Great seabirds' list on 1st to 3rd of August pelagic!

It seems that seabirds migration already started though White-faced storm petrel was not an early migrant this year as we watched it dancing on the chum slick! On the eve of the 1st day of pelagic the forecasts were for very light wind for the 3 days but fortunately weather conditions changed and we got really nice windy conditions and great seabirds' sightings each day! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were seen everyday in big numbers.

Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus

1st August 2017 - left Machico under rain but then it was very sunny on the chumming area. It started with light wind up to 4 knots from North but then shifted to Eastern wind up to 6 knots. Swell up to 1.5 meters NW
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Probable Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - did not come close enough for a definite ID
Fino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae - flew relatively close though too fast and both were limital birds to distinguished between Zino's and Fea's
2 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
Sooty shearwater Puffinus griseus
Pterodroma sp. on the way back
Great shearwater Puffinus gravis - on the way back

Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
4 Sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus

Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro

2nd August 2017 - Northeast wind up to 15 knots and wind waves from same direction up to 1 meter
3 Pterodroma sp. on the way up, too far to ID
4 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
3 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 1 on the way up
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
4 Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
3 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
1 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea

Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii

3rd August 2017 - Northerly waves up to 1.5 meters and NE wind up to 15 knots
9 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 3 on the way up
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
2 Pterodroma sp.

Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis

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