Holiday to Tenerife part 3
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:50 pm
Satiated on our ‘spam’ burger, chips and salad from the "La Paz" we moved on along the winding TF-21 climbing higher and higher until we entered Canadas del Teide which is a flat desert-like zone over 7000ft above sea level. At the “entry point” where the TF-21 junctions with the TF-38 is a stopping point which affords marvellous views of the landscape and the peaks of Viejo (pico Viejo) and Pico Teide. These peaks are part of the Teide volcanic complex. The area in we were in is surrounded by high ridges, that are the inner edges of an older volcanic crater (caldera) formed before the smaller cones of Viejo and Teide sprouted up within it. The rocks and flow formations are in different colours depending on their age. The youngest rocks are (I think) black and they slowly change colour as the metals in them oxidise. Teide is considered dormant and it last erupted in 1909.
In amongst the rocks we could make out Gallotia galloti Tenerife lacertid lizards. They appeared to quite bold suggesting that they were used to receiving tit-bits from tourists. In 2011 I accidently discovered you could feed them. When I sat still observing them one came right up to take a nibble on my fingers. I realised it could smell the dry cured ham that I’d been eating earlier. After that me and Isabella went back and fed them little snippets of serrano. Unfortunately we had nothing to offer them on this occasion but perhaps it was for the best
because in principle I’m opposed to the ‘domestication of wildlife’ (which feeding ultimately leads to)
After our stop to admire the view and take some photos, we set off again heading along the TF-21 to get to an area near the Cable car station. Cruising through the sun-drenched lunar-like landscape with Jessica (theme music to Top Gear) on the radio was absolute magic 
. This is the 4th time I’ve been to this area but it never fails to bring me joy 
.
Eventually I brought the cruising to a halt and pulled in to a lay-by to drink in more of the stunning views. A few years back we’d taken the trip up the cable car to the near summit at around 12,000 feet. The long wait and high cost to get on board the car was worth it for the views from the top but both me and Izzy suffered from altitude sickness
. I could walk no more that 5 – 10 yards without needing a rest and it took a lot of effort to avoid falling asleep 
. A six year old Izzy at the time, just whined that she felt unwell. Meanwhile there were hiker types and other people a lot older than me, lighting up and chuffing away 
.
As we were drinking in our surroundings Sharon pointed out that a butterfly was on her foot 
. She was wearing plastic sandals with a flower adornment and there in the middle of the flower was a Canary Blue.
It became quickly evident that there was more than one of these little gems and they were (presumably) all after moisture and/or their fix of salts (Nivea factor 50 sun-block 
).
Eventually we had to leave but couldn’t get rid of the butterflies . It was like a scene from the Hitchcock movie The Birds. In the end we beat them off, jumped in the car, wound up the windows and got the hell out. 
On the way back I took a different route back following the TF-38 through a black lava field (the road though well surfaced (as they generally all are in Tenerife
) is narrow and leaves no room for driver error) on to Samara (a former vent in the Teide complex) where these pictures were taken from. The red car is ours and at the place I thought I might’ve seen the Small Copper in 2011.
Back home and the next day it was down a the Hot-spot 
A pair of Small Whites were circling around and also there was an African Grass Blue (male) which was in good condition. Unfortunately my pictures didn’t turn out as well as I would’ve liked, most of them being bleached and out of focus to varying degrees and requiring considerable rework in Canon zoom browser
Also seen in 2011 was this well marked white banded digger bee. Difficult to get a decent photo though 
A lot of time was spent trying to get this fabulous little wasp which from its movements amongst the opuntias suggested it was searching for prey.
So ended our last full day at Club Marina and searching at my little hot spot. The next morning it was up-stick and a move over to golf del sur ...great for spotting airliners coming into Tenerife South airport
Phil
In amongst the rocks we could make out Gallotia galloti Tenerife lacertid lizards. They appeared to quite bold suggesting that they were used to receiving tit-bits from tourists. In 2011 I accidently discovered you could feed them. When I sat still observing them one came right up to take a nibble on my fingers. I realised it could smell the dry cured ham that I’d been eating earlier. After that me and Isabella went back and fed them little snippets of serrano. Unfortunately we had nothing to offer them on this occasion but perhaps it was for the best
because in principle I’m opposed to the ‘domestication of wildlife’ (which feeding ultimately leads to)- Galollotia galloti blending in with the rocks
. This is the 4th time I’ve been to this area but it never fails to bring me joy . Eventually I brought the cruising to a halt and pulled in to a lay-by to drink in more of the stunning views. A few years back we’d taken the trip up the cable car to the near summit at around 12,000 feet. The long wait and high cost to get on board the car was worth it for the views from the top but both me and Izzy suffered from altitude sickness
. I could walk no more that 5 – 10 yards without needing a rest and it took a lot of effort to avoid falling asleep . A six year old Izzy at the time, just whined that she felt unwell. Meanwhile there were hiker types and other people a lot older than me, lighting up and chuffing away .- Landscape taken from out stop point
. She was wearing plastic sandals with a flower adornment and there in the middle of the flower was a Canary Blue. - Fraid you won't find nectar there mate
).- Izzy well chuffed with her little butterflies
. It was like a scene from the Hitchcock movie The Birds. In the end we beat them off, jumped in the car, wound up the windows and got the hell out. On the way back I took a different route back following the TF-38 through a black lava field (the road though well surfaced (as they generally all are in Tenerife
) is narrow and leaves no room for driver error) on to Samara (a former vent in the Teide complex) where these pictures were taken from. The red car is ours and at the place I thought I might’ve seen the Small Copper in 2011.- View of picos Viejo (foreground) and the higher pico Teide in the background
- View from the peak of Samara
A pair of Small Whites were circling around and also there was an African Grass Blue (male) which was in good condition. Unfortunately my pictures didn’t turn out as well as I would’ve liked, most of them being bleached and out of focus to varying degrees and requiring considerable rework in Canon zoom browser - 'surreal setting' for the common or garden Small White
- Tiny Bee
- The bee would climb right into the opuntia flowers
which from its movements amongst the opuntias suggested it was searching for prey.- Can anyone I.D this?
Phil
