A very smooth pelagic expedition which turned out good for Pterodromas, for non local storm petrels and other marine vertebrates but not so much for the Madeira breeding storm petrel species... Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were observed everyday.

20th of June 2026 - 6 knots SW wind. NE swell up to 0.5 meter
4 Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 1 on the way up
Pterodroma sp - on the way up
6 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Approx. 10 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
4 Common tern Sterna hirundo

Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis
2 Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta

After two weeks of very strong winds it calmed down just for this pelagic expedition, so we were lucky to get the perfect conditions for a relatively comfortable trip with good chances for seabirds! As usual, Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and, in fewer numbers, Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus were observed everyday.

14th of June 2026 - North wind, 7 knots at the beginning increasing to 13 knots by the end of the afternoon. 1.5 meter NE swell and 0.5 meter wind waves from N
7 Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 1 on the way up
4 Pterodroma sp - 1 on the way to the chumming position
7 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
7 Common tern Sterna hirundo
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Only 1 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus observed today

Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta

Summer is no longer a good period for migratory birds to be stopping by Madeira archipelago on their way "home" but there might some delayed ones...

16th of June 2026 at Santa Cruz
5 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum

At Ponta do Pargo - reported by Jaap (NED)
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae

15th of June 2026 at Santo da Serra reservoir
2 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

At Ponta de São Lourenço - observed by Jaap (NED)
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus - female

The forecasts were quite good as there was some relatively flat sea (comfortable for us) but still a nice breeze (good for the seabirds) though it turned out to be quite weird days as the species expected for each chosen chumming site weren't the ones that turned up... Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii were present everyday though numbers varied a lot and Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus where in great number on the 1st day, none spotted on the 2nd day and just a few on the 3rd day...

29th May 2026 - 11 to 13 knots of Northern wind and 1.5 meter waves from same direction
Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - 1 on the way up
2 Pterodroma sp. - flying far, on the way up
3 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
4 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira - 1 came twice to the chum, all very well seen!
White-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca
2 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus

28th May 2026 - North wind 5 knots increasing in the afternoon to 7 knots. Flat sea
8 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
5 Lesser Black-backed gull Larus fuscus
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro on the way back
No Manx shearwater was seen today

Atlantic spotted dolphins Stenella frontallis

27th May 2026 - 8 to 9 knots of NW wind and 1 to 1.5 meter waves from same direction
Possible Barolo’s shearwater - on the way up but too far for a positive ID and only some of the participants saw it.
Very big frenzy of Cory’s and Manx shearwater just before to the chumming position but no cetaceans
1 Sooty shearwater Puffinus griseus - among the frenzy flock
>10 Common tern Sterna hirundo
2 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
3 Great skua Stercorarius skua - 1 seen far away while chumming and 2 flying NW on the return ride
1 Pterodroma sp - 1 flew too far to ID and did not come to the chumming position
Possible Desertas' petrel Pterodroma deserta - - on the way back by sunset, photos suggested Pterodroma deserta

5 flying fish

We usually start the pelagics later in May to guarantee Desertas' Petrels which are the latest ones to arrive to Madeira, normally between mid and end of May. But April and early May tend to be good periods for migratory seabirds passing by. On this first Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition of 2026 we did not get Pterodroma deserta but we got the 2nd record of Pterodroma hasitata for Madeira! Everyday we got good number of Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis, Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus and Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii.

16th May 2026 - 2 meter long period swell with 12 knots of northeast wind
2 meter swell from North and 12 knots NE wind
4 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
4 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
2 Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii - photographed by at least 1 of the participants
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
3 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus

May is the month of uncertainties, like its name suggests - it may rain, it may be sunny, it may be cold or it may be hot... we just never know! It is similar with the birds, although it is migration time we may get some raritites or we may not!

18th of May 2026 at Camacha
3 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
10 Barn swallow Hirundo rustica

at Caniçal
2 Sand Martin Riparia riparia

14th of May 2026 at Parque Santa Catarina in Funchal - observed by Donato (POR)
8 Yellow-crowned Bishop Euplectes afer

At São Vicente - observed by Michel (NED)
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

13th of May 2026 at Caniçal
2 Sand Martin Riparia riparia