On the 26th of May 2009, on a birdwatching tour with Madeira Wind Birds, the following visitant species were seen:


Ponta do Pargo

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Grey Heron Ardea cinera

Ribeira da Janela

Green-wing Teal Anas carolinensis
The male common Teal Anas crecca was matting a female Mallard Anas platyrhynchos... Will there be a new species for Madeira?!? A 'Teallard'?

São Vicente

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii

Later on that same day, at Lugar de Baixo Catarina & Hugo saw:

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Green-wing Teal Anas carolinensis

On the 15th of May 2009 a Wilson Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor was observed by Gil Caboz on Paúl da Serra, on a water reservoir that feeds Calheta power station. This is the second record for Madeira Archipelago with the first one dating for more than 100 years ago.

In Ponta do Pargo Hugo Romano from Madeira Wind Birds observed a Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator which until 2006 was consider a very rare vagrant with fewer than 5 records on the previous 50 years, though Madeira Wind Birds has recorded it in 2007, 2008 and this year again, for the second time already.

On the 16th of May 2009 in Caniçal:
16 Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus
1 Redshank Tringa totanus
2 Barn swallows Hirundo rustica

On the 17th of May 2009 in Ribeira da Janela:
1 Common teal Anas crecca
1 Green-wing teal Anas carolinensis

Lugar de Baixo
1 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
3 Dunlins Calidris alpina

We have been quiet with bird news for a while as we have passed several days at sea with Hadoram Shirihai trying to photograph Zino's Petrels... But for this matter you will have to wait for Hadoram's trip report which will be posted soon with many interesting observations!

For now we will update the observations of vagrant birds to Madeira, observed in land:


24th Abril 2009 at Caniçal
At least 40 Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus
6 Dunlins Calidris alpina
1 Booted Eagle Aquila pennata

At Ribeira Brava
1 Raven Corvus corax

Seawatching at São Vicente
Many Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus
Lots of Cory's Shearwaters

At Lugar de Baixo - observations by Rui Costa
1 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica - male

28th April 2009 and on 4th May 2009 - Observations by Rui Costa
At Lugar de Baixo
2 Bar-tailed Godwit - pair

At Ponta do Pargo
16 Whimbrels

30th April 2009 at Machico
3 Greenshank Tringa nebularia
1 Redshank Tringa totanus
13 Dunlins
1 Little Egret Egretta Garzetta

2nd May 2009 at Lugar de Baixo
8 Dunlins
1 Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis - still the 2nd record

At Ponta do Pargo
18 Whimbrels

5th May 2009 at Lugar de Baixo
2 Bar-tailed Godwits
1 Greenshank
4 Dunlins
1 Whimbrel
1 Green-winged Teal

At Ponta do Pargo
2 Peregrine/Barbary Falcons - seen at long distance
2 Yellow Wagtails - 1 Motacilla flava cinereocapilla and 1 Motacilla flava flava
7 Whimbrels

30th March 2009 at Funchal area
Grey Heron: 2
Cory’s Shearwater: 100+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 2
Manx Shearwater: 6
Turnstone: 1
Plain Swift: 6+

31st March 2009 at Funchal area
Cory’s Shearwater: 100+
Manx Shearwater: 1
Mediterranean Gull: 2 (1st-summer birds) - harbour
Roseate Tern: 3 sitting on buoy in front of Madeira Carlton Hotel
Turnstone: 1
Little Egret: 1
Plain Swift: 10+

1st April 2009 at Funchal area
Cory’s Shearwater: 300+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 5+ (Ponta da Cruz)
Manx Shearwater: 10+
Plain Swift: 50+
Ponta do Pargo:
Swallow 6+
Skylark: 1

2nd April 2009 at Funchal area
Great Skua: 1+
Cory’s Shearwater: 100+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 2
Turnstone: 8
Plain Swift: 10+

3rd April 2009 at Funchal area
Cory’s Shearwater: 300+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 2+
Manx Shearwater: 1
Great Skua: 1
Pallid Swift: 2 (Palheiro Ferreiro)
Plain Swift: 30+

4th April 2009 at Funchal area
Cory’s Shearwater: 400+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 13+
Manx Shearwater: 2
Roseate Tern: 1
Common Tern: 6+
Kittiwake: 1+ adult winter plumage (harbour)
Turnstone: 20+
Plain Swift: 30+
Whimbrel: 1

Lugar de Baixo
Common Sandpiper: 1
Dunlin: 1 (part summer plumage)
Green-winged Teal: 1 adult drake
Little Egret: 1

5th April 2009 at Funchal area
Cory’s Shearwater: 200+
Macaronesian Shearwater: 8+
Manx Shearwater: 1+
Little Egret: 1
Turnstone: 3

On the 24th of March 2009 at Pico do Areeiro by WS
approx. 30 Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

Monte by WS
2 Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

Funchal harbour by NL
1st-winter Iceland Gull

On the 25th of March 2009 at Caniçal by WS
5 Curlews Numenius arquata
approx. 30 House Martins Delichon urbica

Funchal by NL
3 Mediterranean Gulls (all 1st-w) Larus melanocephalus

On the 26th of March 2009 at Funchal harbor by WS
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
approx. 30 Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus
1 Laughing Gull Larus atricilla

On the 27th of March 2009 at Funchal harbor by NL
2 Mediterranean Gulls (1st-w)

On the 28th of March 2009 at Funchal harbor by NL
1st-winter Laughing Gull
2 Mediterranean Gulls (1st-w)

Machico by NL
1st-winter Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
2+ Red-rumped Swallows Cecropis daurica
2+ Sand Martins Riparia riparia
c.15 House Martins

On the 29th of March 2009 at Funchal harbor by NL
1st-winter Laughing Gull

Ribeira Brava by NL
c.30 House Martins
c.5 red-rumped Swallows

Sightings on a Madeira Wind Birds full-day birdwatching:

On the 11th of April 2009 at Lugar de Baixo
Still the 2nd record of the Green-wing teal
1 Little Egret Egreta garzeta
1 Dunlin Calidris alpina
1 Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

Ponta do Pargo
1 Black kite Milvus migrans
1 Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
1 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

13th March 2009 at Barreirinha, Funchal - Observed by Gil Caboz
1 Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

17th March 2009 - on a full-day birdwatching tour
Ponta do Pargo
1 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Lugar de Baixo
1 Green-wing Teal Anas carolinensis
3 Dunlins Calidris alpina
1 Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
First 3 Common Terns Sterna hirundo seen in 2009

Ribeira da Janela
1 Teal Anas crecca
1 Green-wing Teal

São Vicente
4 Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus
1 Common sandpiper

20th March 2009 - on a half-day birdwatching tour
Machico
approx. 20 Red-rumped Swallows Cecropis daurica
1 House Martin Delichon urbica

Caniçal
3 Skylark Alauda arvensis
2 Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra

21st March 2009 at Lugar de baixo
Green-wing Teal
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
2 Dunlins

Ribeira Brava
14 House Martins
2 Red-rumped Swallows

22nd March 2009 at Funchal - seen by Klaus Flemløse
Iceland Gull Larus glaucus