3-8 February 2011 CanaryCanary IslandsIslands Price £1150 per person £75 single supplement In search of endemic birds, plus whales, dolphins Deposit n/a (full payment required on booking) Leader Julian Sykes and stunning scenery Flights EasyJet, Scheduled Outbound: Morning, Gatwick-Tenerife South Inbound: Afternoon, Tenerife South-Gatwick ✷ Escape the cold British weather for welcome sunshine ✷ A host of endemic Canary Islands birds Day 1 Fly to Tenerife and settle into our rural hotel ✷ Days 2-5 Birding on Tenerife and boat trip to see Blue Chaffinch, Atlantic Canary, Laurel Pigeon and Bolle’s Pigeon Pilot Whales and Dolphins ✷ Impressive volcanic scenery high on Mount Teide Day 6 Flight back to London ✷ Boat trip to see Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins ✷ Berthelot’s Pipit, Plain Swift, Barbary Falcon Weather Likely to be very pleasant at around 15 - 22˚C with chance of rain. ✷ Delightful mountain villages in spectacular scenery Could be much cooler on Mt Teide or on the north coast if foggy. Walking Easy walking on good tracks with nothing strenuous Arriving into Tenerife South we’ll head to our rural hotel. After a chance to endemics, the delightful Blue Chaffinch, along with Canary Island Kinglets. Meals All included from lunch on Day 1 1 settle in, we should have time to start exploring this delightful island in search We may also see our first genuine wild Canary and we’ll look out for the to breakfast on Day 6 of some of the more widespread species of this island; Berthelot's Pipit, Canary distinctive subspecies of Great Spotted Woodpecker and Common Chaffinch. Insects Mosquitoes should not be a problem but take repellent just in case Islands Chiffchaff and Plain Swift. There are some delightful little villages on the hilly Travelling north along beautiful winding roads with views to the coast, we’ll enjoy a roads and we may find Spanish Sparrow and the local race of Kestrel along the way. pleasant walk through the Laurel forests in the north west. Canary Island Chiffchaff Accom Double, twin & single rooms all ensuite Owned by Spain, but lying off the coast of Morocco, the Canary Island’s fauna and and African Blue Tit (local race) are both abundant here, along with endemic Bolle's Group 7 flora originate from both Africa and Europe creating a unique combination and feel and Laurel Pigeons which are harder to see. to the islands. Tenerife lies in the centre of these islands and, with dry, almost desert like habitat in the south and greener northern slopes lush with Laurel Forest in Along the coast we’ll scan for Barbary Falcon as they hunt the local race Just some of what we hope to see ... places, it holds the most interesting wildlife. Over time the islands have evolved their of Rock Dove along the cliffs. In the south of the island we’ll search the scrub own endemic species, with six species of birds found only in the Canaries and others for Spectacled Warblers and have more chances to see Plain Swifts hawking Blue Chaffinch Berthelot’s Pipit that are shared only with the other Micronesian Islands - the Azores and Madeira insects while Canary Islands Lizards bask in the winter sunshine. Canary Island Kinglet Spectacled Warbler Atlantic Canary Barbary Falcon - and it is these species that we will concentrate on finding - but the pace will be On one day we will make a boat trip in search of Short-finned Pilot Whales Bolle's Pigeon Spanish Sparrow relaxed and the weather likely to be extremely pleasant! and Bottlenose Dolphins. The resident populations of these cetaceans spend their Laurel Pigeon Southern Grey Shrike whole lives in the deep water not far offshore and seem very used to the presence Canary Island Chiffchaff Pilot Whale African Blue Tit Bottlenose Dolphin We will spend time exploring the varied habitats of the island but our of boats often coming over to peer up through the water… who is watching who? 2-5 first priority will be to take a leisurely drive up Mount Teide in the centre Plain Swift of the island. The volcanic origins are evident as you gain height and the scenery If time allows we’ll enjoy some birding before our flight back to London. becomes dramatic with barren peaks and steaming fumaroles. At over 12,000 feet it is the highest point of not just these islands but the whole of Spain! Forests on 6 the volcano’s flanks are home to the most sought after of the Canary Island’s Photos: Mount Tiede, Blue Chaffinch “There is no better place than Tenerife for escaping the cold, dark days of winter. Whalewatch Azores: Pilot Whale Unlike most of the islands in the Macronesian group it boasts a good list of endemic bird species, all of which are quite possible, and the scenery is breathtaking. The impressive dormant volcano, Mount Teide, is worth the journey alone!” Julian Sykes [email protected] www.speysidewildlife.co.uk 01479 812 498