Lanzarote

I've been to Lazarote a few times in the past but that was before I got into bird photography so I was looking forward to this trip.

The first time I had a drive around made me realise that getting close to the subject wasn't going to be easy, mainly due to the lack of trees and other natural cover. So the car was going to have to make do as a hide. Thankfully I brought a beanbag with me so at least I could get a fairly stable camera window rest.

My first outing produced a grand total of nothing but after that things slowly improved.

By far the most common and friendly bird was the Berthelot's Pipit. These were around practically everywhere and were happy to come really close to me.

I didn't want to leave the island without seeing a Houbara Bustard. I'd no idea what they looked like or how big they were so when I saw this bird creeping around in the undergrowth I thought I'd found my target, only for it to turn out to be a Stone Curlew.

The next time I came to this area the Houbara Bustard did turn up.

It might have been fortunate for this fella that I was around as waiting on the rim of the valley in which I was sat in were this pair and their dogs.

They were to my right. To my left there had been some guys on loud trail bikes which resulted in two Bustards being driven (intentionally?) towards the hunters. I was roughly in the middle and both the birds doubled back when they saw me. I like to think that my presence might have spoilt the hunter's fun!











A few of the other photos that I managed to get before returning home...

 Cattle Eagret

 

Sardinian Warbler Male Spectacled Warbler

Common Whitethroat Female Spectacled Warbler

Thanks to Roy for pointing out my ID mistakes. I even checked the female on WAB and still got it wrong!

 Great Grey Shrike

Trumpeter Finch

Eleonora's Falcon Common Kestrel

 
Hoopoe