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Home , Common linnet, Madeira firecrest, Raso lark, Tenerife blue chaffinch, Trocaz pigeon

BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS

Atlantic Islands Special

Cape Verde islands, and , and 2023 © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre

24-30 April + 1-13 May 2023 Atlantic Islands Special Raso Tour leader: Michael Mills BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding

Islands of the Atlantic • Back-to-back tours covering the endemics of the islands of

Macaronesia Boto & Madalena Vaz © Alexandre

• Visit the most important birding Our back-to-back tours to the islands of Th e last islands we will visit are the Spanish Canary islands of Cape Verde , one to Cape Verde and one to the Islands, where we'll start off on Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands, off er a searching for the region's rarest endemic, Gran • See Azores, Madeira and the unique opportunity to search for all 25 endemic Canaria Blue Chaffi nch, which we'll need some Canary Islands Michael's incredible focus, dedication and ability to of these eastern Atlantic Islands. luck to see. Next is the arid island of Fuerteventura where Fuerteventura Stonechat, Berthelot's Pipit locate and show Africa's toughest birds is probably In Cape Verde, an independent country of about and Houbara Bustard are our top targets. Finally, • 25 endemics, including almost unequalled on the continent. He has led dozens of 10 main island, we focus most of our time on on the islands of La Palma and we'll search 20 landbirds and 8 seabirds tours across Africa and his experience in locating the islands of Santiago and São Nicolau where for Bolle's Pigeon, , Atlantic Canary, birds on just the soft est of calls or briefest of views virtually all landbird endemics are found - Iago Plain Swift , Canary Islands Chiff chaff , Tenerife Blue • Pelagic trips impresses those who travelled with him. Sparrow, Cape Verde Warbler, Cape Verde Swift Chaffi nch and local races of African Blue Tit. and Cape Verde Buzzard. We'll also take a boat Dates trip to Raso Island to see Raso Lark (landing on Cape Verde 24-30 Apr 2023 shore not usually possible) and look for endemic Tour Focus Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands breeding seabirds, namely Fea's Petrel, Cape Verde Shearwater, Boyd's Shearwater and Cape Verde Th e islands of Cape Verde, Azores, Madeira and © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre 1-13 May 2023 Storm Petrel. We will also search for endemic races Canary Islands hold some 25 endemic birds in of Purple Heron, and Pregrine interesting and varied surrounds, off ering ample of Prices (+ Single) Falcon. A short visit will also be made to Boa Vista interest to world listers and more generalist birders. Island for Magnifi cent Frigatebird. Th is trip has a strong focus on watching birds, but Cape Verde $TBA + $TBA Direct fl ights from Cape Verde to Azores connect given the low general diversity there will be good Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands our two tours seamlessly. Our Azores, Madeira and chances for photography too, and we will take a few $TBA + $TBA Canary Islands trip will start off on Azores (part pelagic/seabird trips which should produce some Both $TBA + $TBA of ), where we fi rst look for the endemic marine mammals. Monteiro's Storm Petrel near Gloriosa island Let us know if you have target or want to Includes 10 internal flights! and then Azores Bullfi nch on São Miguel island. know more about the species we might encounter. Th ereaft er we fl y to Madeira, another Portuguese A species list will be handed out to you at the start of island, where we take a pelagic trip to the Desertas the tour and is available beforehand upon request. Book online islands to search for Desertas Petrel and Zino's Visit www.birdingafrica.com Petrel, and visit the highlands of Madeira for Th e tour is timed to coincide with the peak time breeding Zino's Petrel, Trocaz Pigeon and Madeira for birding across the region as a whole; spring. Deposit ($150) by credit card Firecrest. Th e weather vary from hot in Cape Verde to cool in Iago Sparrow Email [email protected] Azores, and we expect some rain on Azores.

2 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 3 Accommodation and meals Group size INTRODUCTION Accommodation and meals are generally of a good Maximum 10 participants. international standard, although they are a bit The numerous islands of Macaronesia in the eastern After a short stay in Azores we fly to Madeira more rustic on Cape Verde. All rooms have private Atlantic can be divided into four main groups, island, the nearest island to Europe, for two full ablutions. International flights namely the independent country of Cape Verde, days. On one day we'll take a pelagic trip towards the Portuguese islands of Azores and Madeira, the Desertas Islands where Barolo Shearwater and Meals are generally Western-style, with a strong Please plan to arrive by the night of: and the Spanish Canary Islands. These islands are Desertas Petrel breed, although the latter species

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding seafood component. Please advise if you are • Cape Verde: 24 April on São Nicolau island strung out over thousands of kilometres of ocean, usually only start laying in July and will probably not Leaflet Tour Africa Birding vegetarian and what foods you enjoy, so that we can but fortunately they are well connected by flights, have arrived. However, Zino's Petrel should already cater for you. • Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands: 1 May at making it possible to visit the important birding be on the nest and we plan to make a night-time Ponta Delgada on São Miguel island in Azores Water is not safe to drink on Cape Verde so we sites across the entire region in under three weeks. visit to the highlands of Madeira to watch them in the moonlight (our visit is timed to full moon). On supply complimentary bottled water there. Departure at the end of the trip not before: Cape Verde consists of twelve main islands, located the second day we will search for the two endemic about 600 km west of Dakar in Senegal, and are the • Cape Verde: from 5 pm on the afternoon of 30 landbirds, Trocaz Pigeon and Madeira Firecrest, most southern of the islands. They are generally April from Praia on Santiago island and may also find Berthelot's Pipit, Atlantic Canary, Walking and fitness arid and mountainous. Cape Verde Buzzard, Cape Plain Swift and Common Linnet. These tours require a moderate degree of fitness. • Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands: from Verde Swift, Raso Lark, Cape Verde Warbler and Most walks will be easy and last no more than three 4 pm on 13 May from Tenerife island in the Iago Sparrow are the five endemic landbirds, and Finally we'll visit the Canary Islands, situated close hours. In some areas the terrain is steeper. Please Canary Islands other endemic forms that may be split include to the African coast off Morocco. The western note that we will be taking several boat/pelagic trips. Please email [email protected] a copy Cape Verde Purple Heron, Cape Verde Barn Owl, islands such as Tenerife and La Palma are generally of your proposed flight details for approval before Neglected Kestrel, Alexander's Kestrel and Cape moister and mountainous, and hold laurel forests paying for your tickets. Verde Peregrine Falcon (rare), all of which we with endemic pigeons, whereas the eastern islands hope to find. In addition there are four breeding- such as Fuerteventura are flatter and more arid, endemic seabirds, namely Fea's Petrel, Cape Verde and hold bustards and sandgrouse. We'll visit the Shearwater, Boyd's Shearwater and Cape Verde full range of islands. On Fuerteventura our main Storm Petrel, which we will search from land and targets will be Fuerteventura Stonechat, Berthelot's by boat. Other species we hope to see include Pipit, Houbara Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Brown-necked Raven, White-faced Storm Petrel, Great Grey Shrike, Trumpeter , African Blue Magnificent Frigatebird, Cream-coloured Courser, Tit and Lesser Short-toed Lark. We'll also visit Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Black- Gran Canaria island to search for the region's rarest crowned Sparrow-Lark and Spectacled Warbler. endemic, Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch, which we will require some luck to find. The last islands of The remote Azores islands lie approximately midway our trip will be La Palma and Tenerife, where we between Europe and North America, and are both hope to find Tenerife Blue Chaffinch, Laurel Pigeon, the most northern and western of the islands. They Bolle's Pigeon, Canary Island Chiffchaff, Plain have a much more temperate climate and receive Swift, Atlantic Canary, local races of African Blue higher rainfall. The only endemic landbird, Azores Tit, and Common Kestrel. Bullfinch, is confined to São Miguel island which wel'll search for in the highlands of the interior. There is also one endemic seabird, Monteiro's Storm Petrel, which breeds on islets off Graciosa Island. We hope to see it around it's main colony on Praia Islet, where birds will just have started laying eggs. Other native birds we hope to see include Common Buzzard, Roseate Tern, , , Common Starling, Common Blackbird, Eurasian Blackcap, Grey Wagtail and .

© Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre Chaffinch

4 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 5 28 Apr: Boa Vista to Santiago areas will hopefully result in success. Alexander's DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY Kestrel, another Cape Verdean endemic Today we travel south to Santiago island, the largest of Common Kestrel (alexandri), should greatly in the Cape Verde and our final island for the trip. outnumber it. After dark we will search for Cape Given the large number of internal flights enough that it can usually be seen quite well from Overnight on Santiago island. to be taken on this tour, this itinerary is a boat, unless the seas are especially rough. The Verde Barn Owl, usually regarded as a subspecies currently for guidance only and may need to (detorta) of , rather uncommon waters around Raso are also good for seabirds, 29-30 Apr: Santiago Island be adjusted to accommodate flight schedules and we'll watch out for the breeding-endemic but widespread on the island. We also have further published much closer to the start of the tour. chances to see Iago Sparrow and Cape Verde Swift,

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Fea's Petrel (rare; breeds on Santo Antão island to We have the better part of two days on Santiago Leaflet Tour Africa Birding and hope to see breeding Red-billed Tropicbird near the west) and three Cape Verdean endemics that island, the best island on which to find several of Praia, Spectacled Warbler (orbitalis), Grey-headed 24 April: Arrive São Nicolau (Cape Verde) breed on Raso, namely Cape Verde Shearwater, the endemics. We will visit wetlands at Barragem de Kingfisher (acteon), Brown-necked Raven, Spanish Boyd's Shearwater and Cape Verde Storm Petrel. Polião and Barragem de Figueira Gorda in search Welcome to Cape Verde! The tour commences this Sparrow, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Common The storm petrel only returns to its breeding islands of Cape Verde Purple Heron, a rare subspecies evening with dinner and an overnight stay on the Quail (inopinata), Rock Dove (gymnocycla), at night, and is not unusual not to encounter any (bournei) of Purple Heron endemic to Cape Verde. central island of São Nicolau. Eurasian Blackcap (gularis), Bar-tailed Lark and during diurnal pelagic trips, despite them being Other waterbirds here may include Western Reef Cream-coloured Courser (exsul). numerous. Other seabirds could include Brown Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, 25-26 April: São Nicolau and Raso Booby, Bulwer’s Petrel and Red-billed Tropicbird. Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-winged Stilt and various For those not coming on the Azores, Madeira and All these seabirds can generally also be seen close Our birding in the Cape Verde islands commences species of wader. Canary Islands tour, the trips ends on the afternoon inshore from headlands on São Nicolau island, so if with two full days on São Nicolau island, based on of 30 April, with departure from Santiago island the seas are too rough we should be able to see some Well-vegetated valleys on Santiago island are the the north-west coast. On one of these days we will, possible from 4 pm onwards. of the species without leaving land. best place to see the endemic Cape Verde Warbler. weather permitting, take a boat trip to the nearby One of the trickiest endemics of Cape Verde is Cape Those joining the Azores, Madeira and Canary islet of Raso where, until recently, the entire world On land we should see our first Iago Sparrows Verde Buzzard. Its numbers have declined in the Islands Tour will overnight once again on Santiago population of Raso Lark was found. Some birds have and Cave Verde Swifts, the two most widespread past decades, but diligent scanning in mountainous island. recently been reintroduced to Santa Luzia island. landbird endemics. Cape Verde Warbler is rather While it is unlikely that we will be given permission rare here and easier to find on Santiago island, but to land on the uninhabited islet, the lark is common we may see our first birds here. We'll also keep an eye out for the endemic race (madens) of Peregrine Falcon, a very rare which we would require some luck to see, although Neglected Kestrel, an © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre endemic subspecies (neglectus) of Common Kestrel, is usually not hard to find. Nights on São Nicolau island.

