Sad news for Madeira Birdwatching

Lugar de Baixo pond in Ponta do Sol

Birdwatching spot at Ponta do Sol

Unfortunately the heavy rains and floods that Madeira held last Saturday, the 20th February 2010 not only killed people and left other homeless - which we deeply regret - but also ruined our very special birdwatching spot: Lugar de Baixo pond.

The pictures show the state of the pond 4 days after the storm. The place is filled up with mud and the wall protection that separated the pond from the sidewalk and road has been destroyed. Fortunately we could still observe some of the pond residents for the last months as:
1 Green-wing Teal
3 American Wigeons
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Little Egret
Several Muscovy Ducks
Few Moorhens
Few Coots

The lady that usually feeds the ducks is not going to the pond due to the difficult accessibility which is not easy for a person with her age. This way Catarina & Hugo from Madeira Wind Birds were there yesterday, feeding the birds.

On this tragic week these are the special birds that have been observed:

22nd February 2010

Seixal
1 Green-wing Teal
1 Common Teal
4 Common Terns

The female Wood Duck hasn't been seen for 2 weeks already... It probably took its chances to cross back the Atlantic Ocean

São Vicente
2 Common Whimbrels
1 Hudsonian Whimbrel
1 White Wagtail

19th February 2010 on a half-day sea trip on the southeast of Madeira - Caniçal and Machico
7 Grey Herons
5 Little Egrets
2 Ringed Plovers
1 Sanderling
2 Dunlins

More than 20 Short-finned pilot whales