www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi Guy,

Sorry, i`m pretty certain that i saw one, but it was in flight at the time, so no photo.

Nick.

hideandseek wrote: Apparently Budgerigars live and breed in small colonies on both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

That's interesting. I suppose it's the same as the wild parrots that inhabit Barcelona which are escapees that found their new environment conducive to breeding and there are now hundreds of them.

Did you get any photos of them?

Hi David,

David M wrote:

hideandseek wrote: Apparently Budgerigars live and breed in small colonies on both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

That's interesting. I suppose it's the same as the wild parrots that inhabit Barcelona which are escapees that found their new environment conducive to breeding and there are now hundreds of them.

Did you get any photos of them?

No, i`m afraid not, at the time it was doing a flypass over my head. It was the first and only one i have seen on Fuerteventura in 3 visits to the island, even though i knew they bred here.

And the same goes for the Ring-Necked Parakeets that successfully breed over here now, and have done for over 20 years, over 2,000 of them have a roost in Esher.

Nick.

hideandseek wrote: No, i`m afraid not, at the time it was doing a flypass over my head. It was the first and only one i have seen on Fuerteventura in 3 visits to the island, even though i knew they bred here.

And the same goes for the Ring-Necked Parakeets that successfully breed over here now, and have done for over 20 years, over 2,000 of them have a roost in Esher.

Nick.

As a budgerigar breeder (not showbirds, mind, just for pleasure) I'd love to see them in the wild, but why go to the trouble and expense of visiting the interior of Australia if I can see them in Europe!?

This photo and the following one are the last two pictures from the hotel complex gardens.The pictures are rather poor, but i hope someone can help with id.Today i was on my way to try and photograph a particular little Warbler of the desert. So as i wandered down the footpath on the edge of the reserve, i stopped to take a few more pictures of the Barbary Ground Squirrel.Well, i could`nt resist.I mean, could you?Just look at them, there`re so photogenic.Anyway, Off i trot again when i bumped into this chappy, so i had to stop to get another photo.So having got his picture i wander off again, down the path looking for anything that moves, and listening for a certain bird song. I had, by this time passed the last house on my right and getting very close to the area where i had seen the warbler i was after. When something caught my eye, a beautiful, bright yellow butterfly with blackish wing tips, and a small spot, also blackish, by the front edge [costa]of the forewing. It was about the size of a female Common Blue. I had three attempts at getting a photo, but after that left it alone, and just watched it fly off across the rocky terrain. I have since found out, that it was a Greenish-black Tip, the first one, and the last, i had ever seen. And i did`nt get a photo,. How upsetting is that?
Oh well thats life. But just then i heard the bird song of the little Warbler i was after. I crept along the path, then i spotted him, feeding in a shrub on my left. So i set my tripod up on the path, and waited with anticipation. And there he was, right in front of me, a couple of metres away. My finger going into overdrive,pushing down on the shutter button, the warbler never still for a moment, seeking out its next meal. Then just for a second it was motionless,my finger going for the shutter button again,then it was off. Did i get a picture? was it any good?Well i got my picture after i don`t know how many attempts, before today.That was the last i saw of him, as he flew off across the stony desert.Talk about hard to photograph, i never thought i would actually succeed in getting a picture. But as you will see later, i was a sucker for punishment.

[more to follow]

For the dragonfly, my money's on Crocothemis erythraea.

Guy

You beat me to it Guy. It is indeed a Scarlet Darter.

Hi Guy and Paul,

Thanks for your prompt id of the Dragonfly.

I don`t pretend to know much about this subject, because i don`t. But, the dragonfly in question does not look like a Scarlet Darter to me, there is no discolouration to the picture, i have`nt altered the picture in any way or form. The colours of the dragonfly are exactly as you see them, thats why i took the photo, because it was different from the other dragonflies i had previously photographed, so can you explain to me, why you put your money on a Scarlet Darter, when i thought the picture below was a Scarlet Darter, [crocothemis erythraea] and if the photo below is not a Scarlet Darter, any idea to what its true identity might be. No offence intended, thanks very much,

Nick.

PS. my identification for the dragonfly was from a webbsite on the internet.

They are all the same species - Scarlet darter. The white stripe on the thorax of the first one on this page suggests a female - but I don't know if young males can also have this marking.

Guy

Today i`m on my way back to the area where i photographed the Spectacled Warbler yesterday, to chance my luck again, hoping to get a better picture of the bird, knowing my chances of succeeding are quite remote, but i want to give it another shot. So i take my short cut acoss the reserve to the footpath, when i spot another Creamed-Coloured Courser. I very slowly move towards the bird, when i get as close as i can without spooking it , i set my tripod up, kneeling on the sand i get ready to get a picture. I keep perfectly still, the Courser seems oblivious to me, and moves closer to me, whilst on the lookout for a tasty insect. It runs in short bursts [a few metres] hunting down its prey, then pounces, and in a flash is eating its next meal. He pauses every now and again to look around to see if all is well, and thats when i get my shot. Happy with the resulting picture i move slowly away, leaving the bird hunting for its next morsel.The Creamed-Coloured Courser has been recorded in Britain on many occasion, the first being in Kent, 1785, and the most recent, on the Isles of Scilly, 2004, and on mainland England, Cornwall, 1980.

I`m on the path now and heading south when a Southern Grey Shrike lands on a small tree ahead of me, another photo opportunity i thought. So i approach with caution, as soon as i`m close enough, i set the tripod up again. The wind is blowing the birds feathers about,i take a couple of pictures. I look at the results, happy, i move on again towards my goal.In India the average clutch of eggs laid are only 3-4, and this could be the same for the S.G.S. of Fuerteventura With the harsh and barren landscape. Educated guess, based on the fact that insect eating birds on this island seem to have small clutches, Courser, 2 eggs, Berthelots Pipit, 3 eggs, Canary Island chat, 3 eggs.In Spain the average clutch is 5-6 eggs somethimes 7. So i`m informed. It could vary from year to year, depending on food availability.

Hi Nick

With regard to the dragonfly as with most tenneral males I guess they are coloured like the females. However, I think this one is a female as the body is wider than that of a male.

I've seen and filmed this species in Tennerife and Fuerteventura and the males are extremely bright scarlet as in the last picture you have shown. The females are a brick red / brown type of colour with the cream antehumeral stripe as Guy mentioned.

Hope this helps.

Some great photos by the way.

Hi Guy,

padfield wrote:They are all the same species - Scarlet darter. The white stripe on the thorax of the first one on this page suggests a female - but I don't know if young males can also have this marking.

Guy

I did some homework last night after i read your post, and it seems that immature males do have the pale stripe down the middle of the thorax. Also, i did`nt realize, that the shade of red of the Scarlet Darter differs so much from one to another. So, thinking i had photographed four species, i had infact only photographed two species of Dragonfly.

Thank you for all your help, its really kind of you, and appreciated,

Nick.

Hi Paul,

Its very kind of you to spend the time helping with the id, and answering my question, i am learning from it. Also thankyou for your comments on my photography its all very much appreciated,

Thanks again,

Nick.

Where was i? Oh yes, i have just photographed the Southern Grey Shrike, and was continuing down the path.

Well i`m back now, to where i photographed the Spectacled Warbler the previous day and they is no sign of him. I stand there, waiting, continuously looking for movement, a bird darting from one bush to another, listening for a short burst of song from this little Warbler, but nothing. I walk off, further down the path where there are some more bushes / scrub scattered amongst the rocky landscape. I scan the area, every bush, but nothing again. A Hoopoe flies past and lands close by, i set off towards it, i get within a couple of metres. I set my tripod up, and take a few pictures.He is happily feeding for a few minutes,then he wanders off, stopping to take a breath,before flying off and landing on this rock.
Just then , i catch the sound of a Warbler singing, i head off towards the warbler, it is in a shrub on the side of the path. It has stopped singing, i catch a glimpse of him, i move closer, he is just sitting there, towards the front of the shrub,I take a photo,then another and another, before it disappears.

Hi Nick

It's been a great thread with some super photos. You can't beat looking at photos taken in the warmth whilst sitting in the dark and cold in the British winter.

Keep it up.

I agree wholeheartedly with Paul. Birds and butterflies...just my cup of tea!

I think your Fuerteventura Chat pics are probably the best I've seen of the species. I saw a pair in Corralejo rubbish tip (we birders only target the very best areas, lol) way back in the mid 90s, so your pics bring back some lovely memories. Unfortunately we didn't have time to try the reservoirs at Los Molinos, a huge pity as we later discovered there were 3 Marbled Ducks present - a species I STILL need to see!

Looking forward to the next installment,

Gibster.

Hi Nick

Just noticed you have another dragonfly with no ID on page 2. This looks like a Red-veined Dropwing Trithemis arteriosa.

Apologies if you've already made the ID.
I saw these in Tenerife in very dry habitat when I was over there.

Hi Seth,

Thankyou for your over generous comments, on the Chat, but very much appreciated.

The Marbled Ducks are still regularly seen at the reservoirs at Los Molinos. Theres still time for you yet Seth.

Thanks again,

Nick.

Hi Paul,

Thankyou again for your very kind comments. I`m so glad you are enjoying my thread, i really enjoyed putting it all together, especially working out how i was going to get some of the photos, like the Canary Island Chat.

thanks again,

Nick.