Madeira Pelagic Expedition for Seabird’s Migration - 26th to 28th August 2014

The wind was between 6 and 15 knots, during the 3 days, which allowed us to observe the different behaviour of the birds according to the sea and wind conditions. 1 Zino's Petrels was clearly observed and a few migrating seabirds were seen. Of course Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii were the constant species everyday. So, in total we saw 11 species of seabirds (Madeiran storm-petrel does not count), 4 species of cetaceans and 1 shark:

28th August
On the way to the chumming area
2 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae
4 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis

At the chumming area
2 Pterodroma sp.
2 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae

On the way back to the harbour
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro - a bird flew close to the boat though only few people saw it
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Stenella frontalis

27th August
On the way to the chum spot
>25 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
2 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae
2 Pterodroma sp.

At the chum slick
32 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus (Arctic Skua)

Blue shark Prionace glauca
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Stenella frontalis
Short-beaked Common Dolphin

26th August
On the way to the chumming position
15 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
2 Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae
2 Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

At the chum spot
30 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
5 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
2 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
Pterodroma sp.
Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus

Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens - on the chum slick together with a group of bottlenose dolphins