March should mean Spring though in Madeira it looks like we are 1 season delayed so Winter atmospheric conditions only arrived now... It has been very quiet in terms of vagrant birds in the island...

29th of March 2024 off Porto Moniz - observed by Michel (NED)
2 Great shearwater Ardenna gravis

26th of March 2024 at Santa Cruz
5 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
3 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

We keep beating air temperature records for each month in Madeira and birds are displaying like it is Spring time already... It is getting scary all this climate changes and mostly because we do not see anything being made to change it. :/ We do our part but we are still a minority and it is definitely not enough!

28th of February 2024 at Caniçal
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

21st of February 2024 at Caniço
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

At Caniçal
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

9th of February 2024 at São Vicente - reported by Jenny (UK)
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

We certainly would like to wish a happy 2024 but for those who observe nature and actually care about it, it is not looking good... Anyway, let's keep hope alive and do our best for nature conservation! Here are the bird species that visited Madeira archipelago this month:

30th of January 2024 at Caniçal
4 (maybe 5) Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
8 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
2 Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

29th of January 2024 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Paul (UK)
2 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
3 Little Egret Egretta garzetta

28th of January 2024 at Funchal harbour - reported by Nicholas (UK)
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - female
2 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus

At Machico - sightings by Roy (UK)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta

November has started but the temperatures are still around 25ºC intercalated with some rainy days... As it is still migration season anything can stop by Madeira archipelago, so let's see which species will visit us during the Thanksgiving month:

26th of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - recorded by Michel (NED)
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

25th of November 2023 at Santo da Serra
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

off Porto Moniz - observed by Michel (NED)
Black Tern Chlidonias niger

22nd of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - counted by Michel (NED)
2252 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
3 Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus

21st of November 2023 off Porto Moniz - seawatched by Michel (NED)
2252 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
9 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

Very high temperatures for the beginning of the autumn, reaching 30ºC... It is migration time, but it seems the weather seasons are disappearing. Let's see which species will be blown off their migratory course into Madeira!

26th of October 2023 at Machico
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis

25th of October 2023 at Caniçal
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

19th of October 2023 at Machico
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
5 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Little Egret Egretta garzetta

At Faial
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

15th of October 2023 at Lugar de Baixo - observed by Philip (UK)
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

August was a calm month regarding migrating birds passing by or stopping by Madeira. Ruddy turnstone was the only species recorded by Wind Birds, so there were no news for August 2023 other than the pelagic expedition. Now we sure hope September will bring some interesting species to the archipelago!

27th of September 2023 at Caniçal
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
5 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

26th of September 2023 at Porto Santo - observed by Andy (SPA
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus - flew by Pico Castelo

25th of September 2023 at Porto Santo - observed by Andy (SPA)
Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus - off Calheta
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - at Tanque pond

22nd of September 2023 at Machico river - photographed by Andreas (GER)
Ringed Teal Callonetta leucophrys - Most probably an escaped bird and maybe the same individual recorded on the 9th of July at Santa Cruz