Observed by Steve Porter and Roddie Mavor

Steve Porter has kindly sent us his fantastic sighting of a Frigatebird (Magnificent) seen from the Porto Santo ferry at about 45 minutes (about 15 miles Southwest) away from Porto Santo, on the 8th of October 2008. From the birdwatcher's 5 minutes observation they say bird was either an immature or female as it showed some white in plumage.

Here is Steve's report for special birds during his holiday in Madeira Islands:

As you know, we weren't really lucky in Madeira as the wind and occasional rains did birding difficult. Southern wind pushed the seabirds far to the sea and probably stopped migration pretty badly... But some records:

9th to 10th of September - Desertas trip:
Funchal harbour:
2 Kentish Plovers

On the sea:
hunderds of Cory's
50 Manx Shearwater
30 Bulwer's Petrels
15 Desertas Petrels

Some birdwatchers have been seeing some interesting species in Madeira:
14th September 2008
Great Skua - seen by Janne Aalto (FIN)

15th September 2008
Porto Moniz - Paul Rendel (UK) birdwatching records
Gannet flying offshore
Great White Egret - flew from West to Porto Moniz where it circled for some time and then headed to West again
Hudsonian Whimbrel at Ribeira da Janela

Here are some interesting bird sightings in Madeira during this migrating season:

7th September 2008 - Records of Sven Karlsson (SWE) and Manfred Schleuning (GER)
Seawatching from Porto Moniz
approximately 600 Manx Shearwaters
2 Cormorants
1 Great Skua
1 Long-tailed Skua
around 200 Artic Terns

14th September 2008 - Catarina & Hugo (Madeira Wind Birds) sightings
Ponta do Pargo
1 Peregrine Falcon, adult male
1 Pectoral Sandpiper