Snapshot impressions

 Canary Island Palm (Phoenix canariensis)

Found in large numbers on the island of La Palma, either singly or in groups, the Canary Palm (Phoenix canariensis) can also be admired in botanical gardens the world over, and is often seen adorning parks and promenades in regions with a suitable Mediterranean-style climate. It is a close relative of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), but does not produce edible fruits. However, the large orange-coloured seeds were once fed to livestock, and the sap (guarapo) is still harvested by night on the island of La Gomera to produce "palm honey".

The Canary Palm is a typical member of the so-called thermophilous vegetation zone, growing at elevations above the coastal scrub, but below the laurel forest. Other representatives of this community include juniper (Juniperus phoenicia), wild olive trees (Olea europaea ssp.cerasiformis), and the emblematic dragon trees (Dracaena draco).

 Summit Bugloss, Echium wildpretii ssp. trichosiphon

The summit of the island, above the tree-line, is at its most colourful in May and June. Several endemic bugloss (Echium) species can be found there, such as the spectacular plant shown above. In an attempt to restore the landscape to its pristine glory, the Caldera de Taburiente National Park has been carrying out extensive re-planting of native flora within fenced-off areas to protect the seedlings from introduced rabbits and/or Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia). This well-intentioned project has unfortunately met with criticism from the island's most eminent botanist, who regards such heavy-handed interference with natural recovery processes as unwise. The work, and the debate, continue...

 An interesting climber, Semele androgyna ("butcher's broom")

In laurel forested areas, in addition to the larger trees and bushes, keep an eye open for the curious liana shown above, endemic to Macaronesia. The small white flowers, apparently sprouting directly from the leaves are, in fact, produced from nodes on what are really flattened stems or cladodes (also known as phylloclades).

 La Palma's own particular breed of goat

In addition to its endemic flora and fauna, La Palma also harbours autochthonous breeds of livestock... and yes, that really is an English word. It's an adjective meaning native or indigenous, and can be used for animals, plants or even people. La Palma's aut..., native breed of goat is particularly well-adapted to the steep, rocky terrain characteristic of many parts of the island. The animals are kept mainly for milk production, from which excellent cheeses are made.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) flocking near one of their roosting sites

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), and smaller numbers of Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) can be observed all year round, although, surprisingly, no-one has ever discovered a nesting pair. It is one of the birding mysteries of the island: do they actually breed here, or not? Considerable numbers of both heron species over-winter on La Palma, as censuses in previous years have shown. One of their regular roosting sites is located along the section of coastline shown above. Another is at an irrigation pond hidden among banana plantations. The census technique consists of waiting at such sites and counting birds as they fly in just before nightfall.

More impressions of La Palma coming up soon.

Out in January

Todaroa aurea (Apiaceae) - Canary Island endemic

Above, perhaps a scene from an English cottage garden at the height of summer?  Or just a section of one of La Palma's hiking paths...in mid-January? Believe it or not, many wild plants are already in bloom on the island, including several Canarian or Macaronesian endemics.

Myatropa florea - an abundant hover-fly

Bees, hover-flies, and butterflies can be observed foraging on the early supply of nectar. Below, a couple of colourful lepidoptera:

Canary Islands' Large White (Pieris cheiranthi) - on Echium brevirame

Canary Admiral (Vanessa vulcania)

All photos taken recently, with a handheld Fuji HS10 bridge camera.

Guided Tours

The start of the season for foreign visitors to the island is about to commence. Cruise ships will be arriving in the harbour of Santa Cruz on a regular basis  throughout the autumn and winter months. Charter flights to La Palma from Central and Northern Europe will peak during the same period...

Looking for an original and informative way of touring the island during your stay? I am a locally resident, English-speaking guide with many years experience. Please browse through this nature blog, or visit my longer-running birding blog to get an idea of my fields of interest.

I can provide or organize transport for personalised full- or half-day tours of the island, tailored to the priorities of individual guests or small groups, at very reasonable rates.

Please feel free to enquire by email at: grajaland@gmail.com

What you won't see on a standard coach tour...

North coast from NW corner towards NE tip

With a title like the present one, the scope is almost unlimited. That is because standard island coach tours are precisely what their name implies: standard. Whether you are staying at a resort, or are here briefly on a cruise ship, you will be taken to the same well-known locations: the San Antonio volcano in the south, the Cumbrecita viewpoint on the west side, or the Tilos laurel forest up in the northeast, plus a few other minor attractions along the way. Fair enough, if all you ask for is a brief sample of the scenery, and a basic impression of the island...

Caldera National Park from the ravine bed

But the island of La Palma has far more to offer than it's standard coach-tour exhibits. Some of the most spectacular landscapes, and all those unique, off-the-beaten-track corners are only reachable by private car, or on foot. If you are fit enough, you might consider booking an organised hike in a guided group. Such hiking tours are highly recommendable; however, bear in mind that these hiking routes are not geared towards nature observation. There's very limited time available en route for identifying birds or photographing plants, and certainly no patient waiting, or searching for target species. Hiking is a "keep-moving" sport.

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)

Nature observation is a different matter altogether, and La Palma offers a number of surprises...

 'Ever seen Red-billed Choughs perching in pine trees before? Neither had the experts at the 3rd International Workshop on the Conservation of the Chough, held on La Palma in October 2010. Everyone was impressed. With an estimated 2,800 resident choughs,  La Palma has one of the highest population densities of this species in Europe, boasting about 4 birds per square kilometre! Flocks of 50-100 individuals are by no means uncommon.

On an average coach tour, you might even get a distant glimpse of a flock through your window, as you cruise along the road at 60km per hour...if you happen to be sitting on the right side of the bus. But surely it would be more rewarding to spend time leisurely observing the birds as they forage on the ground, or peck at the fruits of the prickly-pear (Opuntia) cacti, or home in towards one of their communal roosts at sunset? If you enjoy wildlife photography, you'll need time to try different angles and camera settings. Standard coach tours and hikes, by definition, do nor cater for special interests.

Coastal vegetation on the southern tip of the island

La Palma's flora is particularly rich, with many striking endemic species, such as the white flowering Bugloss (Echium brevirame) and fleshy-leafed "Sea Lettuce" (Astydamia latifolia) shown above. Plants are notoriously tricky to identify from speeding coaches...they just look, well, you know, nice and colourful. The island's butterflies won't be on your itinerary either...

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)

In a nutshell, what you won't see on a standard coach tour or organized hike, could well be fairly high on your wish list. If that is the case, your alternatives include:

1. Booking a holiday with a reputable wildlife/birding company. Choice of dates will be limited, prices will be relatively high.
2. Doing things independently, in your own hired car. Feasible, but requires research beforehand, reliable information, and, ideally, a smattering of Spanish.
3. Coming to the island on a conventional cruise or package holiday and booking the services of a local English-speaking guide on a flexible, day-by-day basis. A resident guide who is similarly motivated by nature observation and can take you to the key spots for Laurel Pigeon, Bolle's Pigeon and Barbary Falcon, or to the most spectacular, natural landscapes, or to virtually untouched areas of native vegetation...

La Palma lizard (Gallotia galloti palmae)

I offer both full- and half-day island tours, tailored to suit individual requirements. For further details, please write to: grajaland@gmail.com

Spectacled Warbler

Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata)

Of the four warblers found on La Palma, the Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) is the least widespread. It is a bird of scrublands, though not necessarily coastal: in fact, one of the best places to observe this species is on the very summit of the island, among the broom bushes (Adenocarpus viscosus) in the vicinity of Roque de los Muchachos (2,426m).

However, the images shown in the present post were taken virtually at sea-level, in another of the bird's favoured haunts: the sparse scrub near the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island (Faro de Fuencaliente).

The Spectacled Warbler seems to be particularly fond of salado bushes (Schizogyne sericea), a Macaronesian endemic plant of coastal areas. The bird's rattlesnake-like rattle can often be heard coming from the uppermost twigs, before it drops into the foliage in search of prey. It also forages briefly on the ground, around the base of the bushes, but rarely stays out of cover for more than a few seconds.

Patience is occasionally rewarded with views of birds perching on the walls around the salt-pans...

By the way, La Palma's other three resident warblers are the Canary Island Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus canariensis), the Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) and the Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala). All three are widespread and abundant on the island.

My guided birding tours of La Palma are focussed on the island´s forest birds, especially on the two endemic pigeon species, restricted to the Western Canaries: Bolle's Pigeon (Columba bollii) and the Laurel Pigeon (Columba junoniae).  A trip to the saltpans can be included to observe migratory waders, and for the chance to admire the handsome Spectacled Warbler featured in this post.

Flora and vegetation

Aeonium nobile

  

Ever since the first expeditions by Victorian naturalists, the flora of the Canary Islands has maintained its exotic appeal . The English botanical artist Marianne North was among the first to depict the curious plants she observed on Tenerife, where, in 1875, she devoted several months of her prolific career. The results of her work can be admired at the  Marianne North gallery in Kew Gardens. 

Nowadays, with the advent of global travel, the flora of these islands is perhaps no longer quite so "exotic" as it once was, yet there are still various plants which have a distinctly "African" feel, and others which evoke tropical rainforests...

As a result of the climatic variations due to altitude, the vegetation on La Palma can be classified into five clearly recognnisable zones or belts... plus a handful of other ecological niches not strictly dependent on altitude (watercourses, rock faces, etc.). The five zones in this simplified system are, in ascending order: coastal, thermophile, laurel forest, pine forest, and summit scrub. On the leeward side of the island, isolated from the humid influence of the Trade Winds, the third zone (laurel forest) is absent, and pine forest consequently extends over a larger area.

The first photograph at the head of this post shows one of the most spectacular members of the Aeonium genus, A. nobile, a species exclusive to La Palma. These succulents are generally found at lower elevations, typically clinging to ledges on rock faces, especially on the arid, west side of the island.

Euphorbia mellifera var. canariensis

Laurel forests are particularly rich in endemic plants; one of the most unexpected elements in these subtropical woodlands - since most other spurges on the Canaries are confined to dry, coastal areas - is the Euphorbia species shown above, a plant with a very restricted distribution on La Palma.

La Palma Violet, Viola palmensis

Undisputed star among the island's endemisms, the "La Palma Violet" even features in a well-known local legend. These pretty little plants flower profusely on the summits of the island in May and June.

Summit broom, Genista benehoavensis

Above is another high mountain specialist, endemic to La Palma. In this particular broom species the golden-yellow flowers are tightly clustered, and the foliage is greyish-green in colour, making these bushes easy to differentiate from the more abundant codeso brooms (Adenocarpus viscosus) which dominate the slopes above the treeline.

All five of La Palma's five vegetation zones are still well represented on the island: why not consider a guided walk to identify the key species of each zone?

Contrasting landscapes

The cascade of Trade Wind clouds spilling over Cumbre Nueva

Lying in the path of the NE Trade Winds, and reaching altitudes of over 2,000 metres above sea level, the island of La Palma has a drier, leeward side, and a wetter, windward side. Above is a typical landscape on the sheltered, west side of the island. The cloud cascade visible in the background is a well-known local phenomenon often associated with strong Föhn winds. The characteristic forest on the leeward side of the island is Canary Pine (Pinus canariensis).

An area of lush laurel forests in Cubo de La Galga

In striking contrast to the west, the generally cloudier east side of the island harbours some of the best-preserved laurel forests in the Canaries. These lush, subtropical woodlands are unique to Macaronesia, and are home to numerous endemic plants and various endemic bird species. Avian highlights of La Palma's laurel forests include Bolle's Pigeon (Columba bollii), the Laurel Pigeon (Columba junoniae), the palmae subspecies of Chaffinch, and the palmensis subspecies of African Bluetit.

Whilst finding the local Chaffinch in La Palma's laurel forests presents no difficulties - if you're eating, it usually finds you - getting good views of either of the two pigeon species is not so easy. Luck, as always, plays a role, but thorough local knowledge of the best locations at a given time of the year is a more reliable way to ensure good views of these attractive birds.

In a half-day tour, I can lead you to spots where both Bolle's and the Laurel Pigeon can be observed well.

Bolle's Pigeon (Columba bollii)