May is a good month for birdwatching worldwide! In Madeira it started with some rain in the north and east tip of the island but it is normally real Spring month, so let's see which visitant species will visit Madeira during this month.

31st of May 2019 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Luis, Alexandre e Frederico (POR)
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Common Swift Apus apus

At Caniçal - observed by James (UK)
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

30th of May 2019 at Machico - sighting by James (UK)
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

29th of May 2019 at Machico - observed by James (UK)
5 Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

28th of May 2019 at Caniçal
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Sanderling Calidris alba
4 Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
5 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

April, in Madeira, started under water and cold temperatures which made us cancel a few tours. Heavy rain is not good to watch birds and it is also not safe to go around the island, under the unstable cliffs which like to release some rocks on these wet days... So let's hope that better days will come and bring us some interesting bird species!

30th of April 2019 at Caniçal
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

At Ribeira Brava
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus

28th of April 2019 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Marcus (GER)
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator

24th of April 2019 at Ribeira Brava
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
2 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

At São Vicente
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

At Ponta do Pargo
5 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

March is the start of Spring and we can already watch some of the native birds displaying! It is also the start of migration northwards, so lets see if we get some eastern winds to blow some vagrant birds to Madeira.

31st of March 2019 at Ponta do Pargo - recorded by Peter
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus

29th of March 2019 at Ponta do Pargo
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
5 Sand Martin Riparia riparia
3 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

At São Vicente
3 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

Despite the very cold weather in Europe, Madeira is still above 15ºC as the easterly winds bring some of the warmth of the North of Africa. Lets see which species will follow these winds from North Africa to Madeira archipelago:

28th of February 2019 at Ponta do Pargo
2 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

At São Vicente
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
3 White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

At Ribeira Brava
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

26th of February 2019 at Machico
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

At Caniçal
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

21st of February 2019 at São Vicente
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
3 White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba

Happy New Year to all of you who read our Madeira birding news! This year started with light southerly winds which usually do not blow any migratory birds into Madeira but we'll keep looking for them!

25th of January 2018 at São Vicente
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus

At Ribeira Brava
7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

23rd of January 2018 at Porto Santo - reported by Robert (GER)
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

19th of January 2018 at Porto Santo - photographed by Robert (GER)
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris - 2 cy bird at Tanque Reservoir
Great Northern Loon Gavia immer - by the beach

December started with strong easterly winds and very warm temperatures, beating the records of the last 50 years. Lets see if these inviting temperatures and the winds pushed some any interesting birds into the Madeira archipelago.

30th of December 2018 at Caniçal
2 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus - flying off the coast
Great Skua Stercorarius skua - off the coast
21 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - at the fish farm
46 Little Egret Egretta garzetta - close to the fish farm
2 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
2 Sanderling Calidris alba
11 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

27th of December 2018 at Ribeira Brava
2 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus - flying westwards, off the coast

At Ponta do Pargo
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

At São Vicente
3 White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea