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 the first ones to arrive to the chum and signal it for other birds... Again, another pelagic without the Madeiran Storm Petrel which we refuse to call Hydrobates castro as our boat was named after it Oceanodroma - runner of the seas... It's a strange and frustrating feeling as we plan everything based on previous records and patience, but nature doesn't follow our scripts. Is it climate change?!?!? The unexpected White-faced Storm Petrel was the highlight of the 2nd day! Now we can only wait for next year and hope!
21st of August 2026 - 10 knots NE wind and 1.5 meter swell from NNE and 0.5 meter wave from NE
4 Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 3 on the way up
Common tern Sterna hirundo
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Possible Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - flew by too fast and against the sun
2 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis - 2 juveniles that only arrived at 20:15
Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
20th of August 2026 - 9 knots that decreased to 5 from NE and 1 meter wave from NE
3 Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 2 on the way up
4 Pterodroma sp. - 3 on the way up
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
Short-finned Pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus
19th of August 2026 - 10 knots North wind and 1.5 meters NE waves
Pterodroma sp. - on the way up
3 Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 1 going up
6 possible Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea - on the way up
3 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - the last one had a data logger on its leg!
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus