Porto Santo trip report by Madeira Wind Birds - October 2009

Hugo and Catarina from Madeira Wind Birds decided to run away from last week's stormy weather in Madeira, which made them cancel many tours, and went to Porto Santo island for birdwatching. Here are the highlights of this trip:

Juvenile Western Marsh Harrier

Ring-necked Duck

Spoonbill

7th of October 2009
Porto Santo Golf Course
>6 Wheater
13 Sanderling
1 White Wagtail
1 Purple Heron - juvenile
5 Grey Heron
8 Little Egret
2 Cattle Egret
3 Spoonbill
8 Mallard - from which 3 females
11 Coots
2 Greenshank
1 female Mandarin Duck
6 Buzzard sitting all together

6th of October 2009
North limit of the airport
1 Turtle Dove

Ribeiro Salgado
3 Little Egret
2 Moorhen
1 Purple Heron - juvenile
1 Grey Heron

5th of October 2009
SE limit of the airport
1 Western Marsh Harrier - juvenile
2 Wheater
1 Barbary Falcon - probably the same one seen on the 31st of August 2009

Tanque
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Common Chiffchaf
Still present here were 8 Coot, 1 Ring-necked Duck, 2 Greenshank, 1 Grey Heron

4th of October 2009
On the ferry trip
Cory's shearwater & Yellow-legged Gull almost all the way to Porto Santo
4 Fea's Petrel

Beach
4 Sanderling

Tanque
3 Spoonbill - 1 adult in breeding plumage
2 Grey Heron
9 Coot
1 Ring-necked Duck
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Greenshank
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Green Sandpiper
1 White Wagtail
1 Dunlin
1 Little Stint
6 Collared Dove