February started with some strong winds from the East quadrant which normally brings some different vagrant birds to Madeira. So lets see which birds landed in Madeira for the Carnival festivities or for celebrating the end of the winter.

Happy Birding New Year!
The new year started with great weather, sunny days with light wind and 19ºC of average temperature. This would attract any visitor for a winter break but birds do not share the same opinion as people, as we can see from bird species recorded this month:

30th January 2013 at Porto Moniz
1 Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Paul da Serra
At least 12 FieldfaresTurdus pilaris

10th January 2013 at Machico
1 Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

December is always a good month for vagrant birds in Madeira and the first day of birdwatching around the island was somewhat productive...

30th December 2012 on a Bird, dolphin & whale watching trip off Caniçal bay
1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus
1 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
8 Grey Herons Ardea cinerea
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

November has started very wet and with strong winds increasing the amount of sightings for vagrant birds... Madeira this month is having some interesting vagrant birds...

28th November 2012 at Ponta do Pargo
Black Kite Milvus migrans

São Vicente
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Porto Moniz
1 Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

1st record of Cinammon Teal or 2nd record of Blue-winged Teal? - let us know your thoughts on the comment's box below!

On morning of the 15th of October 2012 Andrea & Harald Grabenhofer from Austria observed and identified an immature Common Scoter Melanitta nigra in Calheta marina, Madeira. They called Hugo & Catarina from Wind Birds to tell about this record and soon they were there for a twitch. The bird spent all morning diving for fish near the boats.