Madeira trip report by Peter Ransome (UK)

Peter Ransome from UK kindly provided Madeira Wind Birds with his special birdwatching records while his was in Madeira from the 23rd to the 30th of April 2008:

"I had a great trip to Madeira seeing 2 new birds- about 8 Zino's Petrels- with 1 really close flying just a few feet away! seen on special night trip up in the mountains (thanks for this!) & 4 Trocaz Pigeons- 2 in flight at Balcoes 24/4 & 2 in flight at Levada de Risco 29/4. I saw 39 species in total.

Also saw the madeiran sub species of Chaffinch, Spectacled warbler, Sparrowhawk, Firecrest & Grey Wagtail.

Also found quite a few migrants inc. Night heron 29/4 (I have record shots of this) which flew up from the small canal behind the grassy area where the Green-Winged Teal near the Hydro-Electric Plant at Ribeira de Janela was asleep(accidental on Madeira), 2 Squacco Heron 29/4 at lugar de baixo (also accidental), 2 Wood Sandpiper at lugar de Baixo 29/4(also accidental amazingly enough!!), Yellow wagtail, Ruff- 1 at lugar de Baixo 29/4, singleton Whimbrel- Ponta do Pargo 25/4, I also saw a group of 10 Bee-eater fly overhead from the start of the Levada walk at Ribeira de Janela near the artificial reservoir from 1.30pm flying south 27/4(scarce visitor), Greenshank- 2 at Lugar de Baixo 29/4 (amazingly rare on Madeira).

Also saw Atlantic herring Gulls, Grey heron, Spanish Sparrow and 5 Rock sparrows at extreme east tip of the island 26/4- my first for 25 yrs! Several groups of Plain Swifts seen.

Seawatching from the hotel bedroom inc. Manx & Cory's Shearwaters every night, 2 distant Shearwaters that MIGHT have been Little but not happy to tick these, so I'm not!"