On the 24th January 2010 at Funchal bay the following birds were recorded:
1 Sandwich Tern
1 Mediterranean Gull
More than 20 Black-headed Gulls
3 Little Egrets

In Machico there was
1 Little Egret
1 Common Sandpiper

Yesterday, the 22nd January 2010 the following special bird records were made:

At Lugar de Baixo
4 American Wigeons
1 Green-wing Teal

At Ponta do Pargo
1 Stonechat
Much sadness as this amazing IBA is being totally destructed for the construction of a golf course

At Ribeira da Janela
1 Wood Duck - female
1 Green-wing Teal
1 Common Teal
1 Little Egret

A Great Northern Loon was spotted yesterday, 14th of January 2010 by Catarina & Hugo from Madeira Wind Birds in Caniçal, as shown on the video below. Another bird (or maybe the same one?!) of the same species, Gavia immer, was observed last year, several times around Funchal bay between the 29th of January 2009 to the 13th of March 2009.

Other interesting birds observed yesterday were:
In Funchal
1 Dunlin
1 Little Egret
Many Turnstones
5 Macaronesian Shearwaters flying at sea

Lugar de Baixo
4 Wigeons
1 Green-wing teal
Several Turnstones

Ribeira da Janela
1 Wood Duck
1 Common Teal
1 Green-wing Teal

On the 2nd of January 2010 Catarina & Hugo from Madeira Wind Birds guided a full-day birdwatching tour for Jane & James (from Scotland) and here are the special observations:

Seixal
1 Osprey - probably the same observed on the 17th December 2009

Ribeira da Janela
1 female Wood Duck - the 1st record for Madeira still present since the 27th of October 2009
1 Green-wing teal - the long staying 1st record, still present since 11th February 2007
1 Common Teal

Lugar de Baixo
4 American wigeons - there was only 3 until the 27th December 2009 though on the 2nd December 1 was recorded in Machico
1 Green-wing teal - the long staying 2nd record
1 Mallard
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Little Egrets

Funchal
1 Mediterranean Gull
About 10 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

On the 20th December 2009 along the Lido promenade in Funchal Catarina & Hugo, from Madeira Wind Birds recorded what is called a LBJ, i.e. a Little Brown Job which turned out to be, most probably, a Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis. We asked for some help on the identification of the bird to some world experienced birdwatchers and we got 2 answers for the same species: a juvenile female Dark-eyed Junco or an adult female Slate-colored Junco which is a subspecies of the Dark-eyed most widespread in eastern North America. So, it is most certainly a female Dark-eyed Junco though we still need to confirm its age and state nationality!

Unfortunately we did not have any photo camera with us but we did have a video one as we were there to film the waves beating the rocks and damaging the Lido swimming pool. So here is the video

On the 5th November 2009 Azores had its first record of a Dark-eyed Junco, a male, in Flores island, so this will not be the 1st record for Portugal but probably the 2nd one.

Let us know your feedback on this sighting!