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Click external link here for detailed species information Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls There are two subspecies recognised:
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map  Year round resident Breeding Non breeding-winter |
Sunday 28 June 2015
YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L .m. atlantis) adult at El Cotillo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
EL COTILLO HARBOUR El Cotillo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Situated in the north west of Fuerteventura Island is the small coastal town of El Cotillo. It has largely escaped the tourism fueled building boom which has taken place on the south and east coasts. At the mouth of the harbour is the islet of Roca de la Mar. During the Spring it is carpeted with the yellow flowering fleabane Pulicaria canariensis which is endemic to the Eastern Canary Islands. It has now been joined to the mainland with a high sea wall which forms the western side of the harbour. This is a good area for early morning or late evening seabird watching. Birds regularly seen from March to September include Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis). On the lava coastline to the north of the harbour, a number of passage migrant/wintering shorebirds, including Sanderling (Calidris alba), can usually be found. South of the harbour, a Martello type tower was built in the early 1700’s and is now a tourist attraction. Further south, there is an extensive coastal stony arid plain where most of the sought after land bird species on Fuerteventura can be found, including Cream Coloured Courser (Cursorius cursor) and Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata). Text © www.rawbirds.com
Sunday 21 June 2015
SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae) Tindaya, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information The Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae), also known as Small Cabbage White Butterfly, occurs very commonly through out Asia, Europe and North Africa. It is also found as an introduced species in Australia, New Zealand and North America. This very worn individual is nectering on European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum). |
Thursday 18 June 2015
LESSER SHORT TOED LARK (Calandrella rufescens subspecies C.r. polatzeki ) Tindaya, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Monday 15 June 2015
FUERTEVENTURA STONECHAT or CANARY ISLAND STONECHAT (Saxicola dacotiae) male at La Oliva, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Click external link here for detailed species information
The Fuerteventura Stonechat or Canary Island Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae) is of the chat family Muscicapidae which is in the genus Saxicola. |
Thursday 11 June 2015
EURASIAN STONE CURLEW (Burhinus oedicnemus Subspecies B. o. insularum) La Olvia, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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World-wide, there are nine
species of Stone Curlew (also known as Thick-knee or Dikkop). They are found in
both tropical and temperate regions. On the Iberian Peninsula, the Eurasian
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) is sedentary but in the rest of
Europe it is mainly a summer resident which winters in North Africa. The endemic
subspecies Burhinus oedicnemus insularum
occurs on the Canary Islands and its cryptic coloration help it blend in very
well with the semi desert type habitat on Fuerteventura.
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Thursday 4 June 2015
SARDINIAN WARBLER [Male] (Sylvia melanocephala subspecies S. m. leucogastra) Barranco de Betancuria, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com
Up to five subspecies are generally recognised:
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardinian_warbler
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Monday 1 June 2015
KENTISH PLOVER (1st winter) (Charadrius alexandrinus) Salines del Carmen, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Saturday 16 May 2015
GREENISH BLACK TIP BUTTERFLY (Euchloe charlonia) La Oliva, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click here for detailed species information The Greenish Black-tip butterfly (Euchloe charlonia) is found in North Africa, the Middle East and on the Canary Islands. A closely related species, the Spanish Black-tip (Euchloe bazae), first described in 1982, is scarce/vulnerable and is only present in two regions on mainland Spain. On the Eastern Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and the Chinijo Archipelago) less than twenty species of butterfly occur. Because of the bare arid nature terrain and frequently windy conditions on Fuerteventura Island, butterflies are usually encountered in sheltered valleys and lush gardens. Greenish Black-tip on the other hand tends to favour more open type habitat where photographing it is made all the more difficult by the ever present wind. It is on the wing from December to June. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Wednesday 13 May 2015
SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE (Lanius meridionalis subspecies L. m. koenigi) La Oliva, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE See below for detailed species information Great Grey Shrike comprises nine subspecies. Nominate excubitor occurs in northern and central Europe whilst homeyeri (sometimes known as ‘Steppe Shrike’) breeds from south-east Europe through the Ural mountains into western Siberia. Further east, sibiricus (‘North Siberian Shrike’) breeds in central and eastern Siberia, with leucopterus, mollis, bianchii and funereus occupying restricted areas in Central and East Asia. Two subspecies – borealis and invictus (known collectively as ‘Northern Shrike’) – occur in North America. A further eleven grey shrike forms are currently treated as ‘Southern Grey Shrike’ Lanius meridionalis (Cramp et al. 1993).The taxonomy of the ‘Great Grey Shrikes’ is in a state of considerable flux. DNA evidence fails to support the current two species split, and at least six potential species have been identified though not formally proposed (Olsson 2010). In particular, a deep genetic divide is identified between a clade containing (amongst others) excubitor, homeyeri and leucopterus and one containing (amongst others) sibiricus, mollis, bianchii, funereus,borealis and invictus. This suggests a split between a new more tightly-defined ‘Great Grey Shrike’ encompassing the former three subspecies and ‘Northern Grey Shrike’ Lanius borealis encompassing the latter five. See full text reference at http://www.bbrc.org.uk/species-information-riact/owls-to-shrikes |
Thursday 7 May 2015
COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo buteo subspecies B. b. insularum) La Oliva, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Monday 4 May 2015
COMMON LINNET [Male] (Linaria cannabina subspecies L. c. harterti) La Oliva, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click external link here for detailed species information Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls The Linnet (Linaria cannabina) or Common Linnet is of the family Fringillidae which is in the genus Linaria. It derives its name from its fondness for the seeds of the flax plant which is used to make linen. This small finch occurs in Europe as well as Western Asia but is absent from northern latitudes and has a limited
distribution in North West Africa and the Middle East.
There are seven subspecies :
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_linnet |
Saturday 2 May 2015
Tuesday 28 April 2015
TRUMPETER FINCH (Male) (Bucanetes githagineus subspecies B. g. amantum) Las Parcelas, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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The Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus) occurs mainly in North West Africa and the Middle East. There is a small breeding population in South East Spain and it has recently expanded its breeding range into Turkey. This stocky, heavy billed finch is normally found in arid, stony, semi desert type habitat. Bucanetes githagineus subspecies B. g. amantum is endemic to the Canary Islands and is one of four subspecies recognised. On Fuerteventura, the track which runs alongside the goat farm at Las Parcelas and the surrounding plain are well-known area for them. Trumpeter Finches normally occur in small flocks but become dispersive during the breeding season (April) and they then can be difficult to locate. This striking male is in full breeding plumage. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Sunday 26 April 2015
TRUMPETER FINCH (Female) (Bucanetes githagineus subspecies B. g. amantum) Las Parcelas, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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The Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus) occurs mainly in North West Africa and the Middle East. There is a small breeding population in South East Spain and it has recently expanded its breeding range into Turkey. This stocky, heavy billed finch is normally found in arid, stony, semi desert type habitat. Bucanetes githagineus subspecies B. g. amantum is endemic to the Canary Islands and is one of four subspecies recognised. On Fuerteventura, the track which runs alongside the goat farm at Las Parcelas and the surrounding plain are well-known area for them. Trumpeter Finches normally occur in small flocks but become dispersive during the breeding season (April) and they then can be difficult to locate. The female depicted here is collecting goat hairs presumably as nest lining material. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
LAS PARCELAS CHURCH Las Parcelas, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE The plain to the rear of Las Parcelas Church is a good area for a number of sought after bird species on Fuerteventura including Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara), Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) and Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus). Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis), a very scarce species on Fuerteventura, is regularly recorded in the surrounding area. Text © www.rawbirds.com |
Monday 13 April 2015
BROWN RAT Rattus norvegicus Betancuria Marker Mirador, Municipio de Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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Friday 10 April 2015
BARBARY GROUND SQUIRREL Atlantoxerus getulus Betancuria Marker Mirador, Municipio de Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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The Barbary Ground Squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus) is native to the North West African countries of Algeria, Morocco and Western Sahara. Due to their isolation, less than twenty land mammals which include six species of bat are found on The Canary Islands. Over 50 years ago Barbary Ground Squirrel was introduced to Fuerteventura where it is quiet commonly encountered.
Saturday 4 April 2015
Friday 27 March 2015
Tuesday 24 March 2015
Saturday 21 March 2015
EUROPEAN TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur) adult at Barranco de Betancuria, Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the family Columbidae, which includes doves as well as pigeons and is in the genus Streptopelia. It is a summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as
an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range,
there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn,
it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
Thursday 19 March 2015
Friday 13 March 2015
EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus subspecies F. t. dacotiae) male with freshly killed ATLANTIC LIZARD (Gallotia atlantica), Betancuria, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE Click external link here for detailed species information Click external link here to see distribution map and to hear calls
The Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a small bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco.
Alternative names include European Kestrel, Common Kestrel or simply
referred to as a Kestrel. This falcon occurs throughout Europe, Asia and
Africa. More recently, the British and Irish populations have been in serious decline which
may be as a result of changes in agricultural practices and increased use of rodenticides (rat poisons). Nest predation by Common
Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Grey Crow (Corvus cornix), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), whose populations have increased, may also be a factor. |
Wednesday 11 March 2015
ATLANTIC LIZARD (Gallotia atlantica) male, Los Molinos Reservoir, Las Parcelas, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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There are only three species of reptile resident on the Eastern Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and the Chinijo Archipelago). They are the Atlantic Lizard Gallotia atlantica, the Eastern Canary Gecko (Tarentola angustimentalis) and the Eastern Canary Skink (Chalcides simonyi), all of whom are endemic. The lizard is common, has a wide spread distribution and in some locations can be abundant. It is found in a variety of habitats from sea level up to the higher peaks. Males are larger than females but rarely exceed 200mm in length. Three clutches of up to five eggs are laid annually. It is a very important food item in the diet of Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus subspecies F. t. dacoyiae) and also for Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo subspecies B. b. insularm). Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |
Monday 9 March 2015
Wednesday 4 March 2015
LESSER SHORT TOED LARK Calandrella rufescens ssp.C.r. polatzeki Los Molinos Reservoir, Las Parcelas, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain
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