Great cetaceans' pelagic trip in Madeira, June 2015

On this pelagic the wind decided not to collaborate and so we had 2 days of very flat sea and no wind at all. These conditions are perfect for whale and dolphin watching but terrible for seabirds... We even postponed the trip for 1 day to try to get a better breeze though it was not enough to make the seabirds more active, although we manage to see 1 Zino's Petrel. We almost saw more species of cetaceans than birds... Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii were seen everyday but mostly seating by the water and only a few investigating the chum.

23rd June 2015 - No more than 4 knots from NW and flat sea.
2 Probable Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 1 on the way to the chumming position and 1 flew by in a distance while on the chumming position
2 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
2 Common Tern Sterna hirundo - juvenile
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa - this was a moulting bird that rose some discussion between the birdwatchers onboard. We had to ask for Bob Flood's help for the definite decision on the ID of this bird.
7 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus

Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis

Blue shark Prionace glauca

25th June 2015 - no wind, very flat sea. Perfect day for cetaceans, not birds...
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii - observed while leaving Machico harbour
1 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - within a big flock of Cory's with 4 Manx shearwaters
9 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus

Common Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus
4 Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus
Atlantic Spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis
Bryde's whale Balaenoptera edeni
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis

Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta

26th June 2015 - grey day with some rain and light breeze up to 6 knots. Waves up to 0,5 meter.
1 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
6 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
1 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
2 presumed Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro - very evasive birds, flying far away from the boat

Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
Short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis
Short-finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus

Blue shark Prionace glauca

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