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 were the most common species watched everyday.
29th May 2024 - Leaving Machico the wind was blowing strong, around 17 knots but as we went offshore it dropped down, so at the chumming position there were 8 to 10 knots of North wind while the waves came from Northeast up to 1.8 meters
3 Pterodroma sp. - on the way up, too far to ID them, though the closest one was probably Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
4 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
7 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
15+ Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Common tern Sterna hirundo
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta
28th May 2024 - 11 to 13 knots of NE wind and 1.2 meter waves from same direction
Possible Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta on the way up
4 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
3 Common tern Sterna hirundo
Atlantic Spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis
27th May 2024 - North wind between 7 and 10 knots with 1.8 meter swell from same direction
>15 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - 3 on the way up
7 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - the last 2 birds were together with a Desertas petrel at the same time around the chum
2 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 1 at the same time as the 1st Zino’s and the other together with the 2 last P. madeira
4 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
6 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Pterodroma sp. - a bit far to ID
Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
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