Another amazing pelagic with almost all aimed species observed on the 1st day! Although the wind and sea conditions did not change much through these 3 pelagic days the species of seabirds observed and their behaviours varied a lot! A great number of cetacean species from the Odontoceti sub-order (toothed whales) was also a highlight of this expedition.

Summer starts in June so most of the bird species are already in their breeding areas which consequently makes it a quiet month for vagrant birds around Madeira. Anyhow sometimes we still get some visitant birds around Madeira archipelago.

30th of June 2017 at Machico - reported by Peter Gluth (UK)
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

28th of June 2017 at Machico - reported by Peter Gluth (UK)
3 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

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