The arid island of Fuerteventura holds a diversity of habitats with different specialties, from Canary Island stonechat in gorges to trumpeter finches in deserts or introduced species in lawns and gardens.

Houbaras, coursers, Berthelot’s pipits, sandgrouse, tropicbirds and Barolo shearwater converge in a barren corner of Fuerteventura, covered in a fine red carpet of plants and a mystique for the aboriginal islanders.

A pelagic outing reaches Illes Columbretes, a Mediterranean archipelago inhabited by the Eleonora’s falcon. Dozens of shearwaters and gulls, storm petrels, parasitic jaegers and sunfish add to the show.

I visited São Miguel Island during the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdown. Besides incredible landscapes and a welcoming atmosphere, I looked for endemic plants and birds and went on a pelagic outing.