CRUISE TO MADEIRA & THE CANARIES
25th November, 2007 to 7th December, 2007.
John & Doreen Cooper.
ITINERARY
25th November, 2007 Departed Southampton on the P. & O Liner ‘Auroa’ @17.30 hrs.
26th November, 2007 All day at sea passing Ushant and setting course to cross the Bay of Biscay.
27th November, 2007 All day at sea heading towards Madeira.
28th November, 2007 All day at sea heading towards Madeira.
29th November, 2007 Arrived Funchal Harbour, Madeira at 06.30.
Met up with Hugo from Madeira Wind Birds, and travelled north along the coast and then headed inland to various sites for endemic birds. Arrived back at Funchal Harbour at 16.45 and rejoined the liner. Departed at 18.00 hrs for Tenerife.
P & O cruise liner the Auroa
Arriving Funchal Harbour, Madeira
view taken on Maderia.
Laurel Forests on Madeira.
30th November, 2007 Arrived early at Santa Cruz port on Tenerife.Left the liner and headed through the town to the Park where we spent several hours in the Park. Returned to the Auroa and departed late afternoon for Gran Canaria.
1st December, 2007 Arrived at Las Palmas port, Gran Canaria. Left the Auroa and made our way to the opposite coast where we walked along in both directions. Returned to the Auroa for lunch and then went out again in the afternoon to look again for the Tri-coloured Heron. Left Gran Canaria at 18.00 hrs heading to Lanzarote.
View taken on Gran Canaria from the Tr-coloured Heron site.
2nd December, 2007 Arrived Arrecife port, Lanzarote, early morning. Visited tidal pool, and then headed along the coast finding muddy area with a few shore-birds.
Returned to the Auroa and departed Lanzarote at 18.00hrs.
Kentish Plover site on Lanzarote.
3rd December, 2007 All day at sea heading towards Lisborn, Portugal.
4th December, 2007 Arrived Lisborn early morning and did some sightseeing in the Town centre. Departed Lisborn at 18.00 hrs for Vigo, Spain.
Main Square, Lisbon.
Bus Trams in the corner of the Main Square in Lisbon, Portugal.
Display on a building in Lisbon, Portugal
5th December, 2007 Arrived Virgo, Spain and after walking locally returned to the Auroa, then looked over the Fish Factory from the liner at the various Gulls. Departed Vigo at 18.00 hrs.
6th December, 2007 All day at sea via the Bay of Biscay and passing Ushant.
7th December, 2007 Arrived Southampton early morning, where we dis-embarked.
Although this was not a birding trip, but a joint holiday for some winter sunshine, needless to say some birding took place.
Systematic list of birds seen during this cruise.
Northern Gannet – Morus bassanus
Just a few seen as we crossed the Bay of Biscay in both directions.
Tricoloured Heron – Egretta tricolour
Much to our astonishment, whilst walking around the beach towards La Isleat at Las Palmas, Grand Canaria on the 1st, we discovered a 1st yr/2nd yr. Tricoloured Heron resting on the rocks along the beach. It gave excellent views and we were able to take a number of photos. It proved to be the 1st record for the Canaries and Spain and only the 3rd record for the Western Palearctic. (The previous two records were from the Azores).
It must rank as probably our best ever bird find of all time, we telephoned David at home so he could put the news out and a number of European birders were able to twitch the bird. Dutch birding magazine published an account of it.
Tricoloured Heron on Gran Canaria.
Green Winged Teal – Anas carolinensis
A single drake seen at a river mouth on Madeira on the 29th. Apparently, it had been present for several months.
Several female type Teals were also seen on Madeira, but these were not specifically identified.
Greater Scaup – Aythya marila
A single female, seen on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th. Apparently, only the 2nd record for Madeira.
A distant Female Greater Scaup on Madera.
Common Buzzard – Buteo buteo (harterti)
Six were seen chiefly in the hills on Madeira on the 29th.
Formerly recognised as a distinct sub-specie ‘harterti’, but now considered to be part of the nominate race.
Sparrowhawk – Accipiter nisus granti
One seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus canariensis
Found to be common on Madeira with at least 20 seen on the 29th. Just 1 seen on Tenerife on the 30th.
Red-legged Partridge – Alectoris rufa
Three flushed from coastal scrubland on Madeira on the 29th.
Moorhen – Gallinula chloropus
Just a single bird seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Coot – Fulica atra
15 seen on a coast pool on Madeira on the 29th.
Ringed Plover – Charadrius hiaticula
Three seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Ringed Plover on Lanzarote.
Kentish Plover – Charadrius alexandrinus
A pair showed well on the beach at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Kentish Plovers on Lanzarote.
Grey Plover – Pluvialis squatarola
A single bird seen on the beach at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Ruddy Turnstone – Arenaria interpres
Ten were seen in Funchal Harbour, Madeira with 2 feeding on a grassy playing field also on Madeira on the 29th. 15 were seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Knot – Calidris canutus
Two seen feeding on a playing field with Whimbrel on Madeira on the 29th.
Dunlin – Calidris alpine
Two feeding on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th.
Curlew Sandpiper – Calidris ferruginea
Two feeding on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th.
Curlew Sandpipers and Greenshank on Madeira.
Little Stint – Calidris minuta
One feeding on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th.
