Shear Delight ( Great Shearwater)

I thought it would be quiet nice to put together all the Shearwaters we get around the island during the summer.

This Great Shearwater breeds on Nightingale Island, Inaccessible Island, Tristan da Cunha, and Gough Island. It is one of only a few bird species to migrate from breeding grounds in the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere, the normal pattern being the other way round. 

Cory's Shearwater

This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia.  In late summer and autumn, most birds migrate into the Atlantic as far north as the south-western coasts of Great Britain and Ireland. They return to the Mediterranean in February. The biggest colony is located in Savage Islands, Madeira.

Sooty Shearwater

Sooty Shearwaters breed on small islands in the south Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, mainly around New Zealand, theFalkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego and also in the Auckland Islands and Phillip Island off Norfolk Island. 

They are spectacular long-distance migrants, following a circular route, travelling north up the western side of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at the end of the nesting season in March–May, reaching sub Arctic waters in June–July where they cross from west to east, then returning south down the eastern side of the oceans in September–October, reaching to the breeding colonies in November. 

Balearic Shearwater

The Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is a medium-sized shearwater.It was long regarded a subspecies of the Manx Shearwater;  following an initial split it was held to be a subspecies of the "Mediterranean Shearwater for nearly ten more years, until it was resolved to be a distinct species, separate from the Yelkouan Shearwater as a separate entity.

This species breeds on islands and coastal cliffs in the Balearic islands. Most winter in that sea, but some enter the Atlantic in late summer, reaching north to Great Britainand Ireland.

It is under severe threat from the development of holiday resorts near its breeding sites, and also from animals such as cats and rats The Balearic Shearwater is considered critically endangered .

Manx Shearwater

The Manx Shearwater leave their nest sites in July, to migrate to the coast of South America, where they spend the winter, returning in late February and March.

They Breed on a few islands off the west coast of the UK, such as Skomer in Wales and Rum in Scotland and the Isles Of Scilly. Otherwise can be seen from seawatching points in spring and autumn while on migration. Western coasts might be more productive that eastern coasts.

Back Necked Grebe's

These Black Necked grebes were the surprise birds of the trip we normally get one wintering here but four  together was quite unusual . All together we saw three 1st winter drake Eider's, three Spoonbills . four Black Necked Grebes . Seven Grey Plovers & Three Great Northern Divers.

Spoonbills

These 3 Spoonbills were on Green Island near samson .

Ruddy Shell Duck hybrid

This Ruddy Shell Duck Hybrid was with the other Shell Duck this morning on a trip around i did with the local birders.

Dusky Warbler

This Rare Dusky Warbler was trapped and ringed at Porth-Hellick this morning.

Black Redstart

This Stunning Male Black Redstart has been behind the quay wall the last few day's.

Ist Winter Drake Eider

This Drake Eider has been in the harbour the past week.

Rock Dove

The rock dove is the wild ancestor of domestic pigeons the world over, domesticated originally to provide food. Feral pigeons come in all shades, some bluer, others blacker - some are pale grey with darker chequered markings, others an unusual shade of dull brick-red or cinnamon-brown, and still others can be or less white while others look exactly like wild rock doves. 

Adult Yellow-Legged Gull

The yellow-legged gull has only recently been recognised as a species in its own right, having previously been considered to be a race of herring gull. Adults have darker grey backs and wings than herring gulls, but are paler than lesser black-backed gulls. They have more black in the wing tips than herring gulls and smaller white 'mirrors'. The legs are bright yellow, there is a red ring around the eye and the bill is yellow with a large red spot. In non-breeding plumage, the head is less streaked and whiter than herring gulls.I saw these all over Lanzarote.

Berthelot's Pipit

The Berthelot’s Pipit (Anthus berthelotii) is a small passerine bird which breeds in Madeira and the Canary Islands. It is a common resident in both archipelagos. I saw them all over Lanzarote.

Kentish Plover

This Kentish Plover was on a nearby beach despite its name, this species no longer breeds in Kent, or even Great Britain. It breeds in a wide range, from southern Europe to Japan and in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the southern United States and the Caribbean.^[1]

The Trumpeter Finch (Rhodopechys githaginea) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird breeds in the Canary Islands, across north Africa, and in the Middle East and into central Asia. There is a small European population in southern Spain. Many birds are largely resident, but there is post-breeding dispersal, and some Asian breeders migrate into Pakistan for the winter.

In the summer of 2005 there was a notable eruption of this species into northwestern Europe, with several birds reaching as far as England. I found this small flock in the hill behind Cost Teguise.

Cattle Egret

These Cattle Egret were all around Costa-Teguise there seemed to be a lot more around than in the spring.

Hoopoe

I saw at least 10 Hoopoe around the resort we were staying in and one group of 7 feeding on a nearby hotels lawn .

Southern Grey Shrike

I have just returned from a weeks family holiday in Lanzarote but I managed to see a few birds while I was there . I saw about 8 of these Southern Grey Shrike's . They seemed to be fairly territorial and preferred the outskirts of the built up area's.