Taxonomy archive
Madeira Bird News
1-3 June 2024 - Petrels and Storm-petrels display!
Perfect wind and sea conditions on this Zino's Petrel pelagic Expedition allowed us to have very good views of the petrels breeding in Madeira and a good list of storm-petrels! As…
12-14th July 2017 pelagic birds' expedition - rough...but a full plate!
This Wind Birds' pelagic started with a strange first day with only common species at the chum but the consequent days were really successful. Cory's shearwater Calonectris…
13-15th July 2022 - Unexpectedly good pelagic expedition!
After loosing a couple of customers due to strong winds at the airport that diverted the airplanes and consequently cancelled the flights to Madeira, the next days were with very…
13th-15th June 2016 pelagic: Great seabirds and cetaceans!
Another successful Wind Birds' pelagic in the Northeast Atlantic! All aimed seabird species observed very close and 6 cetaceans' species! 13th of June 2016 - Northeast wind up to…
17-19 June 2024: Hat-trick on the last day of pelagic!
The west and northwest winds on the first days changed the dynamic of seabirds though we got some views of the petrels... But on the 3rd day with the usual Northeast wind we've…
17th March 2016 - Research Pelagic Trip Report
On the 17th of March 2016 Wind Birds run a pelagic day with a few participants on the 30th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society. We knew it was too early for Petrels…
19-20 August 2025 Pelagic Expedition
By mid-August we were expecting some more seabird species passing by on their migration but we still got a Long-tailed Jaeger and a few Arctic tern. As per usual, Cory's…
1st record of American Coot for Madeira
1st record for Yellow-crowned Wagtail
1st week July 2021 - Pelagic Expedition with some surprises!
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!…
1st pelagic of 2026 brought us a Black-capped Petrel!
We usually start the pelagics later in May to guarantee Desertas' Petrels which are the latest ones to arrive to Madeira, normally between mid and end of May. But April and early…
Finally the 1st pelagic expedition of 2020! August 2-4
After the cancellation of several Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition due to the coronavirus situation, we were finally able to welcome the 9 participants for the 1st Zino's Petrel…
2nd Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2011
The 2nd Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2011 has run successfully, with many seabirds observed at a close distance, even with rough sea!
January 2012 bird observations in Madeira
January has almost been a summer month in Madeira this year and we believe that will be one of the reasons for some of the vagrant birds to stay around for a while. As it has not…
2019 New Year's bird species visiting Madeira
Happy New Year to all of you who read our Madeira birding news! This year started with light southerly winds which usually do not blow any migratory birds into Madeira but we'll…
2021 December birdwatching in Madeira
With summer temperatures during this winter month let's see which species will visit the island... Happy Holidays to all!! 31st of December 2021 at Funchal 5 Little Egret Egretta…
2021, September bird records for Madeira
September should be a good month for migration although the temperatures in Madeira are still quite high, resembling mid-summer... Let's see if the winds blow any interesting…
2024 1st Zino's Pelagic Expedition, 9th-11th May
A rough start for our 1st Zino's Petrel pelagic Expeditions of 2024 with strong wind and quite choppy sea but we had amazing views and number of Zino's Petrels! As usual, Cory's…
26th to 28th June 2018 pelagic - calm... but with great observations!
This pelagic expedition started with a very light wind which normally is not so good to watch seabirds though we did manage to observe them all very close! Cory’s shearwater…
3 days for a perfect Zino's Petrel - 31st July to 2nd August 2024
Although the wind conditions were quite good it seemed the bird species changed the areas where they usually are around... On the first 2 days we could not watch a proper Zino's…
3rd record of Common Scoter for Madeira
On morning of the 15th of October 2012 Andrea & Harald Grabenhofer from Austria observed and identified an immature Common Scoter Melanitta nigra in Calheta marina, Madeira. They…
4th-6th July 2023 - Troubled pelagic but great for Pterodromas!
Due to a malfunctioning in one of the engines we were not able to run the 2nd day of this pelagic expeditions but we had great views of both Pterodroma madeira and Pterodroma…
Pelagic 5-7 July 2022. No Oceanodroma species this time...
Despite having the right sea and wind conditions for storm-petrels, which makes it a bit uncomfortable for the birdwatchers, this time we only had 1 European Storm Petrel... But…
All in 1 (day) pelagic expedition, 24th-26th July 2022
What a start for a Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition! We saw all the aimed species in a single day, even White-faced Storm Petrel which has been scarce in the last 4 years! The 2nd…
'All in one' Pelagic Expedition - June 2018
Amazing pelagic expedition with the aimed species observed very well and the four seasons felt! Although the wind kept calming down through the days we got very close views of the…
Amazing petrels day! Pelagic expedition 12-14 June 2024
An amazing set of 3 afternoon pelagic trips varying a lot with position and ocean conditions! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria…
American Wigeon in Madeira
On the 4th of November 2008 at Lugar de Baixo pond Madeira Wind Birds and its customers have observed the bird on the photos. After a detailed observation everyone decided it is…
April's 2014 birding reports for Madeira
On the very first days of April the wind blowed strongly from west quadrant and rain fell heavily... As this is a migration month, lets see which vagrant species were blown off…
April 2015 birdwatching reports for Madeira
April has started with a nice influx of passage birds (vagrant birds) in Madeira as the eastern winds blow a few migrants off their course: 26th of April 2015 at Ponta do Pargo >…
April's 2016 visitant birds to Madeira
April started colder this year although while birdwatching one can already spot Spring behaviours in wildlife... A pair of Common Moorhen in Machico already has 4 chicks and…
April's 2023 birdwatching records for Madeira
First week of April started with summer temperatures and some eastern winds which is a good combinations to divert some migratory bird species out of their routes into Madeira...…
April's 2024 birdwatching records to Madeira
In April Spring should be 'well installed' and so northwards migration should be on and in Madeira one can watch birds displaying, nesting or already feeding their chicks! Last…
August 2016 - visitant birds to Madeira
August is when we start to get some vagrant birds to Madeira, not only in land but also at sea. During the second week of August wildfires hit Funchal and burnt a lot of people's…
August 2021 - birdwatching in Madeira
August is that time of year when Madeira starts to get some visiting bird species which were blown out of their migration route... So let's see what this hot weather will bring…
August 2025 vagrant bird species report
August, despite being a summer month, sometimes brings interesting bird species to Madeira as some birds begin their migration. We were excited that a White-rumped Sandpiper was…
August 2026 birdwatching records for Madeira
With such high temperatures all over the world wildlife will also suffer with it and might change its behaviour or routines... Let's see which species visit Madeira on this…
Back to great pelagic days! 29th-31st July 2026
What a rich pelagic expedition in terms of seabird species and some cetaceans as well! We finally got to see Barolo's shearwater (1st confirmed observation this year!) and…
November 2011 bird records in Madeira
November was good for migrating birds to stop by Madeira Island. Some European species and an American one made our birdwatching month with the 1st confirmed record of Hen Harrier…
October 2011 bird records in Madeira
The Madeira bird news of October include some rare vagrants and some more common while the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, on the 2nd of October 2011, was still around Funchal marina…
Vagrant bird species observed in June 2013
3rd June 2013 off Calheta 1 Red-billed Tropic Bird Phaethon aethereus 2nd June 2013 at Lugar de Baixo 1 Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis 1 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Birds visiting Madeira in September 2017
September is a good month for migration and so in Madeira archipelago we sometimes get some interesting vagrant species... More, with all these storms on the other side of the…
Birding around Christmas festivities in Madeira - December 2024
Seasonally speaking we are almost entering winter but the maximum temperatures in Madeira coastal areas have been still above 24ºC which was not usual for early December... 30th…
Birding in Madeira - April 2026
April's a good month for migration! Let's see which species are blown out of their migratory route into this small piece of land and concrete, called Madeira... 27th of April 2026…
Birding in Madeira - August 2020
August should be a good season for some migratory birds to be blown off their course and be watched in Madeira archipelago though it has been a bit quiet around... 31st of August…
Birding in Madeira, August 2022
In August starts some of the migration and depending from where the winds blow, Madeira might get some vagrant birds passing/stopping by... 31st of August 2022 at Machico 14 Ruddy…
February 2018 bird visitors to Madeira
February is a transition month, while some passerines start displaying, like Spectacled warbler, other birds are still in their winter schedule. In Madeira February started cooler…
Birding in Madeira - February, 2020
February started with warmer temperatures than previous years and that, despite delighting the tourists that visit the island, is quite worrying in a nature conservation…
Birding in Madeira, February 2023 - it's been 19 years!
In February some of the breeding species start to display, as Spectacled Warbler and Atlantic Canary. As for passing birds, we already had a few records of Common House Martin and…
Birding in Madeira - July 2021
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…
Birding in Madeira - June 2022
June is a transition month between Spring and Summer and usually Madeira is a stop over for some birds in migration... 28th of June 2022 off Machico Peregrine falcon Falco…
Birding in Madeira - June 2024
June should be a summer month though there is still some late migratory birds being blown off their course into Madeira islands. Let see what June 2024 will bring us... 30th of…
Birding in Madeira, March 2017
Spring is here!!! Passerines are displaying and Common House Martin and Barn Swallow are on their way up North as they are already passing through Madeira... Now lets hope for…
Birding in Madeira - March 2021
March... the first month of Spring! 2021 is not corresponding to anybody expectations but we sure hope by mid-Spring we can get a bit closer to normal with travelling resuming to…
Birding in Madeira, May 2019
May is a good month for birdwatching worldwide! In Madeira it started with some rain in the north and east tip of the island but it is normally real Spring month, so let's see…
Birding in Madeira - May 2021
Finally the Sars-Cov2 restrictions are lifting up again and tourism is slowly coming back to Madeira! So we are resuming our tours and sea trips from the last week of May! Despite…
Birding in Madeira, May 2024
May tends to be a very good month for migratory birds to be blown off their migratory course into this small peace of land that is Madeira. Let see which species may be visiting…
Birding in May in Madeira, 2026
May is the month of uncertainties, like its name suggests - it may rain, it may be sunny, it may be cold or it may be hot... we just never know! It is similar with the birds,…
Birding in Madeira in November 2015
Temperature just dropped as November started but the sun is shining! November is normally good for some vagrant ducks but Madeira is always a surprise box, we never know which…
Birding in Madeira, November 2017
End of October was very warm and with light winds which was almost better than summer! But in November, the month before Christmas, temperatures already dropped a little bit and…
Birdwatching in Madeira, November 2018
It's November and air and sea temperatures are still above 20ºC... Perfect conditions for the migrating birds to stop by and rest for a few days before continuing their journey!…
Birding in Madeira, November 2020
In November temperatures start to decrease and rain gets more often. Depending on the winds direction, we may get some interesting species landing in Madeira: 21st of November…
Birding in Madeira in November, 2021
Despite the summer temperatures at the beginning of this month, migration is on and so some birds are still visiting Madeira... 30th of November 2021 at Calheta marina - reported…
Birding in Madeira, November 2025
Although it is already November, air temperatures are still above 22ºC in Madeira and winds are mostly blowing from the south quadrant which is not so common... Let's see if there…
Birding in Madeira in October 2019
October is usually a good month for migration and with some of these climate changes blowing hurricanes to the Northeast Atlantic it may be a good combination to deviate some…
Birding in Madeira, October 2023
Very high temperatures for the beginning of the autumn, reaching 30ºC... It is migration time, but it seems the weather seasons are disappearing. Let's see which species will be…
Madeira Pelagic Trip - 29th to 31st July 2014
This Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition was marked by light winds which are not the best conditions for seawatching. It makes the seabird's activity very slow and does not spread…
Birding news for Madeira, November 2022
Deep in Autumn, November tends to be a good month for some migratory birds to stop by Madeira, normally waders and ducks... Let's see which bird species will pass by Madeira this…
Birding in November, Madeira, 2019
November should be a winter month but until mid-November we have been getting summer weather, with quite high temperatures for this time of year and not so much rain as one should…
Birding observations around Madeira during September 2019
Migration is on its best this month so lets hope wind will blow some bird species this way to diversify the birding population around Madeira! Despite the 48 breeding species it…
Birding Pelagic Expedition 31st July - 2nd August 2019
We had some good wind but the storm-petrel seem to be out on vacation... Anyway, we got good views of Zino's and Fea's/Desertas Petrels and, of course, the everyday seabirds…
Birding records around Madeira, May 2025
May started with the Madeira flower festival but in what concerns to sustainability, we'll just tell you that on the flower parade there were a few dozen of ballons released... :(…
Birding records for Madeira, October 2024
October should be an autumn month but temperatures in Madeira are still like summer... Migration should be on its way, so let's see which bird species will visit Madeira…
Birding records for Madeira, September 2025
It's that time of year again when summer is ending and the birds start their winter migration... So let's see which bird species will be blown off their course into Madeira: 28th…
March 2015 birding report for Madeira
March means Spring and as one may consider that in Madeira it is Spring all year around, some of the resident bird species are already nesting and others displaying, so bird music…
December 2012 bird news for Madeira
December is always a good month for vagrant birds in Madeira and the first day of birdwatching around the island was somewhat productive... 30th December 2012 on a Bird, dolphin &…
Birds visiting Madeira for season holidays - December 2018
December started with strong easterly winds and very warm temperatures, beating the records of the last 50 years. Lets see if these inviting temperatures and the winds pushed some…
Birds visiting Madeira in July 2015
The heat wave in Europe might push some birds into the mild temperatures of Madeira... Let's watch which birds will visit this archipelago during July: 27th of July 2015 off Ponta…
Birds visiting Madeira in April 2017
April is starting with some Easterly winds which are the best to blow vagrant birds out of their migration route between Africa and Europe... So lets see what April has to offer…
August 2013 vagrant birds for Madeira
August has been hot and there are already some bird species visiting Madeira, as: 30th of August at Machico harbour - recorded by Andy Paterson (ESP) 1 Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus…
September bird news for Madeira
Just as September is ending the species of vagrant birds visiting Madeira are getting more interesting... So far we had the uncommon records of 2 Buff-breasted sandpipers at Paul…
Birdwatching and Seawatching Report, July 2006
table#oreport i {font-size: 80%} Relevant observations during our birdwatching and seawatching trips in July 2006. Birds Class Aves Cetaceans Order Cetacea Zino's Petrel…
Birdwatching after coronavirus confinement- June 2020
Although Madeira was not severely hit by Covid-19 as we only had 90 cases and fortunately no deaths, the rules of confinement were quite strict, so with no tourists around we just…
Birdwatching in August 2019 in Madeira
In August migration starts and so there is always a good chance to get some interesting vagrant bird species stopping or passing by Madeira archipelago. Roseate Terns, for…
Birdwatching in Madeira in August 2017
In August starts the migration, specially for seabirds! And we already watched Great shearwater and some Skuas around, so lets see what else this summer month blows to Madeira…
Birdwatching in June 2017, Madeira archipelago
Summer starts in June so most of the bird species are already in their breeding areas which consequently makes it a quiet month for vagrant birds around Madeira. Anyhow sometimes…
Birdwatching in Madeira archipelago - April 2025
April is usually a good month for migratory birds to be blown off their course and into the islands of Madeira archipelgo... Let's see what the wind will blow our way: 30th of…
Birdwatching in August 2014 in Madeira
In August starts the migration and so Madeira always get a few vagrants passing by on their way to the South. Though we are out of most of the birds' migration routes, we do get a…
Birdwatching in Madeira, August 2018
August started with very hot temperatures in mainland Portugal but Madeira is been keeping its mild temperatures and even some rain, so lets see if which birds prefer this…
Birdwatching in Madeira in April 2019
April, in Madeira, started under water and cold temperatures which made us cancel a few tours. Heavy rain is not good to watch birds and it is also not safe to go around the…
Birdwatching in Madeira during December 2019
December is a low season in Madeira not only for birds as all seabirds have migrated but also for tourism. Although temperatures are better than in the rest of Europe, only the…
Birdwatching in Madeira, December 2025
Let's see which bird species are coming to spend Chritmas and New Year in Madeira, despite the amount of fireworks all over the island at this time of year... 31st of December…
Madeira Birdwatching in February 2015
27th February 2015 at Lugar de Baixo Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna 26th February 2015 at Machico Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Little Egret Egretta garzetta Ruddy Shelduck…
Birdwatching in Madeira, February 2017
Despite the strong winds and big waves that hit Azores and the North of mainland Portugal in the first days of February, Madeira started this Carnival month with sunshine, light…
21 years birdwatching in Madeira! February 2025 bird observations
It's been 21 years since Wind Birds started its operation! It has not been an easy ride, specially in what concerns to Nature as there is not much awareness or conservation in…
Birdwatching in Madeira, July 2020
July was the re-opening of Madeira airport and many other commercial activities though the number of tourists arriving to the island is still quite scarce... But some bird species…
Birdwatching in Madeira - July 2026 records
It has been a very quiet summer in terms of vagrant or accidental bird species in Madeira archipelago... 23rd of July 2026 at Santo da Serra Reservoir Green Sandpiper Tringa…
Birdwatching in Madeira in June 2016
Summer starts in June and although we get all Madeira seabirds around for their breeding grounds it is not such a good month for vagrant birds in land... Though there are still…
Bird visitants to Madeira in June 2018
In terms of vagrant birds, birdwatching in June is normally less interesting than in May but when talking about birds we never know... Let's see what which bird species are blown…
Birdwatching in Madeira, June 2021
June... a summer month! It started with some strong winds which may still blow some bird species into this piece of land... Temperatures are quite high already, as well as the UV…
Birdwatching in Madeira during March 2018
The first two weeks of March were very stormy with heavy rain, strong winds from western quadrant and rough sea. Not safe nor comfortable conditions to go out birding... But birds…
Birdwatching in Madeira during March 2019
March is the start of Spring and we can already watch some of the native birds displaying! It is also the start of migration northwards, so lets see if we get some eastern winds…
Birdwatching in Madeira - March 2020
By end of February some easterly winds blew strongly, bringing sand and warm temperatures from the Sahara Desert. Some birds may also have been blown off their course and were…
Birdwatching in Madeira, March 2022
After a couple of difficult years we had some days off so the bird news about Madeira where a little slow for a while... March, despeite being a Spring month brought some strong…
Birdwatching in Madeira - March 2026 records
The winds have been blowing quite strongly from the north, accelerating over the island's tips. This may interfere with bird flights, and it has certainly been affecting local air…
Birdwatching in Madeira, May 2018
May started with some cooler temperatures and light winds which is not so good to blow migrating birds off their migration route into Madeira. Breeding birds are already in…
Birdwatching in Madeira, November 2016
It seems November will be a month for more interesting visitant birds to Madeira...at least judging from the first week records... 20th November 2016 at Palheiro Gardens, Funchal…
Birdwatching around Madeira - November 2023
November has started but the temperatures are still around 25ºC intercalated with some rainy days... As it is still migration season anything can stop by Madeira archipelago, so…
Birdwatching in Madeira, November 2024
First, our deepest sympathy to the loss of lives and homes in the south of Spain due to the extreme weather events. It is heartbreaking to watch the consequences of climate…
Birdwatching in Madeira - September 2020
In September starts the autumn and so it is time for some migratory birds to fly to their wintering grounds... If we get the right winds in Madeira, we might get some species…
Birdwatching around Madeira in September 2022
September is starting with some easterly winds which during migration are good to blow some birds out of their course, into Madeira... 28th of September 2022 at Machico Spotted…
Birdwatching in May around Madeira, 2017
May is that month when all seabirds are back to their breeding colonies in Madeira and it is also a good month for vagrant birds. So lets wait and watch for the pelagic and land…
Birdwatching news for Madeira, October 2017
Another migration month! October started with summer weather, with warm winds from the eastern quadrant though not strong enough to blow many different species out of their course…
September 2013 birdwatching news for Madeira
September is being a good month for North American birds, so far... 28th September in Caniçal 3 Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 27th September in Chão Ribeira 1…
Birdwatching records for Madeira during December 2014
Larus hyperboreus " class="img-responsive caption"/>
Birdwatching records for Madeira, October 2025
October brough the autumn weather and maybe with it can also blow some vagrant birds out of their migratory course and into this piece of land (still) called Madeira (which means…
Birdwatching for vagrant birds in Madeira, September 2015
September started with very light winds which does not push many birds into this piece of land in the North Atlantic... Even seabirds' migration is a bit slow... Lets see what the…
Black Bellied Storm-petrel: Madeira 1st Record
Calm but great pelagic expedition, 14th-16th June 2023
After the storm last week we managed to have a soft pelagic expedition with light winds and a nice number of species watched, being the highlight the Red-billed Tropicbird which…
Calm & relaxing but not so good for stormies...
This time was a bit too calm for seabirds which should have been good for cetaceans but those decided to go on holidays somewhere else! The first 2 days were really 'too' calm…
'Can't have it all' pelagic 12-14 June 2025
We've got perfect ocean and wind conditions and great views of the seabirds species that passed on the chum slick but we missed the now rare White-faced storm petrel and the…
Cape Verde Shearwater - pelagic expedition August 5th!
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…
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…
Petrels and Cetaceans pelagic 25-27th July 2018
Another pelagic with light winds which is great for cetaceans but not so good for storm petrels... 5 species of Odontoceti (toothed whales) were observed and great sightings of…
A very choppy but full pelagic expedition, 1st - 3rd June 2022
This pelagic started with strong westerly wind and rough ocean and ended up with very light wind but still quite choppy... As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis ,…
Cinammon or Blue-winged Teal : 1st or 2nd Record for Madeira
1st record of Cinammon Teal or 2nd record of Blue-winged Teal? - let us know your thoughts on the comment's box below! Today, on the 19th of October 2012 at Faial river mouth at…
No birdwatching in April and May due to coronavirus confinement
Due to the Coronavirus situation which messed up the whole world and made us stay home for a few weeks, we were unable to go around the island or to the ocean to watch for birds…
MEGA bird for Madeira - Dark-eyed Junco - 1st record
On the 20th December 2009 along the Lido promenade in Funchal Catarina & Hugo, from Madeira Wind Birds recorded what is called a LBJ, i.e. a Little Brown Job which turned out to…
December 2020 bird sightings in Madeira
It is finally the last month of this very weird year... Birdwatching tours are at its lowest in Madeira but birds are still visiting the island, so lets try to get some good…
December's 2022 visiting species to Madeira
December is usually a good time of year for some visiting ducks as the rains fill up some water reservoirs... Let's see if this is the case this year... The rain is falling well…
December 2013 birdwatching records for Madeira
In December there are still some vagrant birds that decide to spend Christmas or New Year's in Madeira and with the storms that have been moving in the North Atlantic there might…
Despite the odds it was another great pelagic expedition, 6th - 8th July 2021
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…
Slow pelagic expedition - 18-20 July 2024
This was the slowest pelagic expedition of 2024 in all aspects! Light wind conditions although increasing a little bit every day and quite hot temperatures of air (max around…
Eclipsed by Bulwer's! Pelagic 10-12th August 2026
The pelagic started with great sightings of Skuas, 2 quick views of Zino's Petrels and then Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and some Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis…
Vagrant Bird News for Madeira in October 2015
October tends to be a good month for vagrant birds in Madeira and it is also the month of the BirdLife Europe’s annual Euro Birdwatch, so lets see which migrating birds are blown…
February 2012 bird observations
This month, more exactly on the 11th February 2012 it made 5 years since the Green-wingged teal was first recorded in Ribeira da Janela and this american bird is still in the same…
February 2014 birding records for Madeira
This month Wind Birds is celebrating 10 years old and so birds and birdwatchers are all invited to come to Madeira and enjoy our nature and good weather! 26th February 2014 at…
February 2024 - bird records for Madeira
We keep beating air temperature records for each month in Madeira and birds are displaying like it is Spring time already... It is getting scary all this climate changes and…
February 2026 birding records for Madeira
This year, the weather has been quite extreme, with several storms affecting mainland Portugal and the Azores. Fortunately, Madeira has remained relatively safe from these…
Final deep sea pelagic of 2019 - there's more next year!
