Madeira Bird News | Madeira Birdwatching by Madeira Wind Birds

The Ultimate Western Palearctic Pelagic Expedition: Madeira, May 2010 by Hadoram Shirihai

After some days of hard work, not only at sea but also at desk, we are finally publishing the report of the latest quest for Petrels in the Western Palearctic - a pelagic expedition by Hadoram Shirhai, May 2010! The reasons this report did not go on-line on the 9th May as advertised was that the research was extended until the 13th and because everyday there was a new feature to include in it...

So we apologize for not being in time but we are sure you will be surprised by the latest news about Madeira seabirds and Hadoram and Wind Bird's pelagic expeditions on-board Oceanodroma, the best boat for pelagic trips. A mind blower for any birdwatcher in the Western Palearctic and perhaps the World too!

The first-ever videoed Zino's Petrel at sea, an Unidentified Pterodroma Petrel ('snowy-winged' petrel) photo and film... All at The Ultimate Western Palearctic Pelagic Expedition: Madeira, May 2010 by Hadoram Shirihai

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Sharp-tailed & Pectoral Sandpipers in Lugar de Baixo

The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata observed yesterday, the 27th August 2010 in Lugar de Baixo is still at this pond and now he has a friend, a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos.

Note that the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is the first record for Madeira while the Pectoral Sandpiper is an accidental visitor.

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Madeira - 1st record

Today, on the 27th of August 2010, a group from DOF travel with Erik Mølgaard (DEN) has spotted and identified a Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata in Lugar de Baixo pond. Hugo and Catarina from Madeira Wind Birds went there to see this 1st record for Madeira and then Erik Kleyheeg (NED) arrived. So this Northeast Asian bird was observed and identified by at least 14 people on its first day in Madeira.

On the 24th and on the 25th August, Madeira Wind Birds run 2 trips to Desertas islands and these were the records of each day:

25th August around Desertas sea
Cory's shearwaters
Bulwer's petrels
Fea's petrels
Common terns
Yellow-legged gulls
Brown Booby
Grey Heron
Madeiran-storm petrel - heard and seen at night

Atlantic Spotted Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins
Whale sp.

24th August around Desertas sea
Cory's shearwaters
3 Manx shearwaters
Bulwer's petrels
Fea's petrels
Common terns
Yellow-legged gulls
1 Great Skua
Brown Booby
Madeiran-storm petrel - heard and seen at night

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Porto Moniz Seawatching 2010

Observations by Michel de Lange (NED), Ben Wielstra, Erik Kleyheeg

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Another great pelagic trip in Madeira seas - August 2010

Despite the forest and mountain fires that devastated Zino's Petrel breeding site on the 13th and 14th of August 2010 we managed to get another great Zino's petrel pelagic expedition run on the 14th, 16th and 17th of August 2010. Participants of this trip were all from Norway: Kjetil Scholberg, Frank Gronningsaeter, Bjorn Olav Tveit, Kjell Saether, Bard Nyberg, Jørn R. Gustad and Kjell Olav Bøklepp.

Saturday, 14th August - due to the strong wind and big waves we divert the trip closer to Desertas Islands, to look for the Brown Booby though we did not find it. But these were our sightings:
Some Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae on the way and around the chum
Cory's sheawaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
Yellow-legged gulls Larus michaellis
1 Common tern Sterna hirundo
1 White-faced storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina

Monday, 16th August
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
Cory's sheawaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
4 Zino's petrel Pterodroma feae 2 on the chum at the same time and 2 on the way back to the marina
1 European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
2 Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro

1 Loggerhead turtle Careta careta
1 Blue shark Prionace glauca

Tuesday, 17th August
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
Cory's sheawaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
2 Flocks of Artic Terns Sterna paradisaea. 1 flock observed on the way to the chumming position and another flock of 13 on the chum.
2 Zino's petrel Pterodroma feae on the chum. 1 stood for 3 minutes and the other, with very whitish underwings just flew by
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
1 Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Brown Booby seen twice on pelagic trips off Madeira

Another trip report of a fantastic Zino's petrel pelagic expedition which took place on the 5th, 6th and 7th August 2010. Participants of this trip were: Alan Wilkinson, Lee Gregory, Steve & Liz Dudley (UK) and Martin Gottschling and Oliver Nüssen (GER).

Saturday, 7th August
2 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae on the way and 3 on the chum
1 Brown booby Sula leucogaster
Some Cory's sheawaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
Many Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
1 Yellow-legged gull Larus michaellis
1 Common tern Sterna hirundo
1 White-faced storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina

Friday, 6th August 2010
1 Turnstone Arenaria interpres - just outside the marina
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Cory's shearwaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
4 Zino's/Fea's petrels on the way to the chumming position
1 Zino's petrel Pterodroma madeiraflew by the chum
1 Probable Zino's petrel flew by the chum
1 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae flew by
1 Zino's/Fea's petrel flew by
1 Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro
1 White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina
1 Long-tailed skua Stercorarius longicaudus
1 Great skua Stercorarius skua on the way back

Short-finned Pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus
Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus

Thursday, 5th August 2010
1 Great skua Stercorarius skua
Big flock of Whimbrels or Godwits heading south, far away
1 Grey phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Cory's shearwaters Calonectris diomedea borealis
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii
1 Zino's/Fea's petrel on the way
1 Fea's petrel Petrodroma feae on the chum for 4 minutes
1 Artic tern Sterna paradisaea
2 Wilson's storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus
1 White-faced storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina
1 Madeiran storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro
2 Zino's petrel Pterodroma madeira on the way back

Flying fish
Loggerhead turtle Careta careta
Beaked whale jumping a bit far away

Meantime, while these birders were in land, on the 3rd August 2010 in Prazeres Lee have seen 1 adult male, pale morph Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae and 2 Alpine swifts Apus melba while Martin & Oliver observed another Eleonora's Falcon in the same village. At first they thought it was the same bird but then they compared pictures and descriptions and realized it was 2 different birds.

Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae

6th August 2010 in Funchal harbor Liz observed an Artic Tern Sterna paradisaea.

On the 29th July 2010 the Brown Booby was seen on another Wind Bird's pelagic trip - this was the 2nd record of this species for Madeira with its 1st record on the 1st of September 2009.

Brown booby Sula leucogaster

More pelagic trips are to come but very few places available! Check the dates now!

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports

Another successful pelagic expedition

9 June 2010 - wind NNW 17 knots, waves 3 mt
Fea's petrels (more than 30)
1 Zino's petrel
2 European Storm-petrels
1 Manx Shearwater
5 Artic Terns
Cory's shearwaters
Bulwer's petrels

Bottlenose Dolphins

8 June 2010 - Wind NNW 9 knots, waves 1 mt
4 European Storm-petrels
Cory's shearwaters
Bulwer's petrels
3 Wilson's Storm-petrel
3 Manx Shearwaters
1 White-face Storm-petrel

Pilot whales
Spotted dolphins

7 June 2010 - Wind NNW 12 knots, 1 mt
Cory's shearwaters
3 Wilson's Storm-petrel
Bulwer's petrels
Manx Shearwaters
1 White-face Storm-petrel
2 European Storm-petrel
3 Zino's Petrels with 2 at the same time which stood for 5 minutes around the chum

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii

White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina

Madeira Bird News – Madeira Trip Reports