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 & whale watching trip off Caniçal bay
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
1 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
8 Grey Herons Ardea cinerea
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

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 November 2012 at Ponta do Pargo
Black Kite Milvus migrans

São Vicente
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Porto Moniz
1 Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

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 species of shearwater and skuas were observed.

30th of August 2012
On the way to the chum position:
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
2 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
1 Fea's petrel
Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea
Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii

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 Caniçal harbor
3 Sanderlings Calidris alba
3 Turnstones Arenaria interpres
Several Common tern Sterna hirundo
3 Roseate tern Sterna dougallii

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!

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 great whales and dolphins encounters!

8th August - no wind day!
1 Zino's petrel Pterodroma madeira
1 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Cory's shearwaters Calonectris diomedea
Bulwer's petrels Bulweria bulwerii