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

There is no better way to start the pelagics' season than exchanging experiences and observations with a group of pelagic seabirds' specialists! The renowned Brian Patteson, Kate Sutherland and Peter Flood, who run pelagic trips in North Carolina, USA joined Wind Birds team for 3 amazing afternoons at sea! Regarding weather and sea conditions, we may say we had the four seasons but the aimed bird species were all very well observed!!!

9th May 2017 - Wind was light, up to 7 knots from SW and waves were coming from NW up to 1.5 meters. Some calm hours chumming...
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Presumable Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - did not fly close enough for a definite ID but seemed quite a bulky bird
>8 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

May is that month when all seabirds are back to their breeding colonies in Madeira and it is also a good month for vagrant birds. So lets wait and watch for the pelagic and land birds that will be blown to Madeira by the winds of May.

31st of May 2017 at Ponta do Pargo
5 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

28th of May 2017 off Santa Cruz
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus

27th of May 2017 at Caniçal
4 Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
2 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

April is starting with some Easterly winds which are the best to blow vagrant birds out of their migration route between Africa and Europe... So lets see what April has to offer us in terms of vagrant bird species:

30th April 2017 at Ponta de São Lourenço
3 White Stork Ciconia ciconia - watched by Sue Jepson (UK)

At Caniçal
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

29th April 2017 at Ponta do Pargo
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
10 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

At Lugar de Baixo
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides

Spring is here!!! Passerines are displaying and Common House Martin and Barn Swallow are on their way up North as they are already passing through Madeira... Now lets hope for some Easterly winds to bring us some interesting vagrant birds!

29th March 2017 at Ponta do Pargo
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
7 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

At Lugar de Baixo
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
12 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Despite the strong winds and big waves that hit Azores and the North of mainland Portugal in the first days of February, Madeira started this Carnival month with sunshine, light wind and much smaller waves although on the 2nd week a lot of rain poured down. Manx shearwater and Cory's shearwater are 2 seabird species that are back to our waters and can be seen on a Bird, dolphin & whale watching trip! So far, the vagrant bird species in this archipelago are very much the same that landed here last December:

28th February 2017 at Faial - reported by Tim Drew (UK)
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
2 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

27th February 2017 at Porto Santo - observed by Tim Drew (UK)
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus - light phase
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus - 1 juv at sea

25th February 2017 at Porto Moniz
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

At Ponta do Pargo
3 Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis