Although the wind conditions were quite good it seemed the bird species changed the areas where they usually are around... On the first 2 days we could not watch a proper Zino's Petrel with some light but enough wind on the North side of the island and on the 3rd day, with quite strong wind we could not find storm petrels but had a very displayable Zino's Petrel instead! If it weren't the good numbers of Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis it would have been a bit boring!

2nd August 2024 - NNE wind between 15 and 18 knots. 1.5 meter waves from the east
8 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 4 on the way up
5 Pterodroma sp. - 3 on the way up
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Common tern Sterna hirundo

Short finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus

Fortunately the wind, ocean and general conditions improved and this pelagic was another successful one with Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis watched everyday and most of the other breeding seabirds also being attracted to the chum!

27th July 2024 - 2 to 5 knots of west wind which after 1 hour shifted to NE between 8 and 10 knots. Northeast waves up to 1 meter
3 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - 1 on the way up
Pterodroma sp. - 1 on the way up
6 Common tern Sterna hirundo
White-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca

This was the slowest pelagic expedition of 2024 in all aspects! Light wind conditions although increasing a little bit every day and quite hot temperatures of air (max around 28ºC) and ocean (between 24º and 25ºC). Maybe these conditions all together scared the seabirds and cetaceans away... Anyway, as usual, Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis were watched everyday but not such in big numbers as in previous pelagics.

20th July 2024 2024 - 9 to 10 knots of Northern wind and 1 meter NW waves
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - one on the way back
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - flew past in a distance

Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta

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