Seabirds migration pelagic expedition - 24th, 25th & 27th August 2015

Another Zino's Petrel pelagic expedition marked by the light wind though this time we managed to see some interesting seabird species on their migration and we only missed the Madeiran Storm Petrel.

24th August 2015 - big NW swell between 2 and 2.5 meters, light wind from North up to 8 knots
Several Great shearwater Puffinus gravis - some on the way up and some on the chum
Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus on the way
2 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Pterodroma sp.
5 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea

On the way back we closely observed a big feeding frenzy with:
Hundreds of Cory's shearwaters
Dozens of Great shearwaters
At least 1 Manx shearwater
2 Bryde's whale Balaenoptera edeni
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis
Atlantic Spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis

25th August 2015 - very light wind from North up to 4 knots, flat sea
1 Fea's petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta on the way
1 Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
1 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis

2 Beaked whales Mesoplodon sp.
Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba
Atlantic Spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis

27th August 2015 - NW wind up to 8 knots and W swell up to 1.2 meters
54 Great shearwater Puffinus gravis
4 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
3 Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus flying far
17 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea