Madeira request for information (3 Viewers)

[wolfbirder]

I have managed to get cheap lights and a hotel for 5 nights from 15th June (next Wednesday) but have lucked-out on booking trips, which are all full.

Madeirawinds have no free spaces on their ribs nor any available on the trip to the mountain at Pico do Arieiro, for Zino's.

The regular alternative boat trio Ventura do Mar to Desertas is out of commission for a month, undergoing essential maintainance, though I have managed to get on VTMs catamaraan for a day trip to Desertas, and also an evening trip to see whales/dolphins. I also have several spots sorted to sea-watch, after studying E-bird reports.

My query is regards the Zino Petrel colony at Pico do Arieiro, I realise you cannot walk on the trail without a guide, but I presume there is nothing to stop you travelling up to the peak in your car in the evening, at least to the car park. Timing is good as literature suggests that some evenings in June pairs can be see displaying around the mountain. Can you see the steep mountain colony from the car parking area or road? I appreciate chances are slim but I feel it is maybe worth a shot even if I can't go on the trail.

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Just back this week. Saw 11 Zino’s in the areas marked, 1 on the run back into Machico. None stayed very long around the boat, so keep your eyes peeled on the Desertas trip.

The trips are not called Windbirds for nothing. When it is calm everything sits around and then you are searching for stationary flocks. When it is windy then birds are all over.

The first couple of days we were there were very windy (by my standards) with a big Atlantic swell. It made for an uncomfortable first boat trip. However, when the wind is up it would be worth seawatching from a suitable headland. I had at least 1 Barolo from Funchal, in a passage of c.100 Manx and many hundreds of Cory’s, also 1 Bulwer’s. All in about 90 minutes. In later days there were large rafts of loafing birds. If Bulwer’s are occasionally seen I would imagine that Pteredromas are possible from land, if you choose the right spot.

Can’t help on the breeding site I’m afraid but your plan sounds feasible.

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Just a thought. A couple of birders bailed after our first day, so it’s might be worth contacting Windbirds for last minute standby availability.

 

[wolfbirder]

Just back this week. Saw 11 Zino’s in the areas marked, 1 on the run back into Machico. None stayed very long around the boat, so keep your eyes peeled on the Desertas trip.

The trips are not called Windbirds for nothing. When it is calm everything sits around and then you are searching for stationary flocks. When it is windy then birds are all over.

The first couple of days we were there were very windy (by my standards) with a big Atlantic swell. It made for an uncomfortable first boat trip. However, when the wind is up it would be worth seawatching from a suitable headland. I had at least 1 Barolo from Funchal, in a passage of c.100 Manx and many hundreds of Cory’s, also 1 Bulwer’s. All in about 90 minutes. In later days there were large rafts of loafing birds. If Bulwer’s are occasionally seen I would imagine that Pteredromas are possible from land, if you choose the right spot.

Can’t help on the breeding site I’m afraid but your plan sounds feasible.

View attachment 1451021

Thanks Bis, much appreciated.

Not sure I could take the Ribs to be honest, need a piss every hour -.

Did you manage to separate Zino’s from Desertas ok?

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Thanks Bis, much appreciated.

Not sure I could take the Ribs to be honest, need a piss every hour -.

Did you manage to separate Zino’s from Desertas ok?

There is a porta potty for the ladies and the back of the boat for gents.

The Pteredromas are super fast, and some are difficult to tell apart. Some birders had digital cameras which helped a lot. Most of the Zino’s (11) were quite obvious as were Desertas. (4?) one or two birds were less definite.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Hi Nick, it is a while since I went to Madeira (and it was in August) so this may be out of date or not entirely relevant.

Pico do Areeiro (not sure which is the correct spelling) - as far as I am aware there is no issue with walking from the parking area and along the obvious/marked routes as I did a path to Pico Ruivo and back. I think it is more of an issue that wandering about on the peak after dark when the Zinos return may be unwise. I would give it a go for the views if nothing else and hope you see one before it is too dark.

As for Hugo & Catarina's RIB, if you can get on a trip if someone cancels go for it, the pair of them are great and the birds excellent - just empty the bladder over the side if you can cope with that or buy a 'stadium pal' type thing.

 

[Steve Lister]

I did two August trips to Madeira many years ago, before Windbirds was set up. 1986 and 1998.
It was also before Zino's and Fea's/Desertas were split - 1986 was back in the days of Soft-plumaged Petrels !! I did see lots of them though, seawatching from a point east of the airport on the way to Machico.
I went on the Ventura do Mar, a sailing boat, towards the Desertas once on each trip but never got there either time due to high winds. It was good for very rapid views of pterodromas and Bulwer's. I also did the ferry to and from Porto Santo and saw a Barolo (Little then) on the evening return.
The first trip I got around very easily using buses and managed to see all the endemics. The second time we hired a car.

 

[wolfbirder]

Thank you very much for your thoughts Bis, Forest, Steve…. will be most helpful.

