Porto Santo trip report by Madeira Wind Birds - October 2009 | Madeira Birdwatching by Madeira Wind Birds

Hugo & Catarina from Madeira Wind Birds decided to run away from last week's stormy weather in Madeira, which made them cancel many tours, and went to Porto Santo island for birdwatching. Here are the highlights of this trip:

7th of October 2009
Porto Santo Golf Course
>6 Wheaters
13 Sanderlings
1 White Wagtail
1 Purple Heron - juvenile
5 Grey Heron
8 Little Egrets
2 Cattle Egrets
3 Spoonbills
8 Mallards - from which 3 females
11 Coots
2 Greenshanks
1 female Mandarin Duck
6 Buzzards sitting all together

6th of October 2009
North limit of the airport
1 Turtle Dove

Ribeiro Salgado
3 Little Egrets
2 Moorhens
1 Purple Heron - juvenile
1 Grey Heron

5th of October 2009
SE limit of the airport
1 Marsh Harrier - juvenile
2 Wheater
1 Barbary Falcon - probably the same one seen on the 31st of August 2009

Tanque
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Chiffchaf
Still present here were 8 Coots, 1 Ring-necked Duck, 2 Greenshank, 1 Grey Heron

4th of October 2009
On the ferry trip
Cory's shearwaters & Yellow-legged Gulls almost all the way to Porto Santo
4 Fea's Petrels

Beach
4 Sanderlings

Tanque
3 Spoonbills - 1 adult in breeding plumage
2 Grey Herons
9 Coots
1 Ring-necked Duck
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Greenshank
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Green Sandpiper
1 White Wagtail
1 Dunlin
1 Little Stint
6 Collared Doves