In November temperatures start to decrease and rain gets more often. Depending on the winds direction, we may get some interesting species landing in Madeira:
21st of November 2020 at Machico - reported by Miguel F. (POR)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
9 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
7th of November 2020 at Ribeira Brava - observed by Miguel A. (POR)
White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
5th of November 2020 at Funchal
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
In October we start to feel the autumn, although they say it starts by the 21st of September... Temperatures are a bit less warm and some rain starts to fall. Depending on the winds, this is a good time for some migrating birds be blown into this archipelago, out of their migratory route. So let's see which species October 2020 brings to Madeira:
31st of October 2020 at Funchal
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
23rd of October 2020 at São Vicente
7 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
At Machico
2 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
In September starts the autumn and so it is time for some migratory birds to fly to their wintering grounds... If we get the right winds in Madeira, we might get some species blown off their migratory course...
27th of September 2020 at Porto Moniz - observed by Cheech (ZA)
Gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Between the 25th & 28th of September 2020 at Tanque, Porto Santo - photographed by Claudia (POR)
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
2 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
2 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
24th of September 2020 at Porto Santo - reported by Natasha (POR)
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
23rd of September 2020 at Faial
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
At Machico
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
12 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Another pelagic with a low number of species though quite rough sea and at least 1 well observed Zino's Petrel! It seems the coronavirus also affected the travelling of seabirds as it was supposed to be migration time and we hardly saw any of the seabird species we normally watch around Madeira by this time of year... As usual, Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were a constant everyday.
26th August 2020 - ENE wind up to 18 knots and waves from northeast up to 1.3 meters
6 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 2 on the way up
14 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
2 Pterodroma sp. - not close enough for a definite ID
2 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta
August should be a good season for some migratory birds to be blown off their course and be watched in Madeira archipelago though it has been a bit quiet around...
31st of August 2020 at Caniçal
2 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
18th of August 2020 at Ponta Delgada - observed by Gert (NED)
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes - Less than 5 records on the last 50 years, though last one was 2019
17th of August 2020 at Caniçal
11 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Off Machico
Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
15th of August 2020 at Porto Moniz
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
+20 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
The second Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2020 was as weird as the year itself... The sea conditions were comfortable (maybe too comfortable!) as the wind was light and the waves were up to 1 meter but these were not enough to blow us a Zino's Petrel or/and a Madeiran Storm petrel :( . Despite this, we had Cory's shearwater and Bulwer's Petrel everyday and great views of sea mammals and some migratory seabirds:
12th of August 2020 - Northern wind up to 8 knots and 0.7 meter waves from north as well.
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - on the way up
Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
5 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
5 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Common Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus - great view on the way to the chumming position