Birding in La Gomera in late February (1 Viewer)

[katastrofa]

Hi,

We're going to La Gomera by the end of this February. We'll be staying near Hermigua, next to the border of the national park. We won't have a car, unfortunately (my driving licence is too fresh). What places can you recommend for birding? What am I likely to see? What are the highlights I should be keeping an eye out for?

Thanks

 

[yarrellii]

Hi katastrofa, sounds interesting. I am going to La Gomera too, but I think a tad later (most surely April), so I'll keep and eye to this post and contribute if I find anything interesting.

I'm sure you've seen this article here at BF:
https://www.birdforum.net/opus/La_Gomera

Good luck!

 

[trw]

We've stopped there on a couple of cruises so we've used the excellent bus service from the capital[ avoid Sundays though - less buses].
The scenery is very impressive .
If you aren't hiring a car, are regular buses to Valle Gran Rey, which leaves from the capital and stops at Parajitos,slap bang in the middle of the island and the National Park. The bus terminal in the capital is about 10 minutes walk from the ferry. There are buses to the rest of the island from there.
There's plenty of tracks to walk from there and a lot of birdlife.
You'll have no trouble seeing Cory Shearwater off La Gomera, close to the port.
There's a dry valley which runs from the centre of the capital which eventually ends up in a more rural area. There's usually a fair few birds there[ Sardinian warbler, Blackcap, Spectacled Warbler, Hoopoe]. The park in the capital holds a few birds too.

 

[katastrofa]

Thanks! If we take a boat trip to Los Organos, is there a chance of seeing the Ospreys?

 

[david kelly]

I am going there on Tuesday, will report back here.

David

 

[katastrofa]

Wonderful, thanks

 

[katastrofa]

I am going there on Tuesday, will report back here.

David

Hi David,

How was the trip?

 

[david kelly]

Hi David,

How was the trip?

I am still here so the trip is ongoing. Staying in Valle Gran Rey. Arrived in San Sebastián yesterday afternoon and transferred by minibus to VGR. Raven, Buzzard and Kestrel on the way over. A brief rest stop saw us add Robin, Canary Island Chiffchaff and Blackbird. Walking around VGR today we had lots of Collared Doves, Kestrel, Yellow-legged Gulls, a Ringed Plover, Blackcap, CI Chiffchaff, Berthelot’s Pipit, Spanish Sparrow and Goldfinch. We looked for the La Gomera Giant Lizard behind the football ground but had no luck.

David

 

[katastrofa]

Sounds wonderful! You must be having a good time there.

 

[david kelly]

It has been quite windy here, really windy in fact, with strong wings coming from the south for the first couple of days. We explored the area around VGR but did not add many species. Yesterday, Friday, we had a whale watching trip booked but it was too windy to go out. The wind had changed to a northerly and this seems to have brought some showers. We made the best of it and got a bus from the Estacion de Guaguas to the restaurant at Chorros de Epina (Linea 8 from VGR to Vallehermoso). According to the Crossbill Guide this is a good spot for the two endemic pigeons and we had lots of time before the return bus. While waiting for the bus two Grey Wagtails flew over and an African Blue Tit was calling from nearby bushes.

We had bought a picnic and went to some picnic tables to eat it when it began to rain. We took shelter in the doorway of the Ermita and it was now that we began to see pigeons. We saw over 20 pigeons mostly Bolle’s Pigeons but 3 Laurel Pigeons were spotted and we thought we could hear their deep calls. Other species seen included raven, buzzard, blackcap, CI Chiffchaff, blackbird and African blue tit. We had a wander along a forest trail but this didn’t add any species. We got the bus back to VGR at 5:20.

David

 

[katastrofa]

Thanks. Sorry about the trip cancellation. We have booked a whale watching trip as well, hopefully it won't be cancelled.

 

[david kelly]

Thanks. Sorry about the trip cancellation. We have booked a whale watching trip as well, hopefully it won't be cancelled.

We are rebooked for Monday, so fingers crossed, but the weather app is predicting an absolute hooley that day for VGR. Today was dominated by heavy showers and fierce winds but we did get out late afternoon. In the morning there was a swift sp. and a female Sparrowhawk over the hotel. Our walk was up to the Camino de Lagarto Gigante to try our luck scanning the cliffs for the eponymous beasties, dipped again. A Sardinian Warbler on the way back was an addition to the trip list.

David

 

[david kelly]

Today the weather was beautiful, 22C, and sunny. We dipped on the Giant Lizards again but while looking for them a single Lesser Black-backed Gull flew past, as did any number of Yellow-legged Gulls and a Raven. On the way back to the hotel we heard at least one singing Spectacled Warbler and a few Sardinian Warblers. In the afternoon we walked up the Barranco of Valle Gran Rey where we didn’t see any new birds but we did see a Monarch butterfly and a few blue emperors, other slightly less spectacular species of butterfly and dragonfly were also observed.

The weather is making tomorrow’s whale watching trip a wee bit dicey!

David

 

[katastrofa]

Fingers crossed

 

[david kelly]

The whale watching trip went ahead and it turned out to be a special morning. There was quite a swell, so the boat was pitching and rolling a lot. The first animal seen was a Cuvier’s beaked whale, which was unexpected. It dived and as they can stay down for ages we moved. Next we found two loggerhead turtles close to the boat and then we moved farther out where a pod of short-finned pilot whales was cruising. The boat then moved south, seeing what was probably the same Cuvier’s beaked whales again before a huge pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins was found. Close to the dolphins we came upon a rorqual, the guide thought that it was a female Sei whale which had been wintering in that area. The only birds seen were lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and some Cory’s Shearwaters.

We leave La Gomera tomorrow, heading back to the end of the Scottish winter. This is a great island to visit. Not exactly off the beaten track but a world away from the tourist hotspots of Tenerife. I certainly hope to return one day, sooner rather than later.

David

 

[katastrofa]

Thanks!

 

[trw]

The whale watching trip went ahead and it turned out to be a special morning. There was quite a swell, so the boat was pitching and rolling a lot. The first animal seen was a Cuvier’s beaked whale, which was unexpected. It dived and as they can stay down foe ages we moved. Next we found two loggerhead turtles close to the boat and then we moved farther out where a pod of short-finned pilot whales was cruising. The boat them moved south, seeing what was probably the same Cuvier’s beaked whales again before a huge pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins was found. Close to the dolphins we came upon a rorqual, the guide thought that it was a female Sei whale which had been wintering in that area. The only birds seen were lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and some Cory’s Shearwaters.

We leave La Gomera tomorrow, heading back to the end of the Scottish winter. This is a great island to visit. Not exactly off the beaten track but a world away from the tourist hotspots of Tenerife. I certainly hope to return one day, sooner rather than later.

David

Fully agree about it being a great island. Nothing like the Canary island grotspots.
Not sure how they've managed not to ruin it- but give em time. Whether it will be like that a few years hence, then who knows.
If you enjoy unspoilt islands, Sardinia and Corsica are up there with the best.

 

[katastrofa]

Fully agree about it being a great island. Nothing like the Canary island grotspots.
Not sure how they've managed not to ruin it- but give em time. Whether it will be like that a few years hence, then who knows.
If you enjoy unspoilt islands, Sardinia and Corsica are up there with the best.

Destroying natural habitats is a joint global effort, don't pile the blame solely on the locals

 

[katastrofa]

The whale watching trip went ahead and it turned out to be a special morning. There was quite a swell, so the boat was pitching and rolling a lot. The first animal seen was a Cuvier’s beaked whale, which was unexpected. It dived and as they can stay down for ages we moved. Next we found two loggerhead turtles close to the boat and then we moved farther out where a pod of short-finned pilot whales was cruising. The boat then moved south, seeing what was probably the same Cuvier’s beaked whales again before a huge pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins was found. Close to the dolphins we came upon a rorqual, the guide thought that it was a female Sei whale which had been wintering in that area. The only birds seen were lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and some Cory’s Shearwaters.

We leave La Gomera tomorrow, heading back to the end of the Scottish winter. This is a great island to visit. Not exactly off the beaten track but a world away from the tourist hotspots of Tenerife. I certainly hope to return one day, sooner rather than later.

David

One more question: what was the company that you used for the whale watching trip?

 

[david kelly]

One more question: what was the company that you used for the whale watching trip?

Oceano

David