabecinegra
Janubio salt pans. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Eurasian Collared Dove
Laughing Dove
Ring-necked Parakeet
Long-eared Owl
Long-eared Owl-Asio otus-Búho chico
Haría. Photo: J. Sagardía
Long-eared Owl-Asio otus-Búho chico
Haría. Photo: J. Sagardía
Long-eared Owl-Asio otus-Búho chico
Haría. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Long-eared Owl-Asio otus-Búho chico
Haría. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Plain Swift
Hoopoe
Wryneck
Wryneck-Jynx torquilla-Torcecuello
Uga. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Wryneck-Jynx torquilla-Torcecuello
El Cable. Photo: J. Sagardía
Lesser Short-toed Lark
Sand Martin
Sand Martin-Riparia riparia-Avión zapador
Tías golf course. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos
Barn Swallow
Berthelot´s Pipit
Tree Pipit
Tree Pipit-Anthus trivialis-Bisbita arbóreo
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit-Anthus cervinus-Bisbita gorgirrojo
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Red-throated Pipit-Anthus cervinus-Bisbita gorgirrojo
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Yellow Wagtail
Grey-headed Wagtail-Motacilla (flava) thunbergi-Lavandera boyera escandinava
Famara plains. Photo: J. Sagardía
Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail
European Robin
European Robin-Erithacus rubecula-Petirrojo europeo
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
Black Redstart
Common Redstart
Common Redstart-Phoenicurus phoenicurus-Colirrojo real
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
Whinchat
Whinchat-Saxicola rubetra-Tarabilla norteña
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Northern Wheatear
Song Thrush
Song Thrush-Turdus philomelos-Zorzal común
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
Grasshopper Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler-Locustella naevia-Buscarla pintoja
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Grasshopper Warbler-Locustella naevia-Buscarla pintoja
Tías golf course. Photo: A. Unquiles Cobos
Grasshopper Warbler-Locustella naevia-Buscarla pintoja
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Grasshopper Warbler-Locustella naevia-Buscarla pintoja
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Sedge Warbler
Sedge Warbler-Acrocephalus schoenobaenus-Carricerín común
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Sedge Warbler-Acrocephalus schoenobaenus-Carricerín común
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Sedge Warbler-Acrocephalus schoenobaenus-Carricerín común
Tías golf course. Photo: F. J. García Vargas
Reed Warbler
Spectacled Warbler
Subalpine Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Common Whitethorat-Sylvia communis-Curruca zarcera
Teguise. Photo: J. Sagardía
Lesser Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Garden Warbler-Sylvia borin-Curruca mosquitera
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
Blackcap
Blackcap-Sylvia atricapilla-Curruca capirotada
Teguise. Photo: J. Sagardía
Blackcap-Sylvia atricapilla-Curruca capirotada
Teguise. Photo: J. Sagardía
Yellow-browed Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher-Muscicapa striata-Papamoscas gris
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
Pied Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher-Ficedula hypoleuca-Papamoscas cerrojillo
Montaña Blanca. Photo: J. Sagardía
African Blue Tit
African Blue Tit-Cyanistes teneriffae-Herrerillo africano
Haría. Photo: J. Sagardía
Southern Grey Shrike
Common Starling
Common Starling-Sturnus vulgaris-Estornino pinto
Tías golf course. Photo: J. Sagardía
Spanish Sparrow
Common Linnet
Trumpeter Finch
Ortolan Bunting
Ortolan Bunting-Emberiza hortulana-Escribano hortelano
Fuente de El Chafariz. Photo: J. Sagardía
Ortolan Bunting-Emberiza hortulana-Escribano hortelano
Fuente de El Chafariz. Photo: J. Sagardía