27 April: São Nicolau to Boa Vista After some final birding on São Nicolau we travel

© Alexandre Vaz & Madalena Boto & Madalena Vaz © Alexandre to Boa Vista island, the most easterly of the main islands of Cape Verde. Here we plan to visit Ilhéu dos Passaros to add White-faced Storm Petrel (eadesorum) to the list and will try to locate the only breeding pairs of Magnificent Frigatebird in the Western Palaearctic at Curral Velho. Bar-tailed Lark (cinctura), Greater Hoopoe Lark (boavistae) and Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (nigriceps) are also possible. Overnight on Boa Vista island. [Note that if there are problems with the internal flight schedule or flight delays, Boa Vista island may be dropped from the itinerary. This should not affect our endemic bird tally] Raso Lark Red-billed Tropicbird

6 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 7 1 May: Arrive on São Miguel, Azores 3 May: Graciosa to São Miguel Today those joining the both tours fly directly from Today we return to São Miguel island, again by Praia on Santiago island in Cape Verde to Ponta plane, ferry or combination. We will bird on Delgado on São Miguel island in Azores, where they Graciosa and São Miguel islands as time allows, meet up with those joining just the Azores, Madeira based on our flight schedule. Vaz © Alexandre and Canary Islands tour. The Azores are politically part of Portugal but are strewn across a vast area 4 May: São Miguel

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding of ocean with the eastern islands closer to Europe Leaflet Tour Africa Birding but the western islands closer to North America! As We spend a full day on São Miguel island, one of the such it is an excellent place for listers wanting to get larges in the Azores, with the focus of finding the North American vagrants on their lists, although islands's only endemic landbird, Azores Bullfinch. our aim will be to see the two endemic species. It is now rare and confined to some of the larger The tour starts this evening with dinner and an partches of remaining native vegetation on the overnight stay on São Miguel island in Azores. island. Other species we may encounter during the day include the regional endemic Atlantic Canary, 2 May: São Miguel to Graciosa plus Common Quail (conturbans), Common Buzzard (insularum), Common Snipe, Yellow- Today we take an internal flight, ferry or both to legged Gull (atlantis), Common Wood Pigeon Graciosa island, via Terceira island. Small islets in (azorica), Rock Dove, Grey Wagtail (patriciae), the vicinity of Graciosa hold most of the world's European Robin, Common Blackbird (azorensis), breeding population of Monteiro's Storm Petrel, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest (azoricus), Common which numbers fewer than 1000 pairs. Weather Starling (granti), Common Chaffinch (moreletti), and access permitting we will visit Ilhéu da Praia Eurasian Goldfinch and House Sparrow. in the afternoon where other breeding birds include Cory's Shearwater, Roseate Tern and Common Tern. A boat trip in the vicinity of the island will hopefully turn up Monteiro's Storm Petrel.

5 May: Azores to Madeira the Canary Islands, and Atlantic Canary, which additionally occurs on Azores. Other birds we Today we take a long flight east to the island of may see include Eurasian Goldfinch, Common Madeira, the closest island to Europe that we'll be Chaffinch (maderensis), © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre visiting on this tour. In the afternoon we will have (granti), Pallid Swift (brehmorum), Common a chance to acquaint ourselves with some of the Buzzard (harterti), Common Kestrel (canariensis), local landbirds, and at night we'll visit the highlands Rock Sparrow, Grey Wagtail (schmitzi), Common at Mt Arieiro where the endemic, rare and highly Blackbird (cabrerae), Common Linnet (nana) threatened Zino's Petrel breeds. Using torches/ Yellow-legged Gull (atlantis) and Western Barn Owl flashlights is forbidden, so we'll be hoping for a clear (schmitzi). sky so the full moon can light the birds up as much as possible. Besides looking for Zino's Petrel at night, we'll also take a pelagic trip towards the Desertas islands with 6-7 May: Madeira the main aim of finding Zino's Petrel and Barolo Shearwater. Unfortunately we stand little chance of We have two full days on and around Madeira seeing Desertas Petrel, which returns to its breeding island. On land our main aim will be to see the grounds only in early June. Other seabirds we two endemic lanbirds, Trocaz Pigeon and Madeira may encounter include White-faced Storm Petrel Firecrest, which occur in the native laurel forests. (hypoleuca), Cory's Shearwater, Manx Shearwater We'll also keep an eye out for the regional endemics and Bulwer's Petrel. Plain Swift and Berthelot's Pipit, shared with Nights on the south of Madeira island.

