Temperatures already feel like August though we are still in June... Global warming is what is called! Let's see which bird species are blown to Madeira and out of their migratory route:

18th of June 2019 at Machico - observed by a group of birdwatchers from UK
Little Swift Apus affinis - this is the 2nd record for Madeira archipelago!

14th of June 2019 off Caniçal
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

12th of June 2019 at Ribeira Brava
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus

9th of June 2019 at Ponta da Cruz - reported by Joe (UK)
House Sparrow Passer domesticus - male. This is an exceptional record with less than 5 on the last 50 years!

Another very successful pelagic with all the aimed bird species observed and even some surprises! The weather forecasts were for the wind to drop a bit for the 2nd and 3rd days but it didn't really happened. So we got some rough seas though the size of the boat (11 meters) and the shock-mitigation seats made them very bearable and the species observed compensate the tiring (not hurt!) muscles! Again, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were species present everyday though in some areas more than others!

Another successful pelagic expedition with all the aimed species observed! Some sightings were better than other but, hey that's birdwatching! The sea conditions started relatively calm but got rougher each day. Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were species present everyday in big numbers.

22nd of May 2019 - 13 knots of northeast wind and waves up to 0.5 meters when the trip started but increased to 1 meter for the end of the day
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - flying far within a group of Cory’s
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca - the bird kept a distance which did not allow for everyone to have a good view
6 Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
3 Barolo’s shearwater Puffinus baroli - 1 flew quite close to the boat
5 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

The first pelagic of the year started with 4 well observed Zino's Petrels though the second day we were surprised by an electronic failure on both the brand new engines which made us return to land just after dropping the first bucket of chum and on a very low speed. Fixed the problem and the 3rd day of pelagic was the best/record day for Barolo's shearwaters! Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were a constant in all three days!

May is a good month for birdwatching worldwide! In Madeira it started with some rain in the north and east tip of the island but it is normally real Spring month, so let's see which visitant species will visit Madeira during this month.

31st of May 2019 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Luis, Alexandre e Frederico (POR)
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Common Swift Apus apus

At Caniçal - observed by James (UK)
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

30th of May 2019 at Machico - sighting by James (UK)
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

29th of May 2019 at Machico - observed by James (UK)
5 Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

28th of May 2019 at Caniçal
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Sanderling Calidris alba
4 Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
5 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

April, in Madeira, started under water and cold temperatures which made us cancel a few tours. Heavy rain is not good to watch birds and it is also not safe to go around the island, under the unstable cliffs which like to release some rocks on these wet days... So let's hope that better days will come and bring us some interesting bird species!

30th of April 2019 at Caniçal
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

At Ribeira Brava
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus

28th of April 2019 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Marcus (GER)
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator

24th of April 2019 at Ribeira Brava
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
2 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

At São Vicente
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

At Ponta do Pargo
5 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica