It was a tough pelagic as the ocean swell and waves made it quite choppy and the wind was just about right for the seabirds which is not so comfortable on us... But we had excellent views of the petrels and storm petrels and even a Barolo's shearwater came to the chum and quite close to the boat! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were watched everyday while Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus only in the first 2 days.
28th May 2025 - NE wind between 12 and 14 knots with gusts of 17- 20 knots. 1.5 meter waves from NE
2 Pterodroma sp. - on the way up
2 Barolo’s Shearwater Puffinus baroli - 1 on the way up and 1 that came to the slick and close to the boat
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Our Zino's Petrel Pelagic Expeditions have gotten off to a great start! Despite some challenging ocean conditions, we've successfully observed all of our target seabird species.
As expected, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii have been daily sightings. Additionally, the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus has also been a consistent presence this time of year.
23rd May 2025 - 1.5 meter oceanic swell from NE, 1 meter wave from NNE and wind between 8 and 12 knots from NE
Barolo’s Shearwater Puffinus baroli - on the way up but very difficult observation with the bird flying away and disappearing in the waves but by the size and behaviour it must have been P. baroli
8 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
3 Desertas/Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro
5 European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira at same time on the slick for about 3 min and then a 3rd one joined for at least 5 more minutes. At least 2 of them kept flying around the chum for quite a while
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
May started with the Madeira flower festival but in what concerns to sustainability, we'll just tell you that on the flower parade there were a few dozen of ballons released... :(
Anyway, May this month bring us some interesting bird species to watch despite the destruction of habitats all around the islands of the archipelago!
26th of May 2025 at Santa Cruz - observed by Doug & Rachel (USA)
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
25th of May 2025 off Funchal - reported by Mike (BEL)
Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus
20th of May 2025 at Caniçal
2 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
12th of May 2025 at Caniçal
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flava
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
April is usually a good month for migratory birds to be blown off their course and into the islands of Madeira archipelgo... Let's see what the wind will blow our way:
30th of April 2025 at Caniçal
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flava
2 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
22nd of April 2025 off Caniçal
10 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
>15 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
14th of April 2025 at Ponta São Lourenço
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
March, the Spring month! Although some of the resident bird species in Madeira are already feeding their chicks by the begging of March, this should be the best month to observe the breeding birds singing and displaying! Now let's see which vagrant species will pass by...
31st of March 2025 at Madeira airport - reported by Erik (DEN)
6 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
30th of March 2025 at Lugar de Baixo - sightings by Michel (NED)
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
At Machico
16 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Sanderling Calidris alba
26th of March 2025 off Porto Moniz - observed by Michel (NED)
2 Northern Gannet Morus bassanus - both flying Northwards
23rd of March 2025 at Camacha
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
22nd of March 2025 at Paul da Serra
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
At São Vicente - reported by Michel (NED)
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
2 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
At Funchal harbour - photographed by Michel (NED)
Iceland gull Larus glaucoides
Ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis
It's been 21 years since Wind Birds started its operation! It has not been an easy ride, specially in what concerns to Nature as there is not much awareness or conservation in Madeira. We have witnessed and suffer with loss of habitat from bad planning and governemnt decisions such as overbuilding, forest fires, the killing of Trocaz Pigeons... But we are still here fighting for the conservation of the fauna & flora of Madeira archipelago...
Let's see which bird species decided to visit Madeira to celebrate our 21st anniversary with us:
25th of February 2025 at Around Porto Santo's Golf Course - observed by Manuel (POR)
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
2 American Wigeon Anas americana
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola
3 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
3 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
4 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
16 Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Ring-billed gull Larus delawarensis
Common chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
23rd of February 2025 at Funchal harbour - reported by Kevin (UK)
2 Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
>10 Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus intermedius
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
20th of February 2025 at Camacha
2 Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus