Red-throated Pipit

 Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) 1w

Among the resident Bethelot's Pipit (Anthus berthelotii) observed at the saltpans this morning was a first winter Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus).

 Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

While hardly the most spectacular of birds, this little creature nevertheless deserves credit for somehow making it to La Palma after a long, hazardous journey from northernmost Europe. The Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) is a passage migrant to the Canaries with records from all main islands except El Hierro. It winters in Africa.

 Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

Followers of this blog may recall previous entries featuring Anthus cervinus. In fact,  over the years, I have seen several Red-throated Pipits on La Palma, but always at the freshwater irrigation ponds in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane), where many of the semi-abandoned ponds contain a layer of sand or mud providing suitable habitat for this cryptic, ground-forager.

Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)

On the present occasion, photography was made difficult by the bird's erratic movements along the rough stone walls of the salt complex, and the impossibility of getting closer to my subject.

In addition to the Red-throated Pipit, there were 2 x White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) and the usual small numbers of common waders.

The White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), featured in my previous post, was still present.