My other half made it clear that this year she would not be interested in another bus tour around La Gomera
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
so I had to come to terms with missing the 'butterfly oasis' at the stop-off or Garajonay national Park. However my insistence of going back up to Canadas del Teide (Teide National Park) had been given the thumbs up (probably because she didn't want to see a grown man sulk
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
). Before she changed her mind I took the decision to leave Masca and head towards Teide. We took the route to Chio and entered the park on the TF-38 western side then linked up with the TF-21 on the south side.
The weather was cloudy on the south side of the island with cloud spilling in over the ridge of mountains on the south side of the national park caldera making for even more magical scenery
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
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We drove on to the spot close to the foot of the cable car where we'd been 'accosted by hordes' of Canary Blue butterflies in 2014. Not so this time. The ladies were not keen on going for a walk so I did some exploring in the hope that a Canary Blue (or anything else for that matter) would turn up.
Eventually one did but it had no intention on getting up close and intimate. A couple of shots with the Tamron and a later record shot of another was all I could muster.
![D 2015.05.26 IMG_7288 Shrubby scabious Pterocephalus lasiospermus in flower.jpg (457.8 KiB) Viewed 929 times A bee on Shrubby Scabious Pterocephalus lasiospermus which were flowering in profusion at this time](./files/thumb_10062_832f7b6c08255be6b04c298b9a87aa27)
- A bee on Shrubby Scabious Pterocephalus lasiospermus which were flowering in profusion at this time
![E 2015.05.26 IMG_7294 Canary Blue, Teide National Park.jpg (493 KiB) Viewed 929 times Canary Blue (female)](./files/thumb_10062_f212e6b176246897b06053840eaef1a5)
- Canary Blue (female)
Also seen were a nice female Galotia galoti galoti lacertid lizard, a curious looking spider and another Bordered Straw
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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![J 2015.05.26 IMG_6464 Spider, Teide National Park.jpg (496.43 KiB) Viewed 929 times I.D anyone?](./files/thumb_10062_6dc6d31a638138ee4ba24f5eca18186d)
- I.D anyone?
![K 2015.05.26 IMG_7305 Bordered Straw in Teide National Park.jpg (203.89 KiB) Viewed 929 times Bordered Straw Heleothis peltigera](./files/thumb_10062_a61f4acb332f6a507e103793c646825c)
- Bordered Straw Heleothis peltigera
On my way out of the national park I consoled myself with better luck to be had in Vilaflor but it wasn't to be
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. Time was getting on and the whole town was shrouded within a cloud (with the last 10Km descent a slow scary drive to get there) The heavy clinging moisture ensured that the only thing worth doing was holing up in a cafe (La Paz again). In 2014, Vilaflor had been memorable for butterflies and escaping a parking ticket from 'Lee Van Cleef'.
The next port of call was a visit to the waterpark Aqualand. Again in the past I've seen my fair share of unusual beasties but this holiday wasn't working out as I'd hoped
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
. A couple of Spanish Sparrows, a small White (after extensive searching of the scented geranium flower beds) and Geranium Bronze was all I could manage.
![L 2015.05.27 IMG_7314 Spanish Sparrow, Aqualand.jpg (430.45 KiB) Viewed 929 times Spanish Sparrow](./files/thumb_10062_14223d4b5109090fe16db6e520b62b26)
- Spanish Sparrow
The next morning I was back searching the rough ground around Monterey again. This time I managed a record shot of an African Grass Blue and another female Long-tailed.
![O 2015.05.28 IMG_7319 African Grass Blue, Monterey.jpg (499.52 KiB) Viewed 929 times A tiny butterfly is Zizeeria knysna, so easily lost in the background](./files/thumb_10062_fcd21be4dfb055f22c5deab39a6a199a)
- A tiny butterfly is Zizeeria knysna, so easily lost in the background
While the others stayed around the penthouse pool. I took a drive over to calle galicia (Costa Adeje) where the Club-la Costa sales rep had tipped me off about a low level kestrel nest only 4 metres from the ground. However when I arrived the birds had fledged and only one youngster was visible, nestled higher-up in the signage of a nearby burger king. This holiday was proving just plain unlucky in this respect
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
. Sometimes bad luck comes in big doses
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
.
There was still a holiday to fit in
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
so after I drove us to Santa Cruz stopping at Candelaria to see the wonderful Basilica of that name and to get lunch.
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Parking was tricky to find in Santa Cruz but we managed it near the centre and got a few hours in to do some shopping. Time would not permit me to drive on and explore further north as I'd suggested in my last report.
![S 2015.05.28 IMG_6989 Banana computer building.jpg (456.75 KiB) Viewed 929 times Santa Cruz lovely city. This "Banana Computer" building caught my attention](./files/thumb_10062_e79d6e3cea5e2334a05b5d973b96069b)
- Santa Cruz lovely city. This "Banana Computer" building caught my attention
Afterwards we left Santa Cruz for fish supper at the "Crazy Crab" Los Abrigos
![T 2015.05.28 IMG_7026 Lee, scrounging, Los Abrigos.jpg (439.76 KiB) Viewed 929 times "Lee" scrounging around the restaurant tables, Los Abrigos](./files/thumb_10062_2fc995d2901b1c1898fd4e73c0b3d563)
- "Lee" scrounging around the restaurant tables, Los Abrigos
![U 2015.05.28 IMG_7053 Los Abrigos harbour at night.jpg (478.86 KiB) Viewed 929 times Los Abrigos harbour, another magical place at night](./files/thumb_10062_1850f0a62f33d1814e0fb86508840bd2)
- Los Abrigos harbour, another magical place at night
And so to our last day, no time to fit in a butterfly session but time to fit in a visit to Jungle Park (zoo) before our early evening flight.
One of the highlights of Jungle Park is the bird flight display, so anyone who is interested in birds will probably enjoy seeing the following up close:-
Southern Ground Hornbill; Harris Hawk; Bald Eagle; Andean Condor; King Vulture; Maribou Stork; White stork; Abdim's Stork; Ruppel's Griffin Vulture; White-headed Vulture; Hooded Vulture and African Spoonbill
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
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![V 2015.05.29 IMG_7445 Maribou stock, Jungle Park.jpg (346.52 KiB) Viewed 929 times Maribou Stork](./files/thumb_10062_a99f646de30b891d0ec62c2f88816a00)
- Maribou Stork
![W 2015.05.29 IMG_7148 White-headed Vulture, Jungle Park (2).jpg (270.46 KiB) Viewed 929 times White-headed Vulture](./files/thumb_10062_c713dcc4ef189587491a842109bb3993)
- White-headed Vulture
In addition to the zoo birds there were wild Black-crowned Night Herons nesting in the trees:-
The one butterfly on this holiday which proved to be better than in previous years was the Canary Speckled Wood
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. However even though encounters were more frequent, getting a decent number of good pictures was another matter.
Later on my wish for a Monarch was finally granted
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
So that was it, a total of 7 species but all apart from the Canary speckled Wood a bit scarcer to find so although a nice holiday it was not as good as I'd hoped for, for a first time in May. Although I wasn't to know it at the time the August trip to France rescued the year from the disappointment of Tenerife and ensured my overall memories of 2015 from a butterfly & wildlife perspective, were fond ones
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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Phil