Black-tailed Godwit

 Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

On Feb 8 2013, and then one year later almost to the day, on Jan 29 2014, I photographed two migratory Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa) at irrigation ponds in Las Martelas (see relevant blog posts). In 2015, I drew a blank for this species on the island. However, on Feb 5 2016, a solitary bird was discovered at a pond in Tazacorte. The dates are all very close, and the half-empty irrigation ponds are all located on the west side of the island, within a short distance of each other.

In the above image, the black tail is clearly visible, plus the white square on the bird's rump. Two races of Black-tailed Godwit are currently recognized, the nominate limosa, and islandica. With its deep bill base, the present bird looks like an adult limosa in non-breeding plumage. The winter distribution  of islandica does not extend as far south as the Canary Islands.

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

The white underwing coverts enable the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) to be discounted.

Little Bittern

 Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

Well-camouflaged and motionless, the Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) is not easy to discern amid the tangle of dry branches, but its reflection is visible in the lower righthand half of the image. This female bird was found in a partially empty irrigation pond in Tazacorte this morning, December 19.

 Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) in typical "Bittern" alarm posture

The bird kept low for some time until it was finally disturbed by the erratic movements of a pair of Moorhens which had become aware of my presence.

I particularly like the shot above: the subtle greyish tones give it an almost impressionistic quality: surprisingly ethereal for the inside of a concrete pond...

 Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

This is only my second sighting of Little Bittern on La Palma. The previous record dates from the end of March 2012,  and was also of a female, found in exactly the same half-empty pond in Tazacorte. The species is classed as a "passage migrant to the Canary Islands (all islands) and an occasional summer breeder (Tenerife)". [Field Guide to the Birds of Macaronesia, Eduardo García-del Rey, Lynx Edicions 2011].

Miscellaneous sightings, Late October - Early November 2015

 Juvenile Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). Photo: Antonio Camacho Lorenzo

There have been a number of interesting migrants on the island in recent weeks, including the birds featured in the present post...

On Nov 3, at one of the irrigation ponds in Los Barros, a residential zone located above the town of Los Llanos de Aridane, a local observer (Antonio Camacho Lorenzo) discovered the juvenile Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) shown above. This species is a passage migrant to the Canaries (all islands except El Hierro), but is recorded irregularly on La Palma, usually in spring rather than autumn.

 Pale morph Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus). Photo: Oivind Egeland

The Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is becoming a regular visitor to the island, with solitary birds being recorded almost every year. The pale morph individual shown above was photographed near Santa Cruz de La Palma by Oivind Egeland on Oct 28. I saw what was probably the same bird yesterday, Nov 6, in the same part of the island.

My thanks to both observers for sending me the details of their sightings.

 Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

It has been a poor autumn for migratory waders so far, but there have been up to nine ducks of various species in the irrigation ponds in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane). The highlight of recent weeks has undoubtedly been the Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) featured in two previous posts, which was the second record of this American vagrant for La Palma, with only 20-odd records for the Canaries as a whole.

The other Anatidae discovered in the same area include the female Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) shown above, and an eclipse male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), plus the following two species:.

 Common Teal (Anas crecca)

Common Teal (Anas crecca), 5 females/juveniles.

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Garganey (Anas quequedula), 2 individuals.

At the tidal pools near the airport, there are presently about 3 Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), and one or two Common Sandpipers (Actitis hypoleucos). The results of my trip to the Laguna de Barlovento reservoir were described in the previous post.

Surprisingly, no wintering Coots (Fulica atra) have turned up on the island this autumn.

Juvenile Spoonbill

Yes, you recognised it: we're back at my "favourite" bird-watching location on La Palma, the Laguna de Barlovento reservoir, this time with some water in it. See the Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) in the bottom right-hand corner? That gives an idea of how close you get to whatever birds turn up at this difficult location. I have cropped the second image slightly, but the bird still looks like a mouse on an airport runway. Fortunately the Spoonbill is large, white, and hard to miss...

Not so with the second species of the day, two female Wigeon (Anas penelope) seen foraging near the water's edge. Both birds had very grey heads and necks; possibly American Wigeon (Anas americana)? Even with my scope, it was impossible to say with certainty. The photos I managed to get are not really worth posting.

Juvenile Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). Photo: Oivind Egeland

Different bird? On October 26 the juvenile spoonbill shown above was photographed at the tidal pools near the airport. It could possibly be the same bird observed at the Laguna de Barlovento reservoir yesterday (Nov 5). Thanks for the picture, Oivind.

Blue-winged Teal 2

 Three brown ducks, from left to right: Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) and Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)

The female Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), first seen on Oct 24, was found at a different irrigation pond in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane) this morning, accompanied by an eclipse male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) and a female Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca). The conditions for photography at this new location were better than on the previous occasion.

 Female Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

The suspicion that the previously-mentioned Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) might in fact be a Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) has naturally crossed my mind. The females of both species can apparently be separated in the field but so far, I have been unable to appreciate the subtle differentiating features.

Circumstantial evidence includes the fact that both the Blue-winged Teal and the other possible American species appeared on the island roughly at the same time, and seem to have formed a partnership bond over the last few days, foraging, roosting and moving from pond to pond together. Another persuasive argument in favour of Anas carolinensis is the fact that Eurasian Teals (A. crecca) tend to reach La Palma in small flocks, rather than as solitary birds.

Further observations are required.

Blue-winged Teal

 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors), female.

The Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) is the second most recorded American duck on the Canaries, with a total of 21 records approved by early 2012. It is a very long-distance migrant which breeds in Northern USA and winters from Central to South America ("Rare Birds of the Canary Islands", E. García-del-Rey and F. J. García Vargas).  The present individual was first glimpsed in flight on Oct 24, just after it had been flushed from an irrigation pond in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane) by a passing dog-walker.

 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) with Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

I returned to the area this afternoon (Oct 25) and found the bird in the same irrigation pond, together with 1 x Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), 1 x Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), and 1 x Greenshank (Tringa nebularia). The pond is surrounded by a wire mesh fence, through which the "washed out" photographs shown here were taken; it will be difficult to improve on the quality of the images at this location.

This is my second female  Blue-winged Teal on La Palma, the previous sighting dating from Nov 2011.

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

The present record will be submitted to the Spanish Rarities Committee in due course.

Yellow or Citrine(?) Wagtail

First winter Wagtail, seen at the saltpans in Fuencaliente

A tricky one. This first winter Wagtail was found at the saltpans in Fuencaliente on Sep 12. My first impression (and hope!) was that this bird could be a Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola). The two broad white wingbars are very contrasting, there appears to be a pale border around the cheeks, and there is no hint of yellow anywhere in the plumage, not even near the vent.

The upperparts are entirely grey, with no hint of olive tones; the lores are pale rather than dark.

But (and this is a big one), the lower mandible of the bird's bill is pale: in Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola), the bill should be all dark. (Martin Garner's blog "Birding Frontiers" does mention the existence of Citrine Wagtails with pale-based bills, however).

The overall shape of the bird, which has a shortish tail (not long enough for Citrine), plus its observed "run-picking" feeding technique point towards Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), rather than Citrine (M. citreola). So, I'm staying with that verdict.

Not quite sure how to interpret the blotches on the bird's breast, visible in the above image.

Second opinions are always welcome: any comments helping to confirm this bird's identity will be greatly appreciated.

So far (Oct 25), all expert opinion received has favoured Citrine (M. citreola), rather than Yellow Wagtail (M. flava).