8 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 9 curlew (insularum), Cream-coloured Courser, 12 May: La Palma to Tenerife Black-bellied Sandgrouse (rare), Northern Raven (canariensis), Lesser Short-toed Lark (polatzeki), After a morning of birding on La Palma island we Spectacled Warbler (orbitalis), fly to nearby Tenerife island, also one of the moister, (amantum), Common Linnet (harterti), Spanish more mountainous islands. We have additional Sparrow, Great Grey Shrike (koenigi) and local race chance here for Bolle's Pigeon and Laurel Pigeon, of African Blue Tit (degener). but our main target will be the localised Tenerife Blue Chaffinch. Other species we may see include

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Atlantic Canary, Great Spotted Woodpecker Leaflet Tour Africa Birding 11 May: Fuerteventura to La Palma (canariensis), Lesser Short-toed Lark (rufescens), After some final birding on Fuerteventura island, Canary Island Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (teneriffae), we fly to the far western island of La Palma, one of European Robin (superbus), Common Linnet the wettest and most forested in the Canary Islands. (meadewaldoi), Common Chaffinch (canariensis), The laurel forests are home to two endemic pigeons, African Blue Tit (teneriffae). In the evening we'll Bolle's Pigeon and Laurel Pigeon, which will be make an attempt to see the rare local subspecies of the main target of our visit. We should also see Long-eared Owl (canariensis). Red-billed Chough, local race of African Blue Tit (palmensis), Canary Island Chiffchaff, Goldcrest 13 May: Tenerife (ellenthalerae) and Common Chaffinch (palmae). We'll have a final full morning on Tenerife island, searching for any birds we may be missing. The tour ends after lunch, with departure possible from any time after 5 pm. © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre

8 May: Madeira to Gran Canaria in Canary Is 9 May: Gran Canaria to Fuerteventura After some final birding on Madeira we'll fly to Gran After some final birding on Gran Canaria we'll fly to Canaria island in the Canary Islands, part of Spain. the flat, arid, eastern island of Fuerteventura. Night Gran Canaria is home to the rarest Canary Islands on Fuerteventura island. endemic, Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch, a recently recognised split of the endemic Blue Chaffinch. 10 May: Fuerteventura While our chances of seeing it are fairly slim, we'll have an afternoon and a morning to search for it The opne habitats of Fuerteventura island will be our around Inagua Natural Reserve in the highlands on focus for the day, with the localised Fuerteventura the south-west of the island. Here we may also see Stonechat almost confined to the island as our top Great Spotted Woodpecker (thanneri), African Blue target. A range of other open-country birds is also Tit (hedwigae), Canary Island Chiffchaff, European on offer, the most desirable probably the scarce Robin (superbus) and Common Chaffinch Houbara Bustard (fuertaventurae), but with other (canariensis). Night on Gran Canaria island. species on our radars including Eurasian Stone-

10 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 11 BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST Birding Africa provides:

© Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre 1. Tour Details leaflet with detailed itinerary (this document). 2. Tour Information Pack, emailed to you. Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding 3. Tour Booklet with checklists, provided in hard copy at the start of the tour.

QUESTIONS? Email Michael at [email protected] and copy [email protected].

HOW TO BOOK 1. Complete our easy online booking form. 2. Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment site ($150) 3. Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email you a reminder and the banking details.

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE TOUR © Alexandre Vaz © Alexandre • services of Birding Africa tour leader and local guides • entry fees and activities as per itinerary • ground transport on all islands • accommodation and all meals starting with dinner on the first night and ending with lunch on the last day • numerous internal flights • bottled water in the vehicle where not potable • one soft drink per meal • general tips

12 | Atlantic Islands Special 2023 Atlantic Islands Special 2023 | 13