This typical but idyllic month of April brought typical migrating passerines, several great encounters with displaying bustards and sandgrouse in the steppes, a couple of lifers at home and some others on a short trip.

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.

Early spring in Isla Grosa ringing campaign produced passerine migration: Iberian chiffchaffs, subalpine warblers, pipits, wheatears, nightingales and an exceptionally early garden warbler, the first of the season.