September is starting with some easterly winds which during migration are good to blow some birds out of their course, into Madeira...

28th of September 2022 at Machico
Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularius
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
22 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Little Egret Egretta garzetta

At Caniçal
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe

22nd of September 2022 at Funchal harbour - reported by Neil (UK)
2 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
4 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

In August starts some of the migration and depending from where the winds blow, Madeira might get some vagrant birds passing/stopping by...

31st of August 2022 at Machico
14 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
2 Sanderling Calidris alba

30th of August 2022 off Porto Moniz - observed by Michel (NED)
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
41 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
101 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
3 Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
7 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
Great Skua Stercorarius skua
66 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea

Light wind does not help seabirds' migration and it gets more difficult to watch Madeiran storm petrel as well... Anyway, it was a comfortable pelagic expedition with some great views of different species, especially Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii who are constantly passing by the chum slick.

15th August 2022 - SW breeze shifting between 0 and 5 knots with westerly swell of 0.5 meters
2 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - sitting on the water on the way up
2 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus - flew by a bit far
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus graellsii
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
18 Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - flew by far from the boat
Pterodroma sp.

A hardcore pelagic with oblivious participants makes us worry more about the birdwatchers safety and the equipment safeguard than the birdwatching itself... Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were present everyday but this time no storm petrel were watched. Though seabirds migration has started as some different species have passed by the chum!

3rd August 2022 - NNE wind between 6 and 8 knots, 2 meter swell from Northeast
Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus intermedius
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
6 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
3 Common tern Sterna hirundo
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira

What a start for a Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition! We saw all the aimed species in a single day, even White-faced Storm Petrel which has been scarce in the last 4 years! The 2nd day was completely the opposite but then the 3rd day was again a really good one! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were our companions during the 3 days.

24th July 2022 - 14 knots wind and 1 meter waves both from the northeast
3 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 2 on the way to the chumming position
3 Pterodroma sp.
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
4 Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus graellsii

This was the roughest pelagic so far. It started with quite tolerable wind and sea conditions but got worst as the days went by... But, what is not so comfortable for us is great for the seabirds and we did get a good show of Pterodromas and, of course, the always present Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii.

21st July 2022 - 14 to 18 knots knots of Northeast wind, NE swell up to 2 meters and 0.5 meter wind waves
4 Pterodroma sp. - 3 on the way to the chumming position
14 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 5 on the way up and 3 were at the same time on the chum slick for a couple of minutes
2 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
Great shearwater Puffinus gravis - flew by on a feeding frenzy and was only seen by a couple of people
4 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

Short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis
Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni
Short-finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus