2014 Madeira pelagic expeditions started with a long list of seabirds seen! 17 species of marine birds and 3 species of cetaceans were observed during the 3 days of Wind Birds' ocean adventures! Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis, Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis were seen in good number on all pelagic trips, together with the following special seabirds:

May is always a good month for vagrant birds in Madeira as a migration season. The 10th of May, the World Migratory Bird Day, surprised us with a Western Reef Heron which was the second confirmed record for Madeira archipelago!
While birdwatching on Madeira these are the other vagrant birds observed during Wind Birds' tours or by some birdwatchers visiting the islands:

On the very first days of April the wind blowed strongly from west quadrant and rain fell heavily... As this is a migration month, lets see which vagrant species were blown off their route. Meantime, since the 4th of April Wind Birds is running its Zino's Petrel Night Expedition to hear and see the silhouettes of the rare Pterodroma madeira with success!

On the 4th of April 2014 Wind Birds started running their Zino’s Night Expedition to hear and sometimes see the silhouettes of this rare endemic seabird. On this first night tour of 2014 there was just a bit of moon though the night was very clear, there was no wind and we heard more than 70 calls! This means that Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira are back from their migration and are already visiting their breeding colony!

March is here and Spring is arriving to Madeira! This is a good season to start watching the first land birds blown off course from their migration between Africa and Europe.

31st March 2014 at Santa Cruz
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

at Lugar de Baixo - sightings by Ton and Annemiek Eggenhuizen (NED)
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

at Ponta de São Lourenço - reported by Ton & Annemiek Eggenhuizen
Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides

This month Wind Birds is celebrating 10 years old and so birds and birdwatchers are all invited to come to Madeira and enjoy our nature and good weather!

26th February 2014 at Funchal harbour - reported by Martin Lewis (UK)
2 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres