Green-winged Teal III

Group of 5 Teal, including one male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

The male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) first observed on Nov 22 was still present at the Laguna de Barlovento this morning, Dec 20.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) in the centre

This American migrant has now been at the site for four weeks. It was first seen accompanied by four female Teal sp., but the escorting group is now made up of 3 female Teal sp. plus a male Common Teal (Anas crecca), which is visible on the right in the above image, and in the foreground in the images below. 
 

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) on the left, with male Common Teal (Anas crecca) at the front of the group

The present low water-level at the reservoir is ideal for dabbling ducks. However, once the level returns to normal, these ducks will find themselves without the shallow, muddy fringes to forage in.

Group of 5 Teal, including 1 male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) visible on the left.

The Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) is visible on the left, with the male Common Teal (Anas crecca) in the foreground.

In addition to the above species, there is also a group of five Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) at the same site, made up of 3 males and 2 females. (See previous blog post).

Ring-necked Duck

 

    Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris); 3 males + 1 female

On November 22 I mistakenly identified four distant ducks seen at the Laguna de Barlovento as Aythya fuligula (Tufted Duck). It was only on my following visit, on November 27, that I was able to correctly identify the birds as Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris).

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) showing diagnostic white ring around base of neck

In the photo above, the diagnostic white ring around the base of the neck of one of the birds can be appreciated, plus the greyish upper wing bar.

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) showing whitish "spurs" on flanks.

Another diagnostic feature of Aythya collaris is the so-called white spur on the flanks, visible in the above image. 

My reason for initially doubting that these ducks are Ring-necked (A. collaris) and not Tufted (A. fuligula) is the head shape, which seems too rounded. Perhaps this is due to the angle of vision from my elevated observation point, about 20 metres above the water surface.

Green-winged Teal II

 

Green-winged Teal /Anas carolinensis) male

The male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) discovered on November 22 was still present at the Laguna de Barlovento reservoir this afternoon, November 28.

Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) male

All four females were also observed, although one of them had left the group and was foraging separately.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) with female Teal sp.

The position of the sun is better for photography during the afternoon, although the birds are still 150 metres away and 20 metres below the observation point, unfortunately too far for my 400mm lens.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

It will be interesting to see if the Teals overwinter at this location. With its present low water level, the reservoir is ideal for a variety of birds. Other migratory species currently present include about 20 x Common Coot (Fulica atra), a solitary Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus),  a single Wigeon (Anas penelope) and possibly one or two other species yet to show themselves.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) with 3 of the 4 female Teal sp.

The Laguna de Barlovento reservoir is almost empty at the moment, thus offering potential habitat for migratory birds:

Present appearance of the Laguna de Barlovento reservoir in the NE of La Palma.

Green-winged Teal

 

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

A trip to the Laguna de Barlovento this morning led to an interesting find: a male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) accompanied by 4 females. 

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

Observation conditions at this reservoir are always difficult: birds are distant and visibility is confined to a few gaps in the surrounding fence and/or vegetation. A spotting-scope was used to identify the ducks on this occasion, before these poor quality images were captured.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) and one of the accompanying females

According to "Rare Birds of the Canary Islands" (Lynx Edicions), this long-distance migrant breeds in northern USA and winters in Honduras. It is the fifth most recorded American duck in the Canary Islands, surprisingly less frequent than Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors). As of publication in June 2013, there had been 11 accepted records in the archipelago, mostly from Tenerife.

Since then, other sightings have probably been added to the total.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis), with Common Coot (Fulica atra)

Birds reported on this side of the Atlantic tend to be males, which are easy to identify by the vertical white stripe on either side of the breast, and by the reduced yellow lines on the side of the head, when compared with the Common or Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca). Assigning females to one or other (sub-) species poses serious problems in the field.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

This American duck is still classed as a rarity in Spain, so details will be forwarded to the Spanish Rarities Committee once the bird flies on.

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

Male Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) with female Teal sp.

Wood Sandpiper

 

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

The first migrant waders have begun to arrive on the island, among them this striking Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), observed at the saltpans (Las Salinas) in Fuencaliente in the late afternoon of August 19.

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

I don´t recall having seen this species at the saltpans previously, their preferred stopover habitat being the freshwater irrigation ponds in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane). However on migration, they can also turn up at brackish lagoons and pools ("Field Guide to the Birds of Macaronesia" Lynx Edicions, 2011), of which the saltpans are an example.

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

Other common migratory birds seen recently at the same location include Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), and Little Stint (Calidris minuta).

At the airport pools (Mazo), in addition to the above species, a solitary Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) has appeared.

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

 

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

This solitary Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) was first observed yesterday (25 Feb) as it foraged around the surrounding wall of the main irrigation pond in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane), but earlier sightings by other birders cannot be entirely ruled out. A second visit to the site this morning (26/02) yielded better photo opportunities, when the bird briefly came out into a more exposed position.

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

My last encounter with this species on La Palma was way back in March 2009, in the same general area, but at a different pond. The record was published in "Rare Birds of the Canary Islands" (Lynx Edicions) in 2013, where the species is decribed as a short-distance migrant which breeds in C and S Europe, and winters along coasts in W Europe and NW Africa (i.e. Morocco). At the time of publication 11 years ago, only 3 other records had been acknowledged on the Canary Islands, 2 from Fuerteventura and 1 from Lanzarote. 

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

The species is classed as a vagrant in fieldguides to the region and as a "Regional Rarity" in the SOC (Sociedad Ornitológica Canaria) checklist 2018.

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

This example was feeding on the abundant dragonflies found around the edges of the pond, and was accompanied by a migratory White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) and a pair of resident Grey Wagtails (Motacilla cinerea):

Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

Below is a shot of the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), also seen feasting on dragonflies.

Early September

 

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Since observing 4 Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) at the saltpans in Fuencaliente on Aug 29, I have twice seen a single individual at the site, on Sep 3 and today, Sep 10. This Shelduck could be one of the initial four, or a different bird altogether.

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Also present this morning was a solitary Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), plus the usual Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), Sanderling (Calidris alba) and Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) in ones and twos. On Aug 24, two Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) were present.

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) at Las Salinas (Fuencaliente)

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) at the saltpans in Fuencaliente

Elsewhere on the island, neither the irrigation ponds in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane), nor the airport pools (Mazo) have yielded any interesting migrants so far, although an Oystercatcher (Haemotopus ostralegus) was recently found and photographed by a local observer at the latter location (pers. comm).