Birding in November, Madeira, 2019

November should be a winter month but until mid-November we have been getting summer weather, with quite high temperatures for this time of year and not so much rain as one should expect... Although it is a low month for touristy demand it sometimes attracts some interesting vagrant bird species... and it seems that Porto Santo island is beating records this year!

20th of November 2019 at Porto Santo golf course - reported by Anders (SWE)
5 Pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

18th of November 2019 off Camara de Lobos - watched by Russel & Emma (UK)
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus

15th of November 2019 at São Vicente
Sanderling Calidris alba
2 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
4 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

At Ribeira Brava
Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

14th of November 2019 at São Vicente
3 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

At Ribeira da Janela
Barnacle goose Branta leucopsis

At Ponta do Pargo
2 Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis

At Porto Santo - sightings by Tim (UK)
Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus - 1st winter
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
5 Pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus

12th of November 2019 at Porto Santo - recorded by Tim (UK)
Merlin Falco columbarius - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca - - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!

11th of November 2019 at São Vicente
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
3 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

At Ribeira Brava
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana

The records below, from the 5th to the 10th of November 2019, were all sent by Tim (UK) and are all from Porto Santo island:
10th of November 2019
5 Pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

9th of November 2019
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla (photographed bird) - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus (photographed bird) - This is the 2nd record for Madeira
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

8th of November 2019
12 Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus

7th of November 2019
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
22 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

6th of November 2019
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

5th of November 2019
2 Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis (photographed bird) - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica - less than 5 records on the last 50 years!

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