I have sorted out a good seawatching spot near Machico, where I am based. I just like easy going stuff but hopefully the boats will run tho they are subject to the weather.

I might well try the Pico late afternoon but not exactly sure where the Zinos spot is.

 

[jurek]

I might well try the Pico late afternoon but not exactly sure where the Zinos spot is.

I went there on a paid night tour and the spot is not too far away from the radar station, along one of the scenic public hiking trails. They are worth visiting for hiking at the daytime, although not for birds. Cannot provide exact coordinates, though. We heard Zinos calling several times, but did not see them. They would be visible only as a something dark flying at night, anyway. The colony itself, if I understand, is on inaccessible cliff ledges far below the path.

 

[opisska]

How does it even work exactly there, are there signs prohibiting entry at night?

 

[wolfbirder]

I went there on a paid night tour and the spot is not too far away from the radar station, along one of the scenic public hiking trails. They are worth visiting for hiking at the daytime, although not for birds. Cannot provide exact coordinates, though. We heard Zinos calling several times, but did not see them. They would be visible only as a something dark flying at night, anyway. The colony itself, if I understand, is on inaccessible cliff ledges far below the path.

Thx Jurek, several people report seeing them but only on a clear moonlit night.

 

[wolfbirder]

How does it even work exactly there, are there signs prohibiting entry at night?

Apparently some bye-law prohibits anyone from going on the path at night, not sure how it’s enforced though. It’s pretty dangerous anyway with steep ledges.

 

[opisska]

Yeah I am just curious how it looks like on the ground - if it's signposted, I'd never go there because I'd feel stupid if caught, but if it's just written somewhere then who checks all the laws before they go on every path, right? I have so many night vision instruments now that I am not really afraid of dangerous trails

 

[Paul Chapman]

My recollection is a large visitor centre & car park at the relevant spot. I will have a look at Google Maps. I am sure that it will be marked. I suspect that I was better off not seeing it in daylight. I am not the best with heights unless I build myself up to it. I managed the walk despite being in far worse shape 4 years ago.

Madeira - 2nd to 6th July 2018

With previous visits to the Canaries twice and Cape Verde, I had been trying to fit in a trip to Madeira for the last couple of years with some obvious Atlantic Islands specialities left to see but had always failed to make the arrangements to coincide my availability with pelagic availability...

www.birdforum.net

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

This is the location of the Centre and the start of the trail:-

Dropped pin

32°44'06.7"N 16°55'42.9"W · Unnamed Road, Portugal

Unnamed Road, Portugal

maps.app.goo.gl

I suspect that if you visit it that you will get an idea of the orientation. I believe that it is a permit type situation like Desert Owl in Israel but I may be talking nonsense?

Good luck.

Paul

 

[opisska]

Oh, if there is visitor center, then it's far more organized than I would have expected. At least then we can expect clear boundaries to be set. Well, seems like wolfbirder is gonna check those anyway

(btw. Desert Owl can be reasonably looked for in Israel in quite a lot of places, many with no sign of limits on access)

 

[wolfbirder]

Thank you Paul, that is really helpful.

I’ve started getting angina and it can suddenly feel like air supply is being cut off. Best not to be by a precipitous cliff edge when feeling dizzy -. I also don’t like heights, and I don’t like boats with no wc either - I know, why am I going to Madeira!

Still, I like birding alone cos I can do what I like when I like and rest/ snooze when I need too.

Thanks again. Of course I’ll write up my usual agonisingly- long diatribe upon my return.

 

[rollingthunder]

Not of much help but a mate went on the Windbirds trip twice in his 4 day stay a couple years ago. First time he started by observing birds and then trying to photograph what hung around. The second trip he just photographed and found it more satisfying as he could obviously see the birds thru the camera and zapped everything for when he got back to the billet.

Good birding and good luck -

Laurie -

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thank you Paul, that is really helpful.

I’ve started getting angina and it can suddenly feel like air supply is being cut off. Best not to be by a precipitous cliff edge when feeling dizzy -. I also don’t like heights, and I don’t like boats with no wc either - I know, why am I going to Madeira!

Still, I like birding alone cos I can do what I like when I like and rest/ snooze when I need too.

Thanks again. Of course I’ll write up my usual agonisingly- long diatribe upon my return.

I didn't spend any time seawatching on Madeira. It would have been really interesting to do so. I have done so for Fea's Petrel on Cape Verde when it proved to be possible to see it from land on both Sao Nicolau & Santiago.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[jurek]

You could call Windbirds, even if their boat trip is cancelled. They can help you with the Zinos petrels.

@opisska
Do you count birds seen only in the thermal scope? Some time ago I read ABAs rules for twitching, and birds seen on an electronic screen didn't count, but through glass - did. But no obligation to follow, and also the rules were really laid out before thermal scopes appeared.

I hope thermal scopes can help to solve a mystery of Zino's Petrels. It is suggested that there are other undiscovered breeding colonies on Madeira. Which would be very important for protection.