Little Stint and Dunlin on Maderia.
Common Sandpiper – Actitis hypoleucos
Three seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Common Redshank – Tringa tetanus
Just a single bird feeding on the beach at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Greenshank – Tringa nebularia
One seen on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th.
Bar Tailed Godwit – Limosa lapponica
Two seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Whimbrel – Numenius phaeopus
Three seen on Madeira on the 29th. One seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Common Snipe – Gallinago gallinago
Two seen on a coastal pool on Madeira on the 29th, and both appeared to be Common not Wilson’s Snipes.
Bonxie – Stercorarius skua
4 together following behind the Auroa on the 26th when we were off Brest, France.
Pomarine Skua – Stercorarius pomarinus
A juvenile plumage bird was seen in the evening as we were leaving Vigo on the 5th.
Black Headed Gull –Larus ridibundus
Two seen in Funchal Harbour, Madeira on the 29th.4 seen in Las Palmas Harbour, Grand Canaria on the 1st.
Mediterranean Gull – Larus melanocephalus
A juvenile plumage bird, feeding during the afternoon in Las Palmas Harbour, Grand Canaria with 4 Black Headed Gulls on the 1st.
Herring Gull – Larus argentatus
Huge numbers seen around the fish factory at Vigo, Spain on the 5th, mainly immatures, with probably some Yellow Legged Gulls also present.
Juvenile Yellow-legged / Herring Gull type at Vigo, Spain.
Yellow Legged Gull – Larus cachinnans
Birds of the atlantis race were seen as follows:
50 on Madeira on the 29th. 10 in Santa Cruz Harbour, Tenerife on the 30th. 15 on the beach at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on the 1st. 60 seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Yellow Legged Gull on Gran Canaria.
Lesser Black Backed Gull – Larus fuscus
1 very black backed gull probably sub-species ‘fuscus’ seen in Funchal Harbour, Madeira on the 29th. Two ‘fuscus’ type birds seen in Santa Cruz Harbour, Tenerife on the 30th, and 2 fuscus type seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Kittiwake – Rissa tridactyla
Small numbers seen as we were crossing the Bay of Biscay in both directions.
Iceland Gull – Larus glaucoides
A 2nd Yr. bird seen around the fish factory with many Herring Gulls at Vigo Harbour, Spain on the 5th. It was seen both sitting on factory roof tops and flying with Herring Gulls.
Sandwich Tern – Sterna sandvicensis
Two seen in Santa Cruz Harbour, Tenerife on the 30th. Four seen at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on the 1st. Six seen at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd, and 2 at Vigo Spain on the 5th.
Little Auk – Alle alle
One seen sitting on the sea, on the 26th off Brest, France.
Puffin – Fratercula arctica
3 seen sitting on the sea on the 26th off Brest.
Guillemot – Uria aalge
15 seen on the sea off Brest on the 26th.
Trocaz Pigeon – Columba trocaz
Six seen well in flight in the Laurel Forests in Northern Madeira on the 29th.
Collared Dove – Streptopelia decaoto
Six were seen in the park at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th.
Plain Swift – Apus unicolor
50 seen around the coast on Madeira on the 29th. Seven were seen over Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th, and 10 were seen at very close range along the sea-front at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd,for some 10 minutes.
Rose Ringed Parakeet – Psittacula krameri
Five were seen flying around the park at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th.
European Skylark – Alauda arvensis
Three flushed from coastal scrubland on Madeira on the 29th.
Berthelot’s Pipit – Anthus berthelotii
Two seen on coastal scrubland on Madeira on the 29th. Excellent views obtained.
Two seen on the walk out to the fort along the sea-front at Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 2nd.
Berthelot’s Pipit on Madeira.
Grey Wagtail – Motacilla cinerea schmitzi
Six seen on Madeira on the 29th, including one which would attack the windscreen of the van.
Grey Wagtail
attacking our van on Madeira
Song Thrush – Turdus philomelos
One spent the afternoon flying around the liner on the 28th, about 300 miles out and approx. 12 hours from Madeira.
Blackbird – Turdus merula
Two seen on Madeira on the 29th, six seen at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th.
Canary Islands Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus canariensis
At least 40 of this recently split Chiffchaff were seen, with majority in full song ,in the park at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th. The song was very loud and not to dis-similar to Iberian Chiffchaff but lacked the little trill at the end. Just 1 seen and heard at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on the 1st.
Madeiran Firecrest – Regulus madeirensis
Three were watched for some 15 minutes at close range in some conifers in the hills on Madeira on the 29th.. Excellent
African Blue Tit – Parus teneriffae
Three of these very distinctive Blue Tits were found in the park at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th.
Common Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
Eight seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs maderensis
Just two of this distinctive race were seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Goldfinch – Carduelis carduelis
Just a single bird seen on Madeira on the 29th.
Greenfinch – Carduelis chloris
One seen in coastal scrub on Madeira on the 29th.
Canary – Serinus canaria
40+ were seen chiefly around the coast on Madeira on the 29th.
Common Waxbill – Estrilda astrild
15 seen in a small reed-bed on Madeira on the 29th. Introduced but now breeding
regularly.
Monarch Butterfly
12 seen in the park at Santa Cruz, Tenerife on the 30th.
Monarch Butterfly on Tenerife.
