12-14th July 2017 pelagic birds' expedition - rough...but a full plate!

This Wind Birds' pelagic started with a strange first day with only common species at the chum but the consequent days were really successful. Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were seen in hundreds everyday.

12th July 2017 - NNE wind up to 8 knots and waves from same direction up to 1 meter.
4 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
1 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis - on the way back

Atlantic Spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis
Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
2 Bryde's whales Balaenoptera edeni

Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta

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Madeira - birdwatching in July 2017

July is a quiet month for vagrant birds around Madeira archipelago though sometimes we may get some surprises as some early migrants can stop by...

31st of July 2017 at Machico - reported by Christian Gönner and Detlef Koch (GER)
4 White Stork Cicconia cicconia

29th of July 2017 at Caniçal
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

At Santana
2 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

At Machico
9 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

At Fonte do Bispo - observed by Jeroen Vanheuverswyn & Lies De Mol (BEL)
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae

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A quiet but successful Madeira pelagic expedition, 26th-28th June 2017

This pelagic was marked by light wind and a quiet activity at the chumming area but we ended up observing all species aimed and all very well observed despite the low numbers. Of course, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis, Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and a few Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus were the entertaining species during our wait for the other seabirds.

White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca

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Seabirds & Cetaceans - great observations from 6th to 8th June 2017

Another amazing pelagic with almost all aimed species observed on the 1st day! Although the wind and sea conditions did not change much through these 3 pelagic days the species of seabirds observed and their behaviours varied a lot! A great number of cetacean species from the Odontoceti sub-order (toothed whales) was also a highlight of this expedition.

Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae

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Birdwatching in June 2017, Madeira archipelago

Summer starts in June so most of the bird species are already in their breeding areas which consequently makes it a quiet month for vagrant birds around Madeira. Anyhow sometimes we still get some visitant birds around Madeira archipelago.

30th of June 2017 at Machico - reported by Peter Gluth (UK)
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

28th of June 2017 at Machico - reported by Peter Gluth (UK)
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

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Madeira deep sea pelagic - 24th to 26th of May 2017

Strange weather conditions during these 3 days and although it took a while we manage to see a few seabirds' species. Northwesterly winds are not so common in Madeira and it made this pelagic uncommon as well but at the end quite successful! Of course, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were observed everyday in big numbers.

24th May 2017 - Northwesterly wind up to 10 knots with waves from the same quadrant up to 0.5 meters
4 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
15 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus on the way up

Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus

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