A rough start for our 1st Zino's Petrel pelagic Expeditions of 2024 with strong wind and quite choppy sea but we had amazing views and number of Zino's Petrels! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were the commonest species observed everyday.
11th May 2024 - The wind was Northeast blowing around 18 knots as we left the marina but as we went offshore to the chumming position it dropped down between 9 and 13 knots. The ocean was quite choppy with 2 meter waves from NNE direction
5 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
6 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - 4 at the same time flying in pairs: 2 by the beginning of the slick and 2 by the end of it. 1 was on the way back.
Common tern Sterna hirundo
8 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
May tends to be a very good month for migratory birds to be blown off their migratory course into this small peace of land that is Madeira. Let see which species may be visiting us this May!
30th of May 2024 at Ponta São Lourenço
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
26th of May 2024 at Machico - reported by Alfred (SWI)
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
24th of May 2024 at Calheta - observed by Simon (UK)
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
11th of May 2024 off Porto Moniz - sighting by Michel (NED)
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis - flying towards Porto Santo
We keep beating air temperature records for each month in Madeira and birds are displaying like it is Spring time already... It is getting scary all this climate changes and mostly because we do not see anything being made to change it. :/ We do our part but we are still a minority and it is definitely not enough!
28th of February 2024 at Caniçal
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
21st of February 2024 at Caniço
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
At Caniçal
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
9th of February 2024 at São Vicente - reported by Jenny (UK)
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
We certainly would like to wish a happy 2024 but for those who observe nature and actually care about it, it is not looking good... Anyway, let's keep hope alive and do our best for nature conservation! Here are the bird species that visited Madeira archipelago this month:
30th of January 2024 at Caniçal
4 (maybe 5) Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
8 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
29th of January 2024 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Paul (UK)
2 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
3 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
28th of January 2024 at Funchal harbour - reported by Nicholas (UK)
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - female
2 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
At Machico - sightings by Roy (UK)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
November has started but the temperatures are still around 25ºC intercalated with some rainy days... As it is still migration season anything can stop by Madeira archipelago, so let's see which species will visit us during the Thanksgiving month:
26th of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - recorded by Michel (NED)
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
25th of November 2023 at Santo da Serra
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
off Porto Moniz - observed by Michel (NED)
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
22nd of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - counted by Michel (NED)
2252 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
3 Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
21st of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - seawatched by Michel (NED)
2252 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
9 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Very high temperatures for the beginning of the autumn, reaching 30ºC... It is migration time, but it seems the weather seasons are disappearing. Let's see which species will be blown off their migratory course into Madeira!
26th of October 2023 at Machico
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
25th of October 2023 at Caniçal
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
19th of October 2023 at Machico
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
5 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
At Faial
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
15th of October 2023 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Philip (UK)
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus