Special(ists) Pelagic Expedition, Madeira, May 2017

There is no better way to start the pelagics' season than exchanging experiences and observations with a group of pelagic seabirds' specialists! The renowned Brian Patteson, Kate Sutherland and Peter Flood, who run pelagic trips in the USA joined Wind Birds team for 3 amazing afternoons at sea! Regarding weather and sea conditions, we may say we had the four seasons but the bird species aimed were all very well observed!!!

9th May 2017 - Wind was light, up to 7 knots from SW and waves were coming from NW up to 1.5 meters. Some calm hours chumming...
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
2 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Presumable Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta - did not fly close enough for a definite ID but seemed quite a bulky bird
>8 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
2 Loggehead Turtle Caretta caretta

10th May 2017 - Much rougher afternoon than the day before... 17 to 20 knots of wind from W and waves up to 2.5 meters from NW
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
4 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
Pterodroma sp. - seen on the way back

Common Bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus

12th May 2017 - Perfect conditions for both birds and birdwatchers! Wind from West between 12 and 15 knots and waves from SW up to 1.5 meters
At least 5 Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa - at the same time on the chum
At least 5 White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina hypoleuca - at the same time on the chum
European Storm petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Sabine's gull Xema sabini - sat by the chum slick the whole afternoon
3 Zino's Petrel Pterodroma madeira
2 Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae/deserta
2 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
>4 Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro

Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis
Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis

In a decreasing order of quantities, we had on all 3 days Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis, Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus puffinus