Madeira Birdwatching news for February 2013

February started with some strong winds from the East quadrant which normally brings some different vagrant birds to Madeira. So lets see which birds landed in Madeira for the Carnival festivities or for celebrating the end of the winter.

24th February in Porto Santo Island
At Serrado Reservoir
5 Ring-necked Ducks Aythya collaris - Less than 5 records in the last 50 years (Romano et al. 2010)
1 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
1 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
1 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
c. 25 Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris

At Serra de Dentro Reservoir
8 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca

At Pico Conselho
2 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca - males
1 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

At Tanque
5 White Wagtails Motacilla alba
2 Pied Wagtails Motacilla alba yarrellii
1 Pintail Anas acuta - adult male
1 Gadwall Anas strepera
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
1 Great Snipe Gallinago media
1 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors - 3rd record for Madeira archipelago!
3 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
1 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

25th February
At Tanque
1 Pintail Anas acuta - adult male
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
1 Little Egrets Egretta garzetta
3 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
1 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

At Ribeiro Salgado
1 White Wagtail Motacilla alba
1 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
1 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca

At Porto Santo Golf Course
2 White Wagtails Motacilla alba
1 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
1 Gadwall Anas strepera - adult male

13th February at São Vicente
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

Several butterflies were recorded in Ponta do Pargo from the following species:
Clouded Yellow Colias crocea
Painted Lady Cynthia cardui
Small White Pieris rapae

At Ponta do Pargo
At least 10 Skylarks Alauda arvensis

At Lugar de Baixo
1 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata - female
2 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca - a pair
1 Dunlin Calidris alpina
1 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
1 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

6th February at Faial
5 to 10 House Martin Delichon urbicum
5 White Wagtail Motacilla alba

At Caniçal
At least 4 Meadow Pipits Anthus pratensis
Some Skylark Alauda arvensis