It was not the expected ending for 2019 as we missed a good view of Zino's Petrel. We saw it on all other 2019 pelagic expeditions though... The good part is that Storm-petrels…
1st record for Corn Bunting in Madeira
Murdo Macdonald sent us an e-mail yesterday, reporting his sighting of a Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra in Ponta do Pargo ,on the 10th April 2011 . These were his words: "A single…
Another first record for Madeira - Pacific Golden Plover
Another first record for Madeira - Pacific Golden Plover Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva The end of 2010 Summer is being very…
First 2021's Zino's Petrel Pelagic - May 26th, 27th and 28th
Finally we are back to the ocean to look for some of the rarest seabirds in Western Palearctic! Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii are a…
First amazing Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2015
The first Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition of 2015 was a great success in terms of Pterodromas , with 10 Zino's and even one Fea's petrel - which was not expected by this time of…
Frank Zino's bird report of Porto Santo on 13th April 2013
We here thank to Frank Zino for sending us his trip report about the bird species observed in Porto Santo island on the 13th of April 2013. Tanque: 1 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 3…
Gadwalls and Reed Bunting in Madeira
Short news for two interesting records for Madeira on October 26, 2010: Lugar de Baixo at 9am a juvenile Gadwall Anas strepera was seen. Later at 7pm a drake Gadwall was seen at…
Good start of pelagic's season, 28-30 May 2023
Despite the uncommon wind direction (Southwest) for this time of year which blown the most common seabirds, like Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel…
Got them all! Pelagic 5th-7th June 2022
The wind conditions were good for the 3 days pelagic but the number of seabirds around were not as much as we are used to... Anyway, we got to see all the aimed species, including…
Birding in Madeira by Graham Ekins
Sightings of Graham Ekins between May 12 and May 14, 2011.
Another great Pterodroma pelagic expedition! - 25th to 27th June 2019
Another great Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition for Pterodromas though not so great for storm petrels as in previous years we did get a few different species of these small petrels…
Great Pterodromas show! - pelagic 12-14 June 2026
After two weeks of very strong winds it calmed down just for this pelagic expedition, so we were lucky to get the perfect conditions for a relatively comfortable trip with good…
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…
Great start for the Madeira Pelagics 2016!
Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca " class="img-responsive caption"/> In terms of weather and sea conditions we had a bit of everything and regarding seabird species we almost got them…
Great start for the Zino's Petrel Pelagics season! 17-19 May 2022
After hibernating for 6 months 'Oceanodroma' rhib is running Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expeditions again and with a great start! 7 Zino's petrel, 7 Madeiran storm petrel and 7…
Great views of Pterodromas on the Pelagic Expedition early July 2018
This pelagic expedition was not as breezy as we would like and although we got good observations and numbers of Zino's Petrels and Desertas Petrels we missed a few storm petrels…
Gyr Falcon in Madeira - an escapee from somewhere
On Sunday, the 26th of October 2008 an Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus was observed in Funchal coast, just near Santiago Fortress. Thanks to Tom McCanna who called to alert Madeira…
Despite habitat loss Coots breed in Lugar de Baixo for the 2nd year!
Once again Nature was stronger and overcame the loss of habitat in Lugar de Baixo pond in Ponta do Sol, Madeira. Today we could observe 4 chicks of Coot Fulica atra being fed by 2…
'Had them all' pelagic expedition! 24-26 July 2021
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…
Half a dozen of Zino's Petrels! Successful pelagic expedition 23rd-25th June 2023
Finally we had a more common pelagic expedition with good wind on the 1st two days and from the predominant quadrant: North! Fortunately we have seen all the aimed species on the…
Harsh seas, great petrels' show, 19th - 21st July 2022
This was the roughest pelagic so far. It started with quite tolerable wind and sea conditions but got worst as the days went by... But, what is not so comfortable for us is great…
Hat trick pelagic expedition,15th-17th July 2023
Another great pelagic went by and this time we got the 3 highlight species of these expeditions: Zino's Petrel, Madeiran storm petrel and White-faced Storm petrel plus the…
2nd record of European Honey Buzzard for Madeira archipelago
On the 21st of May 2011 the group of Spanish birdwatchers who joined us on the first Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2011 went to Porto Santo Island and on the golf course…
Inverted Pelagic Expedition, 27 - 29 May 2026
The forecasts were quite good as there was some relatively flat sea (comfortable for us) but still a nice breeze (good for the seabirds) though it turned out to be quite weird…
January 2014 birding records for Madeira
Happy New Year!!! First we wish you a successful 2014 with many new species on your life list and great birdwatching experiences. January still brings some vagrant birds to…
January 2015 Birdwatching reports for Madeira
First of all, Happy New Year to everyone! May your 2015 be a BIG Year! 30th January 2015 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Peter & Jacky Truelove (UK) Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Great…
January 2017 - reports for vagrant birds in Madeira
First of all, Happy New Year for all of you! We hope you have a joyful 2017 with plenty of bird observations and great unique records! Here is the list of birds that have visited…
January 2018 birding observations
Happy New Year for all birders around the world!!! It seems clear that climate is changing and although in some parts of the globe temperatures are really low, in others, like…
January 2021 birding observations for Madeira archipelago
Happy New Year!!! And we sure hope this year will be better than the last one!!! Despite the cold weather it seems that some migratory birds decided to spend the New Year in…
January 2023 birding observations for Madeira archipelago
Happy New Year! Rain and wind can divert some birds out of their migratory route into these little pieces of land named Madeira islands. Let's see what 2023 has reserved for us in…
January 2024 - Birding madeira news
We certainly would like to wish a happy 2024 but for those who observe nature and actually care about it, it is not looking good... Anyway, let's keep hope alive and do our best…
January 2026 - Birding records for Madeira
New year, same old strategies... It is disheartening to see continued focus on new construction, increasing fireworks shows and, consequently the destruction of natural habitats.…
July birdwatching news for Madeira
July was a quiet month in terms of vagrant birds but here are the highlights: 30th July 2013 at Santo da Serra Golf Course Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva 21st July 2013 at…
July 2014 vagrant bird species while birding in Madeira
July is not a very popular month for vagrant bird species though there are still a few found around the archipelago of Madeira. These are the birds seen while birding on Wind…
July 2018 birding observations around Madeira
July is not the best month for vagrant birds though there is always a chance to find some lost bird in Madeira... 30th of July 2018 at Ponta do Pargo Peregrine Falcon Falco…
July 2022 - birdwatching in Madeira
July, as a summer month, is not the best period for vagrant birds but as climate change is being felt everywhere, lets see which bird species are blown into Madeira archipelago...…
July 2025 birdwatching news for Madeira
July began with strong winds on the east side of Madeira, causing many flight cancellations and diversions. This unfortunately led to shortened or canceled holidays for some…
July birding reports for Madeira, 2019
July tends to be a quiet month regarding vagrant bird species though in what regards to the weather it has been a bit weird as it seems more like a spring month than a summer one,…
July 2016 visitant birds to Madeira
July is usually a quiet month for vagrant birds though some years some of the wintering birds extend their stay into summer... 27th July 2016 at Machico - reported by Daniel…
July 2024 birding observations around Madeira
July, as a summer month does usually bring much vagrant birds to Madeira though with all these climate changes it is just "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're…
June 2014 birdwatching news for Madeira
June is the first summer month though some late migrating bird species might still be around or visit Madeira. Lets see what Madeira gets: 21st June 2014 Ponta do Pargo Peregrine…
June 2019 birding observations in Madeira
Temperatures already feel like August though we are still in June... Global warming is what is called! Let's see which bird species are blown to Madeira and out of their migratory…
June 2025 - vagrant birds visiting Madeira
June might still be good for some late migratory birds which got off their course to stop by Madeira, so let's see which species we will get this year! 20th of June 2025 at…
June 2015 vagrant birds' sightings in Madeira
The first days of June were marked by very strong winds from the Northeast quadrant so we might expect some interesting late migrants to visit Madeira... 27th of June 2015 at…
Lack of species but got what we aimed for! 15-17 July 2025
It was an unusual pelagic trip in terms of both the number of birds and the species we observed. Interestingly, we even missed the Yellow-legged Gull in the chum on two out of the…
Light wind delays migration - pelagic August 13-15 pelagic 2022
Light wind does not help seabirds' migration and it gets more difficult to watch Madeiran storm petrel as well... Anyway, it was a comfortable pelagic expedition with some great…
Light wind pelagic... 2021, August 19-21
This was a pelagic with very light wind which blown us some interesting migrant seabirds but was not enough to attract a Madeira Storm Petrel to the chum... As usual, Cory's…
Another light wind pelagic expedition... August 24-26, 2021
Another light wind pelagic but this time with the wind blowing from unusual quadrants which did not bring us many migratory seabird species... Anyway, Cory's shearwater…
Light winds of change - pelagic expedition 14-16th July 2026
Finally got some proof the storm petrels still exist around Madeira! The light wind from a very unusual quadrant (south) for summertime brought us a White-faced storm petrel but…
Local stormies don't like calm seas... Pelagic 18-20 June 2026
A very smooth pelagic expedition which turned out good for Pterodromas , for non local storm petrels and other marine vertebrates but not so much for the Madeira breeding storm…
2nd record of Long-tailed Duck to Madeira archipelago
December 2011 bird observations in Madeira
On the last month of 2011 Madeira received several vagrant birds from which a big group of Glossy Ibis, a rare vagrant to this archipelago and the numbers seen are not common at…
March 2013 birding news for Madeira
On the first week of March Madeira was under a stormy weather with very strong winds blowing from the western quarter, so after the storm it is time to look for vagrant birds that…
Madeira Birdwatching news for February 2013
February started with some strong winds from the East quadrant which normally brings some different vagrant birds to Madeira. So lets see which birds landed in Madeira for the…
January 2013 birdwatching news for Madeira
Happy Birding New Year! The new year started with great weather, sunny days with light wind and 19ºC of average temperature. This would attract any visitor for a winter break but…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - June 4, 5, 6
One more memorable Madeira Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition, by Wind Birds , went by with the aimed species well observed and with extraordinary moments performed by Gervai's…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - August 28, 29, 30
The last Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2012 gave the highest number of species seen this year on a Wind Birds' pelagic trips as this was migration time and so several…
August 2012 bird news for Madeira
End of August is always a good time of the year to start to find surprising birds in Madeira... So far we already got 4 Eleonora's Falcons but the migrating season has just…
July 2012 birdwatching news for Madeira
21st July 2012 at Faial river mouth Kingfisher Alcedo atthis - observed by Thierry Decouttere (TD) from France and also observed on the 26th by Thomas Kuppel from Germany 20th…
Madeira birdwatching news for May 2013
May is here and by the end of the month starts the Zino's Petrels Pelagic Expeditions ! Meantime Bulwer's petrel are back to Madeira and can be observed on the Bird, dolphin &…
October birdwatching news for Madeira
31st October 2012 at Caniçal 1 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 30th October 2012 at Faial - reported by Heikki Vasamies, Finland 2 Mallards Anas platyrhynchos 1 Wigeon Anas…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - July 23, 24, 25
Another Pelagic Expedition in Madeira run with good quality observations though not such big numbers of species seen... 25th July 1 Pterodroma sp. on the way to the chum 1 Arctic…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - August 6, 7, 8
This was the pelagic trip with less wind so far this year but Wind Birds team managed to find the aimed birds! Only White-faced Storm Petrel was missed but in compensation we got…
April 2013 birding news for Madeira
April started very quiet in what regards to vagrant birds... The wind has been light in contrast with March but we are still waiting for some strong easterly winds to blow some…
March 2012 observations in Madeira
3 first records during March for Madeira: 1st confirmed record of Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius on the 10th by Petr Podzemny from Czech Republic. On the 14th 1st record of…
May 2012 birdwatching news for Madeira
Inland birdwatching in Madeira, during May 2012, produced the following vagrant bird observations: 30th May Cabo Girão Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba 27th May Lugar de Baixo…
Madeira Pelagic Expedition for Petrels - August 26th, 27th & 28th
Madeira Pelagic Expedition - 30th July to 2nd August 2013
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - May 28, 29, 30
Another successful pelagic expedition has finished with all targeted species of seabirds observed with the highlights being the amazing encounters with sea mammals, such as…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - May 22, 23, 24
Following the success of the last years the 2012 pelagic trips season started. May 25 2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea Bulwer's petrel…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition - 17th to 19th June 2014
Another pelagic went by and though not so many seabird species were seen as on the previous pelagic by end of May 2014, there were good numbers and high quality sightings of…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - August 1, 2, 3
The first Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition of August 2012 already showed some vagrant birds as Wilson's storm petrel and Sooty shearwater but the later in the month the better it…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - August 22, 23, 24
Seabirds migration has started! We can say that by the species we already got during this Wind Birds Zino's Petrel Madeira Pelagic Expedition! 24th of August 2012 At the back of…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - July 10, 11, 12
A great pelagic trip where good species of pelagic birds were seen though the White-faced petrel did not visited us this time... Well, that is birdwatching! But the 7 different…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - June 12, 13, 14
This Madeira Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition, by Wind Birds was very rewarding though a bit tiring as strong wind is what the seabirds love though it makes the trip a bit hard…
Madeira Birdwatching in December 2017
December started very wet in Madeira which is not so good (and in some places not safe!) to go out birdwatching... Anyway, let's see what Santa will bring us in terms of vagrant…
May 2014 Zino's Pelagic Expedition Report
2014 Madeira pelagic expeditions started with a long list of seabirds seen! 17 species of marine birds and 3 species of cetaceans were observed during the 3 days of Wind Birds'…
Madeira birdwatching - sightings report, October 2014
31st October 2014 at Porto Moniz - reported by Graham Scott (UK) Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularius 30th October 2014 at Lugar de Baixo White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris…
Madeira Birdwatching in December 2015
December has started warmer and drier than usual and although some storms are happening on the North Atlantic, in Madeira it still feels like summer and it still is quiet in terms…
Madeira - birdwatching in July 2017
July is a quiet month for vagrant birds around Madeira archipelago though sometimes we may get some surprises as some early migrants can stop by... 31st of July 2017 at Machico -…
Madeira birdwatching news for August 2024
Usually in August starts migration and depending on wind and weather conditions sometimes Madeira gets a few vagrant birds which were diverted from their migration course... Some…
November 2012 birdwatching news for Madeira
November has started very wet and with strong winds increasing the amount of sightings for vagrant birds... Madeira this month is having some interesting vagrant birds... 28th…
Madeira, birdwatching in October 2018
October started as a summer month in Madeira with high temperatures. Migration is on the go though on the continent strong easterly winds were felt and these can push some birds…
November 2014 Birdwatching Report
27th November 2014 at Machico Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 4 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 26th November 2014 at Paul da Serra Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia At…
Deep Sea Pelagic Expedition - August 9th, 10th & 12th
Madeira deep sea pelagic -1st to 3rd of August 2018
A great pelagic expedition to observe Petrels but poor for Storm-petrels! The wind and sea conditions were actually quite good for Storm-petrels though it seems these birds have…
Madeira deep sea pelagic Expedition - June, 24th to 26th
A pelagic expedition with light westerly wind (not the predominant direction) that only allowed us a very brief view of a Zino's petrel on the first day and which was only…
Madeira deep sea pelagic - 24th to 26th of May 2017
Strange weather conditions during these 3 days and although it took a while we manage to see a few seabirds' species. Northwesterly winds are not so common in Madeira and it made…
Birds spending New Year 2016 at Madeira
Happy New Year to all Madeira Birds followers! January has started with warm weather, with temperatures up to 23ºC so lets see if we get any migrating bird species diverting their…
A Zino's a day (on the pelagic expedition) keeps the stress away!
...And customers hurray! Another successful pelagic with not such a great number of seabirds but with great views of the aimed species! Of, course, Cory's shearwater Calonectris…
Successful pelagic with all aimed species observed - 28-30 May 2019
Another very successful pelagic with all the aimed bird species observed and even some surprises! The weather forecasts were for the wind to drop a bit for the 2nd and 3rd days…
Madeira Pelagic Birding - 5th-7th August 2014
This Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition was named as "One of Each" with the nickname of "Half Noa's Ark" as, despite the good wind we had on the first 2 days we only got 1 bird of…
Madeira Pelagic Expedition 22nd-24th May - We got them all!
Another successful pelagic expedition with all the aimed species observed! Some sightings were better than other but, hey that's birdwatching! The sea conditions started…
A quiet but successful Madeira pelagic expedition, 26th-28th June 2017
This pelagic was marked by light wind and a quiet activity at the chumming area but we ended up observing all species aimed and all very well observed despite the low numbers. Of…
Madeira Pelagic Expedition marked by light wind, June 2015
Stercorarius skua " class="img-responsive caption"/> A pelagic marked by the very light wind, which is normally not good for seabirds, though we managed to watch all the aimed…
Madeira Pelagic Expedition for Seabird’s Migration - 26th to 28th August 2014
The wind was between 6 and 15 knots, during the 3 days, which allowed us to observe the different behaviour of the birds according to the sea and wind conditions. 1 Zino's Petrels…
Madeira Pelagic Trips, August 4, 5 & 6
A nice pelagic with a few seabirds species observed but we missed a well observed Zino's Petrel and it looks like White-faced Storm Petrel have already emigrated to South... 4th…
Madeira Pelagics' 2015 Grand Finale
Stercorarius pomarinus " class="img-responsive caption"/> What an ending to 2015 Zino’s Petrel Pelagic Expedition! Despite the light wind which made us postpone the last day we…
Nice ending of a successful 2016 pelagics' season!
After the previous pelagic expedition, in early August, we foreseen a greater activity of migrating seabirds for this final pelagic of 2016 though it turned out a bit quiet,…
Madeira Petrels & Storm Petrels Pelagic Expedition, 16-18 June 2015
On this pelagic expedition Zino's petrel was only observed well with a definite identification on the second day but again, we saw all the aimed seabird species!! Of course,…
So many Bulwer's, so little other petrels! 20-22 July 2023
It was another successful pelagic expedition but considering the good wind and rough ocean one would expect a few more Pterodromas and Oceanodromas to fly along with thousands of…
Many Pterodromas but no Oceanodromas! 24-26 June 2026
We do not know what is happening with Madeiran Storm Petrels but this is the second pelagic expedition they do not show... This time we had good wind and even a day with some…
March 2025 - birding news to Madeira
March, the Spring month! Although some of the resident bird species in Madeira are already feeding their chicks by the begging of March, this should be the best month to observe…
March 2014 birding records for Madeira
March is here and Spring is arriving to Madeira! This is a good season to start watching the first land birds blown off course from their migration between Africa and Europe. 31st…
March 2016 - Winter end and Spring start bird observations
March is that month when birds' songs and their flight displays start to fill the air... Going out for birdwatching might end up with a rare vagrant bird that was blown out of its…
March 2023 birding observations around Madeira
March equals Spring in Madeira archipelago and the right wind direction might push some warblers out of their migratory course and bring them to visit Madeira! So let's watch…
May 2015 - visitant birds to Madeira
May started quietly in terms of vagrant birds but on the 2nd half of the month the strong winds from the Northeast quadrant blown some interesting visitants to the island: 31st of…
May 2016 - birdwatching sightings in Madeira
Birds act like Spring is already here but regarding temperatures and general weather it is still winter in Madeira. In April due to the snow in the first weeks and then strong…
May 2018 Pelagic - Hard...but we got them all!
Pterodroma madeira " class="img-responsive caption"/> The first Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2018 was quite hard for the participants, due to the weather and sea…
May reports for vagrant birds in Madeira
May is always a good month for vagrant birds in Madeira as a migration season. The 10th of May, the World Migratory Bird Day, surprised us with a Western Reef Heron which was the…
Migrating seabirds pelagic, 23-25 August 2018
Puffinus gravis " class="img-responsive caption"/> A nice pelagic expedition which started with a Madeiran Storm Petrel as soon as we dropped the first block of chum - a good sign…
Zino's Petrel & Migration deep sea pelagic trip
Although the wind this time did not blow much on our Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition , we did get several vagrant seabirds species on the chum and passing by. Blainville's beaked…
(No) migration pelagic expedition, August 24-26 2020
Another pelagic with a low number of species though quite rough sea and at least 1 well observed Zino's Petrel! It seems the coronavirus also affected the travelling of seabirds…
Migration Pelagic Expedition - 25-27 August 2025
What a successful conclusion of our pelagic birding season! On our final outing, we hit the perfect time and location to witness a spectacular migration of Skuas. After deploying…
Migration pelagic expedition 21-23 August 2023
In the 2nd half of August usually starts the migration season for seabirds and we already saw a few species passing by Madeira. As for breeding birds we got all we were expecting…
New Year's bird visitants to Madeira, January 2025
May this year be greener, cooler and much more peaceful than the previous ones! And despite all these climate changes let's hope for some interesting bird species to visit Madeira…
2020 New Year Birdwatching in Madeira
Happy 2020 and successful birdwatching is what we wish you all, birdwatchers out there in the field! This January started with Spring temperatures and that might attract or at…
No migration pelagic - 19th-21st August 2026
Expectations of watching some tubenoses and skuas migrating were quite high, but we only got Wilson's Storm Petrel. For breeding species, we even missed the gulls that usually are…
No stormies pelagic but really nice anyway - 21st-23rd June 2022
Although we looked for Storm Petrels for 2 days, we had no sighting of any storm-petrel species... Spring was weird as we hardly had sightings of Wilson's and European storm…
Rough but special pelagic expedition - 26th - 28th June 2022
The ocean was not soft on us during these 3 afternoons but those are the conditions most Procellariiformes enjoy! And we had great views of all the seabirds described below, plus…
November 2013 birdwatching reports for Madeira
November is always a great time for Nearctic (North America) vagrant birds. Waders and Ducks are the easy ones to find, smaller passerines simply disappear in our Laurel Forest.…
October 2026 - birding records for Madeira
Despite migratory birds not being seen around Madeira as in previous years, let's hope they might be a bit late and so we'll get good bird records in October... 13th of October…
October 2013 birding news for Madeira
The autumn has started but so far the winds have been light this month. Lets see what October brings to Madeira in terms of bird species... 23rd October at Lugar de Baixo Common…
October 2020 - birding in Madeira
In October we start to feel the autumn, although they say it starts by the 21st of September... Temperatures are a bit less warm and some rain starts to fall. Depending on the…
October 2021, birding records for Madeira
This time was our time for holiday, as Madeira is beautiful but can sometimes be too small for the ones who live it in... So the bird records for Madeira this month are very few…
One more successful deep sea pelagic expedition, July 2016
Another successful Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition run by Wind Birds! We've watched close all the aimed seabirds with the bonus that Great shearwaters are already passing through…
Patience is a virtue! Pelagic expedition 16th-18th June 2022
The ocean started rough and ended up flat but storm-petrels only showed when it was flat and late in the evening... Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel…
Pelagic 4-6 June 2025 - missing the local storm petrels...
The weather and sea conditions were perfect for 3 comfortable trips and for the seabirds to fly around and smell the chum but it seems that it was not enough for the local storm…
Pelagic birds like windy conditions - 25th to 27th July pelagic expedition
The wind on the East side of Madeira was quite strong, between 20 and 25 knots with stronger gusts which made a lot of planes unable to land in Madeira and consequently 1 of the…
Pelagic birdwatching has its bad days as well... 17th to 19th August 2015
Xema sabini " class="img-responsive caption"/> It started well with good wind and 4 Fea's Petrels observed on the way to the chumming position and although we did not see Zino's…
Pelagic birdwatching expedition in Madeira - 12th to 14th August 2014
The wind did blow for this Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition ! In some places a bit too much as we could not go to one of the positions where we get more Storm petrels... Anyway,…
Another pelagic expedition but not so much for seabirds... 2020, Aug 10-12
The second Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition of 2020 was as weird as the year itself... The sea conditions were comfortable (maybe too comfortable!) as the wind was light and the…
Pelagic Expedition 21-23 May 2025 - we've got them all!
Our Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expeditions have gotten off to a great start! Despite some challenging ocean conditions, we've successfully observed all of our target seabird species.…
Pelagic trip off Madeira 28th to 30th July 2015 - list fulfilled!
Stercorarius longicaudus " alt="Long tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus"/> We sure had great observations of all the aimed seabird species!
5th Zino's Petrel Pelagic 2011
Another successful pelagic trip was run by Madeira Wind Birds, despite the not so comfortable sea conditions! It started with 20 knots of wind and 3 meters waves which got better…
Petrels pelagic, 27-29 May 2024
Another successful pelagic expedition with the perfect wind conditions but some choppy sea! As always, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii…
Petrels Pelagic Expedition - 23rd-25th July 2019
A pelagic with very light wind is always more difficult to watch the seabirds than when there is good wind to blow the smell of the chum in a distance. Also, seabirds are lazzy…
Petrels, Shearwaters & Storm-petrels = very successful pelagic!
Despite the low wind we certainly managed to get great close views of all the aimed species and more! 4 species of shearwaters, 4 storm-petrels and 3 petrels made our pelagic…
Porto Santo - January 2011 observations
The 18th of December 2010 Tim Farr reported a Goosander at Tanque pond, in Porto Santo. This first record for Madeira archipelago was confirmed by Catarina, Hugo, M. Biscoito and…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2012 - August 10, 11, 13
Again, a fantastic Madeira Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition, by Wind Birds , went by with the aimed species well observed and with an amazing encounter with Bryde's whale! 13th of…
Pterodromas pelagic trip - 25th, 26th & 27th June 2013
Another successful pelagic with observation of all species aimed! The first day was not a Pterodroma day as the chumming position chosen was for Storm-petrels but the other 2 days…
Pterodromas pelagic expedition - 19th to 22nd June 2019
A Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition with very light winds which is not the best conditions to watch seabirds... So in order to get the most of it we had to postpone one of the days…
Pterodromas pelagic pageant - 9th to 11th July 2023
Another great pelagic expedition with very good numbers of Pterodromas ! As normal, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were watched…
Quiet pelagic days but we've watch the breeding seabirds well!
Despiste the good winds which normally brings us some interesting sightings during this migration period, this pelagic was a bit quiet for migratory seabirds... But we did see the…
The rarest were the most common! 27-29 June 2024 pelagic expedition
During these 3 consecutive afternoon we had more Zino's Petrels than Desertas Petrels and more White-faced storm petrels than any other storm petrel. Thousands of Bulwer's Petrel…
A record of Pterodromas on 28-30 June pelagic!!!
There was no better way to start this Pelagic Expedition than watching close 11 Zino's Petrel and 24 Fea's Petrel... What an amazing day! Indeed a record of Pterodromas as Wind…
A rich deep sea pelagic expedition, 11-13 June 2022
The first two days were a bit rough on our bodies but with rich observations while the third day was a slow day for new species though with thousands of Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria…
Rough ocean but a good show of petrels - 10th-12th August 2021
A pelagic with two days of rough oceanic conditions... The first day the wind was two low to blow the chum smell distant enough to attract seabirds. The second day was perfect but…
Rough on us, great for seabirds! 25-27 June 2025
Three days of offshore birding with predominantly medium to strong N–NE winds which are favorable for Pterodroma observations but quite hard on us, humans. Overall, a productive…
Scopoli Shearwater fly around Madeira Island
Hugo and Catarina, from Madeira Wind Birds were present at the GIAM (Iberian Group fro Seabirds) congress that took place in Santurtzi, Biscaya, Spain on the 30th and 31st of…
16th, 17th & 18th July 2013 - a marine mammals pelagic!
Indeed, this pelagic was not so good for seabirds but was amazing for marine mammals! We observed more species of cetaceans than birds and we even watched the rare Mediterranean…
Seabirds & Cetaceans - great observations from 6th to 8th June 2017
Another amazing pelagic with almost all aimed species observed on the 1st day! Although the wind and sea conditions did not change much through these 3 pelagic days the species of…
Seabirds migration started! Great pelagic expedition, 2-4 August 2016
Another great pelagic expedition with the highlight of 2 Barolo's shearwater seen on 2 different days and positions! Skuas and Great shearwaters have been watched which means…
Seabirds migration pelagic expedition - 24th, 25th & 27th August 2015
Sterna paradisaea " class="img-responsive caption"/> Another Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition marked by the light wind though this time we managed to see some interesting seabird…
Seabirds migration started - 2021, August 14-16
It started with a great 1st day despite the light breeze but the next days were quite poor in terms of seabird species... Only Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's…
Seabirds observed on the Zino's Pelagic Expedition, 2nd to 4th of June 2015
Oceanodroma castro " class="img-responsive caption"/> This pelagic was marked by the irregular, choppy sea who made some of the participants seasick... But even though they have…
Mark Coller's seawatching report from 6th to 13th May 2013
Below is a seawatching report between the 6th and the 13th of May 2013 sent us by Mark Coller (UK). His base was Eden Mar Hotel in Lido area, near Ponta da Cruz, Funchal. 13th May…
Porto Moniz Seawatching report - 1st half of September 2015
Jonathan & Elaine Lamplough, from UK, kindly sent us their seawatching observations from Porto Moniz, during the first 2 weeks of September Between the 2nd and the 9th of…
September observations in Madeira & Porto Santo Islands
September is normally a good month for vagrant birds and this year, 2011, was not an exception. From American to European vagrants Madeira was visited mainly by sandpipers, though…
September 2014 birdwatching news for Madeira
September tends to be a good month for migratory birds passing by Madeira. Starting with seabird's migration where Porto Moniz is the best seawatching spot to observe them, there…
September 2016 birding observations for Madeira
September is normally a good month for vagrant birds as migration is going on... It has been a bit quiet regarding seabirds' migration, as seawatching from Porto Moniz hasn't been…
September 2018 bird observations in Madeira archipelago
September is normally a good month to start watching some vagrant birds - birds who got lost on their migration route and were lucky enough to find a piece of land (Madeira!). So…
September 2023 - birdwatching news for Madeira
August was a calm month regarding migrating birds passing by or stopping by Madeira. Ruddy turnstone was the only species recorded by Wind Birds, so there were no news for August…
September 2024 - birding news for Madeira
Although Madeira is not so attractive as it once was, due to fires, overbuilding and overcrowding, it might still work as a lifeline for some of the vagrant bird species that lost…
September 2026 birding records for Madeira
September should bring some migratory birds to Madeira though the wind has to blow from the right direction to bring them in... 27th of September 2026 off Caniçal Great White…
Slow but not bad Pelagic Expedition, 12-14 July 2024
After a month of rough ocean and strong wind we got a much calmer pelagic expedition. It did not bring so many seabird species as in the previous pelagics but it was 3 comfortable…
So much sea, so little seabird species! 7-9th July 2026
Another pelagic expedition with great views of Pterodromas but with no storm petrel at all! Even the numbers of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria…
3rd Zino's Petrel Pelagic 2011: 1st record South Polar Skua
Another Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition was run on the last 3 days and the highlight of it was the 1st record for South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki for Madeira! 30th of…
Special(ists) Pelagic Expedition, Madeira, May 2017
There is no better way to start the pelagics' season than exchanging experiences and observations with a group of pelagic seabirds' specialists! The renowned Brian Patteson, Kate…
Spring migration season - April 2018
It's April and bird migration is starting to move northwards! Let's see which species the winds will blow into Madeira, as we are out of migration routes... 26th of April 2018 at…
St. Peter's pelagic feast - 28th-30th June 2023
While in land most seaside villages were celebrating the Saint Peter's feast, in the ocean we had a great feast with seabirds, beating the record number of Procellariiformes seen…
4th Zino's Petrel Pelagic 2011
Another great pelagic with displays of dolphins and Storm-petrels. Finishing with a bully Great Skua.
Storm Oscar messed up our pelagic plans! 6th-9th Jun 2023
The storm Oscar brought to Madeira island the records of rain ever recorded in Portugal in 24 hours! Nearly 500 litres of rain per square meter in only 24 hours, between the…
Storm-petrels are back! August 6-8 Pelagic Expedition
Finally things are getting back to normal with more species of Storm Petrels observed! Ok, White-faced Storm Petrel was literally taken out of a box, it was a rescued bird in land…
Storm-petrels pelagic, Madeira, May 2016
We guess we can call this pelagic a Storm-petrels pelagic expedition as those were the ones offering us a great show on the 2nd day! And we did observe all the species we aimed…
Swinhoe's Storm-petrel on the pelagic 29 July 2021
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…
Tough but successful pelagic! 27-29 May 2025
It was a tough pelagic as the ocean swell and waves made it quite choppy and the wind was just about right for the seabirds which is not so comfortable on us... But we had…
Undiversified pelagic expedition, 26th-28th July 2023
This time the ocean conditions did not help with the number of birds or bird species... It was a strange pelagic expedition with much less numbers of Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria…
Vagrant bird reports for Madeira
7th March 2009 Lugar de Baixo Green-wing Teal Anas carolinensis Greenshank Tringa nebularia Caniçal Common Gull Larus canus Airport gardens 3 Pied Wagtails Motacilla alba yarellii…
Vagrant birds in Madeira, June 2026
Summer is no longer a good period for migratory birds to be stopping by Madeira archipelago on their way "home" but there might some delayed ones... 16th of June 2026 at Santa…
Vagrant birds in Madeira, March 2024
March should mean Spring though in Madeira it looks like we are 1 season delayed so Winter atmospheric conditions only arrived now... It has been very quiet in terms of vagrant…
Vagrant birds in Madeira during October 2016
It seems that migration this year has been a little delayed but this is October already so we sure hope to get some interesting bird species accidentally stopping by Madeira...…
February 2016 - visitant birds' observations to Madeira
After one of the warmest Januaries on the last 80 years, February started wet and cold in Madeira... Not the best weather to go out birdwatching though some interesting species…
Visitant birds to Madeira in August 2015
Setophaga petechia " class="img-responsive caption"/> It seems migration started a bit earlier this year, at least for Seabirds as we already observed some Great shearwaters on…
Visitant birds to Madeira in December 2016
December is a low season for tourism in Madeira, so it is the ideal time to take our own holidays! This is why there are no earlier bird records this month. But let's see which…
Visitant birds to Madeira in February 2019
Despite the very cold weather in Europe, Madeira is still above 15ºC as the easterly winds bring some of the warmth of the North of Africa. Lets see which species will follow…
Back to watch them all! - Pelagic expedition 25-27 July 2024
Fortunately the wind, ocean and general conditions improved and this pelagic was another successful one with Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris…
A big pelagic for the Western Palearctic Big Year team
What a Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition!!!! There was no better way to end 2017 Wind Birds' pelagic expeditions! We had them all, the expected and the non expected seabird…
Has White-faced returned to our pelagics? 22-25 June 2024
We sure hope so!! This was a very rough pelagic expedition but with most Madeira breeding seabird species well observed! We even postponed 1 day to get smoother conditions but we…
Wilson's Snipe - first record for Madeira archipelago!
On the 19th and on the 21st of October 2013 a Snipe was observed in Machico river and was misidentified as a Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago . Fortunately Hugo took some photos…
Windy pelagic but without storm petrels...3rd-5th August 2022
A hardcore pelagic with oblivious participants makes us worry more about the birdwatchers safety and the equipment safeguard than the birdwatching itself... Cory's shearwater…
Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Funchal Marina
Video by Max Berlijn of the Yellow Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Funchal Marina, August 1, 2011. Update: This birds was last seen August 22nd by Funchal Marina.
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2011 - August 8, 9 & 10th
It seems seabirds migration has started earlier this year as during our Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition on the 8th, 9th and 10th of August several migrating birds, which we would…
Zino's Petrel unseen video footage to be released on May 9, 2010
Zino's Petrel unseen video footage to be released on May 9, 2010
Zino's Petrels are back to Madeira for 2014 breeding season!
On the 4th of April 2014 Wind Birds started running their Zino’s Night Expedition to hear and sometimes see the silhouettes of this rare endemic seabird. On this first night tour…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition 2011 - August 4, 5 & 6th
One more Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition which has been a success, as all the target species were seen close by. These are the only real pelagic trips that are run in Madeira and…
Zino's Petrels are back to Madeira!!!
Since the 6th of April 2011 we were sure that Zino's Petrels Pterodroma madeira were back to Madeira as we heard them near their breeding colony, but we wanted to be sure that…
Zino's Petrel Sea Expedition - The best Western Palearctic Expedition!
After two successful expeditions with Hadoram Shirihai to find and photograph Zino's Petrel at sea Madeira Wind Birds will start to operate its Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition in…
Zino's & Fea's Petrels Pelagic Expedition - July 2019
Despite the choppy conditions of the ocean the wind blew quite a few Pterodromas our way and we had great observations and photo opportunities of these rare species! Storm-petrels…
May 2015 Madeira Pelagic Expedition - we saw them all!
Indeed we saw them all! Although the wind conditions were not ideal we managed to watch close all the aimed species which makes this another successful Zino's Petrel Pelagic…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition - first of 2019!
The first pelagic of the year started with 4 well observed Zino's Petrels though the second day we were surprised by an electronic failure on both the brand new engines which made…
Zino's Petrel Pelagic 2013 - May 28th, 29th & 30th
The 2013 Zino's Petrels Pelagic Expeditions have started and the most desired bird - Zino's Petrel - was well observed, at a close distance, on the 1st day! 28th May…