Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria © Teresa Farino

Autumn in the Western Canaries

With winter looming, why not join us to discover an outstanding assemblage of endemic birds, reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies and the last of the summer's subalpine flora in Tenerife and La Gomera?

Cheirolophus teydis © Teresa Farino The Canary archipelago is a superb destination for wildlife observation at any time of year, with our autumn trip designed to take your mind off the fact that winter is just around the corner. The western islands of Tenerife and La Gomera harbour an exceptional and complimentary range of habitats, and we will be visiting a good selection of these during the week, ranging from arid coastal 'badlands' to lush semi-tropical laurel forests, from stately Canary Pine woods to subalpine habitats at more than 2300 metres above sea level.

The climate of the archipelago suffers remarkably little annual variation, such that many of the endemic plants bloom all year round, and although the subalpine flora is markedly more seasonal, good numbers of species flower well into the autumn, including Erysimum scoparium, Pterocephalus lasiospermus and Cheirolophus teydis, all of which are unique to the western Canaries. Similarly, most of the archipelago's endemic reptiles can be found throughout the year, with those we are most likely to see on the western islands including Tenerife and Boettger's Lizards, West Canary Skink and the related Chalcides coerulopunctatus (unique to La Gomera and El Hierro), and Tenerife and La Gomera Geckos.

Boettger's Lizard Gallotia caesaris gomera © Teresa Farino Bird-wise, we can expect to see a good selection of the species endemic to Tenerife and La Gomera, notably the chunky Blue Chaffinch, the elusive Bolle's and Laurel Pigeons and the almost ubiquitous Canary Islands Chiffchaff, plus Berthelot's Pipit and Atlantic Canary, both of which are Macaronesian endemics. These will be supplemented by unique Canary subspecies of Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, African Blue Tit, Canary Island Goldcrest, Common Chaffinch and a long list of etceteras. We also expect to see with some of the many European birds that winter on the islands.

Although native terrestrial mammals are a bit thin on the ground in the Canaries, the waters around the islands are rich in cetaceans, with Short-finned Pilot Whales and Common Bottlenose Dolphins the species Male Red-veined Dropwing
Trithemis arteriosa © Teresa Farinowe are most likely to see during the ferry crossings to and from La Gomera. We'll also take time out to explore some of Tenerife's coastal rock-pools, usually inhabited by several species of sea-slugs, crabs, star-fish, sea anemones and colourful inshore fish.

Butterflies on the wing in late autumn should include Canary and Gomera Brimstones, the endangered Canary Islands Large White, Canary and African Grass Blues, Canary Speckled Wood, Canary Red Admiral and - with luck - a few late Canary Skippers, all of which are unique to the archipelago. To these we might add Monarch and possibly Plain Tiger, plus a whole suite of species also found in Europe. Red-veined Dropwing and Island Darter are perhaps the most notable of the dragonflies we might encounter, along with Epaulet Skimmer, Broad Scarlet and possibly Sahara Bluetail.

Monarch Danaus plexippus © Teresa Farino

Autumn in the Western Canaries

Leader: Teresa Farino and John Muddeman

2013 Dates: Thurs. 7 November - Thurs. 14 November

Price: 1,250€ per person, including all ferry crossings, half-board, en suite accommodation at Hotel Rural El Patio (4 nights) and Apartamentos Los Telares (3 nights), picnic lunches, transport by hired minibus throughout, all entry fees and the services of the leaders. A single-room supplement of 230€ is applicable. Flights and travel insurance (obligatory) are the responsibility of the client.

Although the cost of the tour is given in euros, clients may pay in sterling, the exchange rate to be calculated at the time of payment using www.oanda.com

Pick-up details: For this tour, participants will be booking their flights independently. In order to allow clients to travel from a wide range of British airports, we have decided that the best option is to start from, and return to, Tenerife South. Many airlines (easyJet, Ryanair, Monarch, Aer Lingus, etc.) fly to this destination from the UK, which should make your life as easy as possible.

Ideally, we would ask you to book a flight that arrives at Tenerife South before 6pm on Thursday 7 November 2013 and a return flight departing after 11am on Thursday 14 November 2013.

If you wish to extend your visit in order to explore the islands further, please remember that if you require transport to the hotel in Garachico, you must arrange to be at Tenerife South airport by 6pm on Thursday 7 November. Alternatively, you can go straight to Hotel Rural El Patio and meet us there.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos major canariensis © Teresa FarinoFor the return leg on Thursday 14 November, we shall be returning on the ferry from La Gomera first thing and do not arrive in Tenerife until 8am. Please don't book a return flight departing before 11am, otherwise you might miss it!

Please contact Teresa to discuss flight times and pick-up arrangements further if you have any queries, as the itinerary is flexible, up to a point.

Group size: maximum 14 clients.

Booking information: please contact Teresa Farino for further details and a booking form, or if you have any queries about this tour.

E-mail:
Office phone:	(+34) 942 735154
Mobile phone:	(+34) 656 337129
Address:	Apartado de Correos 59 39570 Potes Cantabria Spain

Male Tenerife Lizard Gallotia galloti © Teresa Farino

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