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 gonna get!"
30th of July 2024 at Caniçal harbour
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
26th of July 2024 off Machico
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
25th of July 2024 at Caniçal harbour
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
21st of July 2024 at Lugar de Baixo - sighting by Sean (UK)
2 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
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 trips with very good views of the birds and, on the last day, of cetaceans as well! The most common birds, watched everyday were Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis.
12th July 2024 2024 - 5 to 7 knots of North wind and northwest waves up to 1.2 meters
4 Pterodroma sp. - all on the way up
Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 1 on the way up
2 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Barolo’s shearwater Puffinus baroli - flew past in a distance (as usual!)
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - on the way back
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 Bulweria bulwerii and a few hundred Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were observed during the 3 days.
29th June 2024 - 13 knots of Northeast wind and 1 meter waves from same direction
6 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 4 on the way up, 2 of them sitting
9 Pterodroma sp. - 6 on the way up
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
At least 10 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Portuguese man-o-war Physalia physalis
Atlantic Spotted Dolphins Stenella frontalis
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 finally we got back the White-faced storm petrel that feeds in the chum slick for a good while! We have not seen that behaviour for more than 5 years!
25th June 2024 - Northern wind between 7 and 9 knots. NNE waves up to 1 meter.
3 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
White-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
2 Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta
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 got all the breeding tubenose species in the Madeira archipelago! What a pelagic day!
19th June 2024 - NE wind between 8 and 11 knots. Northern swell up to 1 meter and waves from NE up to 1.5 meters
5 Pterodroma sp. - on the way up, too far to ID
Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Common tern Sterna hirundo
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
White-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Barolo’s shearwater Puffinus baroli - on the way back
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 bulwerii were present everyday, though the Cory's had a nice display on the 1st day as we passed the tip of the island while on the 2nd evening there were hundreds (if not thousands) of Bulwer's around the chum slick. European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus were also observed everyday; though these are (supposedly) only passing through Madeira during their migration...
12th June 2024 - 10 knots of Northern wind and 2 meter waves from NE
9 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - 3 on the way up
14 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
9 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus - 7 at the same time
3 Common tern Sterna hirundo
8 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
3 Pterodroma sp. - did not get a good view to ID them
3 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis