The first Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition of 2015 was a great success in terms of Pterodromas, with 10 Zino's and even one Fea's petrel - which was not expected by this time of year! Adding to these great sightings we had Peter Harrison onboard who was a magnet to all seabirds observed.

April has started with a nice influx of passage birds (vagrant birds) in Madeira as the eastern winds blow a few migrants off their course:

26th of April 2015 at Ponta do Pargo
> 10 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
2 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

At Lugar de Baixo
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

24th of April 2015 at Ponta do Pargo - reported by Ingvar Sigurðsson & Thora Hrafnsdottir (ISL)
White Stork Ciconia ciconia

March means Spring and as one may consider that in Madeira it is Spring all year around, some of the resident bird species are already nesting and others displaying, so bird music is in the air... As for vagrant birds, lets see what Spring brings to Madeira:

31st of March 2015 at Lugar de Baixo
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus - Exceptional record
3 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius curonicus
19 Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina
2 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Common Redshank Tringa totanus

27th February 2015 at Lugar de Baixo
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

26th February 2015 at Machico
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
8 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

24th February 2015 at Lugar de Baixo - reported by Merijn Salverda (NED)
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Great White Egret Ardea alba

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone! May your 2015 be a BIG Year!

30th January 2015 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Peter & Jacky Truelove (UK)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Great White Egret Ardea alba

28th January 2015 at Lugar de Baixo - reported by Peter & Jacky Truelove (UK)
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna - female
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea