After the storm last week we managed to have a soft pelagic expedition with light winds and a nice number of species watched, being the highlight the Red-billed Tropicbird which was a first on our pelagics (not for Madeira though!). Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were present everyday.

15th June 2023 - Northeast wind between 3 and 6 knots, 1 meter long period swell from east and 0.2 northeastern waves.
4 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus - 3 on the way up
4 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
3 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Red-billed tropicbird Phaethon aethereus
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Desertas / Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta

The storm Oscar brought to Madeira island the records of rain ever recorded in Portugal in 24 hours! Nearly 500 litres of rain per square meter in only 24 hours, between the afternoons of Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th of June 2023, made us cancel the 1st scheduled day of pelagic expedition. Then, on Wednesday 7th the southwest winds were blowing at 25 knots with even stronger gusts and waves from the same quadrant with 2 meters which, together with all the debris floating at sea made it impossible to go to the ocean again. So we had only 2 afternoons of Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expedition which were increased to 8 hours, with quite different weather and sea conditions each day:

8th June 2023 - 17 knots of west wind and 2 meter waves from west-southwest
First we tried a chumming spot for Desertas' Petrels and then went to the Zino's Petrel spot. On the way to the 2nd spot we watched plenty of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and dozens of Manx shearwater. Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were also present but with much lesser numbers than the shearwaters.
5 Pterodromas sp.
2 Desertas / Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
5 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
4 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - 2 of them flew together by the chum for a couple of minutes
2 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
2 Common tern Sterna hirundo
11 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
7 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus - a juvenile dark morph

Despite the uncommon wind direction (Southwest) for this time of year which blown the most common seabirds, like Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii away from the south side of the island, we observed good bird species during the 3 day pelagic expedition:

30th May 2023 - 7 knots of WSW wind and 0.5 meter waves from SW which developed to 1 meter by the evening
3 Desertas / Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
2 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Sabine's gull Xema sabini
2 Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis
some Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii

First week of April started with summer temperatures and some eastern winds which is a good combinations to divert some migratory bird species out of their routes into Madeira...

29th of April 2023 at Caniçal
2 Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flava
4 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

26th of April 2023 at Machico
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
50 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus - flying towards east

20th of April 2023 at Lugar de Baixo - photographed by Mark (UK)
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
2 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides

March equals Spring in Madeira archipelago and the right wind direction might push some warblers out of their migratory course and bring them to visit Madeira! So let's watch which vagrant birds might end up here...

26th of March 2023 at Caniçal
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
3 Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
2 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

20th of March 2023 at Funchal harbour - recorded by Steffen (GER)
2 Little Egret Egretta garzetta

16th of March 2023 at Santa Cruz
15 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

15th of March 2023 at Caniçal
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
4 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
Barn swallow Hirundo rustica

In February some of the breeding species start to display, as Spectacled Warbler and Atlantic Canary. As for passing birds, we already had a few records of Common House Martin and Barn Swallow in January, so we guess Spring is trying to get announced... Also, this month Wind Birds, as a birdwatching company, turns 19! So let's celebrate it with some interesting bird sightings!

28th of February 2023 at Ponta do Pargo -observed by Michel (NED)
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

26th of February 2023 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Michel (NED)
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

25th of February 2023 at Santo da Serra
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

At Caniçal
Little Egret Egretta garzetta

24th of February 2023 at Ponta do Sol - observation by Arto (FIN)
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus - 2cy

22nd of February 2023 at Santo da Serra
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

At Machico
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

At Funchal
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita