The Canary Islands
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The Canary Islands Naturetrek Tour Report 25 February – 4 March 2017 Black-bellied Sandgrouse Volutaria canariensis Tenerife Speckled Lizard - Gallotia intermedia Southern Grey Shrike Report and images compiled by Paul Harmes & Andrew Bray Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Canary Islands Tour participants: Paul Harmes and Andrew Bray (leaders) together with 14 Naturetrek clients Day 1 Saturday 25th February Nine tour group members met with Paul and Andrew at Gatwick’s North Terminal for the Easyjet flight EZY8703 to Tenerife South Airport. We landed on the island around midday, just in time to collect our vehicles and have lunch at the nearby Casa Pedro in Las Chafiras, hearing our first Blackcap as we arrived. After lunch, we moved to some nearby waste ground and a small concrete tank. A quick look at the dam by the entrance road produced the local race of Grey Wagtail [canariensis], Moorhen, two Yellow-legged Gulls [atlantis], and a Little Egret. Meanwhile, across the road, we found the curious Ceropegia fusca, Euphorbia canariensis, Euphorbia regis-jubae, Aizoon canariensis, Argyranthemum gracile, Schizogyne sericea (Canary Samphire) and Frankenia capitata.. From here we began our drive up towards Mount Teide, initially passing through San Miguel before taking the road up to Vilaflor. Along the way we saw Pinus canariensis (Canary Pine) and Sonchus canariensis (Canary Sowthistle) by the roadsides. Once we had arrived at Vilaflor, we began the climb up to the picnic site called Las Lajas, to look for Blue Chaffinch. We parked away from the picnickers and began to scan the bushes and the bare ground between. Soon we had seen African Blue Tit and several Canaries and, before too long, our first Blue Chaffinches. In addition, we saw three adults of the island race of Great Spotted Woodpecker [canariensis], and a number of Canary Islands Chiffchaffs. We finished with sightings of about ten Blue Chaffinches, both male and females. Two notable plants were Adenocarpus viscosus (Teide Sticky Broom) and Erysimum scoparium (Canary Island Wallflower). It was now time to make our way to our hotel, on the north side of the island. We drove up to Boca de Tauce and along the ridge road past Mount Teide to El Portillo de la Villa. Here we turned left down to the TF-5 Autoroute at La Orotava, where we turned north-east to two junctions to Santa. Ursula and then drove the last mile to the Hotel la Quinta Park Suite & Spa, our base for the next four nights. Day 2 Sunday 26th February After breakfast, which we took at 8am, Andrew and Paul needed to go shopping to get the supplies for our picnic lunch. Once they had done this we took the TF-5 towards Puerta Cruz. Our first stop for the day was at the Mirador La Grimona, where it didn’t take too long to find the endemic Laurel Pigeon. Plants included Echium giganteum, Silene gallica, Argyranthemum frutescens, Lavandula buchii and Marcetella moquiniana. More Canaries, Canary Islands (Common) Buzzard and Tenerife Robin were also added. A brief comfort stop at a Service Area produced our first butterfly, a Canary Large White, and another two Laurel Pigeons on the cliffs above.. We now moved on through Icod, and on to Buenavista, at the beginning of the Punto de Teno. Here, our leaders set up the picnic lunch under some trees. Our lunch was taken whist being serenaded by several Canaries. With our meal complete, we explored an area of waste ground, close by. Echium plantagineum (Purple Viper’s Bugloss), Mezembryanthemum crystalinum (Greater Dewplant), Forsskaolea angustifolia (Narrow-leaved Forsskaolea), Sonchus congestus (Anaga Sow-thistle) and Galactites tomentosa (Galactites) were all identified. We also found Small Copper and African Grass Blue butterflies, and male and female Tenerife Speckled Lizards and Tenerife Lizard, © Naturetrek June 17 1 The Canary Islands Tour Report together with a Western Canary Skink. Raven, Berthelot’s Pipit and a pair of Spectacled Warblers completed a good list. We now made the short hop to the Punta de Teno. Unfortunately there were access restrictions in place, so we set about scanning the cliffs for birds. Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel [canariensis] and Yellow-legged Gull were seen, as well as a couple of Barbary Falcons, one of our target species. Leaving Teno, we took the windy road towards the small, isolated village of Masca. After about twenty minutes, we left the road and followed a track up into the hills at Monte del Agua. Here, we found a single flowering specimen of Isoplexus canariensis (Canary Island Foxglove) and a fine show of Canarina canariensis (Canary Bellflower). There was also Sonchus acaulis (Stemless Sow-thistle) Aeonium haworthii (Haworth’s Houseleek) Hypericum canariensis (Canary St.John’s-wort), Myrica faya (Wax Myrtle), Ranunculus cortusifolius (Atlantic Island Buttercup). Canary Island Chiffchaffs and African Blue Tits we busy feeding in the trees above us. Returning to the road, we continued on up to a viewpoint beyond the village of Masca., where we made our last stop of the day to explore a hillside. Canary Island Speckled Wood butterfly was spotted and a small number of Orchis canariensis (Canary Orchid), together with Euphorbia atropurpurea. For the birders there was more excitement when a pair of Barbary Falcons were seen chasing a Common Buzzard. Dropping down to Santiago del Teide, we re-joined the road back to Icod and Santa. Ursula. Day 3 Monday 27th February Today we headed off to the north-eastern end of the island, to the Anaga Peninsula. Leaving our hotel, we joined the TF-5 motorway to La Laguna and then made our way to Chinamada, where we parked. As we approached our destination, we spotted a pair of Barbary Partridges on the road. Setting out on a short walk, it was not long before we were finding new plants. These included, Monanthes anagensis, Erodium moschatum (Musk Stork’s-bill), Rumex bucephalophorus (Horned Dock), Polypodium marcaronesicum (Polypody), Echium aculeatum, Echium strictum, Andryala pinnatifida, Gonospermum fruticosum (Canary Tansey), Pericallis tussilaginis, Sonchus congestus (Anaga Sow- thistle), Aeonium canariensis (Canary Houseleek), Aeonium urbicum, Aichryson parlatorei, Urtica membranacea (Membranous Nettle), Allium roseum (Rosy Garlic), Nothoscordum gracile, Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree), Scilla haemorrhoidalis, Romulea columnae subsp. grandiscapa, Briza maxima (Greater Quaking Grass), Briza minor (Annual Quaking Grass) and Sonchus leptocephaluss. As we progressed towards the headland, we also recorded Berthelot’s Pipit, Canary Island Chiffchaff, Common Buzzard, Canary and a second pair of Barbary Partridges, as well as Canary Island Speckled Wood butterfly. After our picnic, we made our way to the Mirador at Cruz de Carmen, where we found both European and Tenerife Robins and Common Chaffinch. We also found Erica scoparia (Besom Heath), together with Polypodium marcaronesicum, and Davallia canariensis as epiphytes on Laurus novo-canariensis (Azores Laurel). We now moved to the recreation area at Llano de Los Viejos to search for Bolle’s Pigeon and Tenerife Goldcrest. Unfortunately, we could not locate the Pigeon, but we did manage to find several Goldcrests, although they were not the best views as the birds were high in the canopy. 2 © Naturetrek June 17 The Canary Islands Tour Report Our leaders tried a couple more potential sites for the Pigeon, but their efforts were thwarted by low cloud over the laurel forest, so we made our way back to the hotel in time for dinner. Day 4 Tuesday 28th February Today we had planned to visit the nearby island of La Gomera, However, due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, it was necessary to cancel. Therefore, our leaders prepared some alternative excursions. We began by making our way back to the Punto de Teno. This time we were early enough to avoid the restrictions imposed on access, as we had arrived before 10 o’clock. Making our way on to the peninsula, we passed several plants of Lavatera acerifolia (Canary Tree Mallow). Parking at the end of the peninsula, we set about scanning the sea and the land for birds. An obliging Spectacled Warbler was seen preening, as well as numerous Yellow-legged Gulls, Berthelot’s Pipit, Canaries and a pair of Barbary Partridges. At this point the botanists went with Paul to explore the volcanic ‘lunar’ landscape desert that makes up the headland. Meanwhile, the birders went with Andrew to scan the sea for birds and possible cetaceans. Plants recorded included, Euphorbia canariensis, Kickxia scoparia, Limonium pectinatum, Lyceum intricatum, Periploca laevigata, Astydamia latifolia, Parolinia intermedia and Euphorbia aphylla. Down by the sea, the birders had found Cory’s Shearwater, but, sadly, no whales or dolphins. Before leaving, as the sun was warming up the ground, we found a good number of lizards. Many were the Tenerife Lizard, but other much larger ones proved to be Tenerife Speckled Lizard, which was only described in 1996. After our picnic and a comfort cum ice cream stop, we made our way up to Santiago del Teide, where we set about exploring some rough volcanic waste ground near the cemetery. Early bird sightings included Common Kestrel, Canary and a splendid pair of Sardinian Warblers which gave very good views, enabling the group to determine the differences between the two sexes. The botany here was outstanding, with a good variety of Houseleeks. These included Aeonium urbicum, A. pseudourbicum, A. sediforme and A. spathulatum. In addition, we found Chaemaecytisus proliferous, Umbilicus rupestris (Wall Pennywort), Sonchus canariensis (Canary Sowthistle), Rumex maderensis (Madeiran Sorrel), Scilla haemorrhoidalis and two species of Fern, Cheilanthes pulchella and Notholaena marantae. We now made our way back to Santa.