Another great pelagic with good observations and a second confirmed record of a Cape Verde shearwater for Madeira archipelago! Although White-faced Storm Petrel was observed when we were not expecting it at this time of the year, Madeiran Storm Petrel did not show in any of the 3 days, for the 1st time this year! As usual, Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were a constant everyday.
5th of August 2021 - North wind up to 14 knots and NE waves up to 0.7 meters
3 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - all on the way up
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - also on the ride to the chum
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii - Second for Madeira archipelago!
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
What a great 1st day of pelagic expedition with Pterodromas visiting the chum quite early and finishing with an observation of Swinhoe's Storm-petrel! The next days were quite rough though the show of seabirds continued with many Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis around.
29th of July 2021 - NE wind up to 8 knots swell from North up to 1.7 meters and waves from NE up to 0.8 meters which made the drift quite choppy!
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
3 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
2 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis
Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
Short-finned Pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus
Shortfin Mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus
A great pelagic with all the aimed bird species well observed! Even White-faced Storm Petrel appeared and stood quite a while feeding on the chum! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii were present every day.
24th of July 2021 - North wind up to 7 knots, NNW swell up to 1 meter and north waves up to 0.5 meters
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - on the way up
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
Common Tern Sterna hirundo- juvenile
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
2 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Common Bottlenose Dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Although most of our time has been spent on pelagic expeditions, July is not the best month for vagrant birds as it is a summer month when bird species are breeding on their colonies. Though there are always some visiting birds around...
25th of July 2021 at Caniçal
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
15th of July 2021 at Ponta São Lourenço
5 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
14th of July 2021 at Faial
3 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
The forecasts were for very light wind but it ended up with enough breeze for the seabirds to smell the chum and come and check it! Thousands of Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and hundreds of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were watched through the 3 consecutive afternoons.
6th of July 2021 - Northeast wind up to 6 knots and 1 meter swell from same direction
6 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 2 on the way
5 Pterodroma sp. - 2 on the way to the chumming position
5 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta
Common Bottlenose Dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Shortfin Macko Shark Isurus oxyrinchus
Another light wind pelagic… But the breeze still blown the chum smell further enough to attract the aimed species! and even a 1st record for these pelagic expeditions: Sooty Tern! Again, Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were present everyday.
1st of July 2021 - Flat sea, only a breeze up to 3 knots from southwest which then shifted to west up to 5 knots
3 Pterodroma sp. - 2 on the way up
9 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta sitting within a raft of Cory’s
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus - immature
4 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2 Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus