Madeira request for information (1 Viewer)

[opisska]

I am not sure if a thermal image would be enough or even helpful to ID the bird? But I also have near-IR active night vision (simple digital one) which shows much more detail and could be useful in such situations.

But I count heard only birds (and encourage anyone else to do so as well) - and, to the topic of screens, I definitely count birds seen only on the screen of my camera, which is my preferred method of birding (take shots and look what it is). What I am interested in is really finding the bird and proving - to myself - its presence.

 

[wolfbirder]

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

I have located several good spots around the coast, so my report will likely be just a sea-watching trip report, plus hopefully the 2 boat trips on normal catamaran with VMT (Desertas Islands cruise (18th), and then evening whale and dolphin cruise (19th)), unless cancelled.

https://www.vmtmadeira.com/en/trips/desertas-islands/

I've very little chance of separating Desertas from Zino's but I have spent a long time studying photos (yours were very helpful) and video clips, in the hope that one or two are obvious examples, but I expect that is wishful thinking on my part. I may not even see any, that is certainly a realistic possibility.

But even if I fail, Bulwer's will be a lifer along with Madeiran Firecrest and Trocaz Pigeon.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Nick, I'm sure you have plenty of information but if you are not just doing seawatching/pelagics, other sites for endemic/regional species/sub-species that I got in late summer 2012 (that long ago ... really!) include:

• Ponta de Sao Lourenco - Common Buzzard (harterti), Kestrel (canariensis), Plain Swift, Berthelot's Pipit (madeirensis), Rock Sparrow (madeirensis), Atlantic Canary;
• Machico - seafront/river - Grey Wagtail (schmitzi), Common Waxbill, Blackbird (cabrerae);
• Laguna do Lugar de Baixo - Waxbill, Wagtail;
• Monte/Quinta Gardens (Funchal) - Madeira Firecrest, Sparrowhawk (granti), Goldfinch (parva);
• Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo - Kestrel, Swift, Pipit, Canary;
• Ribero Frio/Balcoes/Faja de Nogueira - Trocaz Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Swift, Wagtail, Blackbird, Blackcap (heinecken), Firecrest, Chaffinch (madeirensis);
• Ponta do Pargo/Paul de Serra - Spectacled Warbler (orbitalis), Linnet (guentheri), Rock Dove (atlantis), Buzzard, Kestrel, Swift, Wagtail, Firecrest, Chaffinch.

 

[wolfbirder]

Nick, I'm sure you have plenty of information but if you are not just doing seawatching/pelagics, other sites for endemic/regional species/sub-species that I got in late summer 2012 (that long ago ... really!) include:

• Ponta de Sao Lourenco - Common Buzzard (harterti), Kestrel (canariensis), Plain Swift, Berthelot's Pipit (madeirensis), Rock Sparrow (madeirensis), Atlantic Canary;
• Machico - seafront/river - Grey Wagtail (schmitzi), Common Waxbill, Blackbird (cabrerae);
• Laguna do Lugar de Baixo - Waxbill, Wagtail;
• Monte/Quinta Gardens (Funchal) - Madeira Firecrest, Sparrowhawk (granti), Goldfinch (parva);
• Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo - Kestrel, Swift, Pipit, Canary;
• Ribero Frio/Balcoes/Faja de Nogueira - Trocaz Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Swift, Wagtail, Blackbird, Blackcap (heinecken), Firecrest, Chaffinch (madeirensis);
• Ponta do Pargo/Paul de Serra - Spectacled Warbler (orbitalis), Linnet (guentheri), Rock Dove (atlantis), Buzzard, Kestrel, Swift, Wagtail, Firecrest, Chaffinch.

Many thanks Pete, that is great.

Yes I will be going inland for Trocaz Pigeon and Firecrest, but apart from one morning, the rest will all eyes out at sea.

Also as I am based at Machico, hope to check out the river area.

Looking forward to it!

 

[GMS]

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.

We did the night time trip a while back. Thermal imaging surprisingly didn't help much, we only saw black shadows against still warm rock faces. Did see some birds in the moonlight though but it won't be clear views. Overall fantastic experience though, hearing them call high up in the mountains. Bit puzzled by the imaging, are they so well insulated that they don't give of a lot of heat. Equipment worked well when tested on swifts/swallows (albeit in day time).

 

[rdcny]

Deborah Allen and I posted a trip report about a recent trip (16-18 June) with Catarina and Hugo of WindBirds - we recommend them and their pelagic trips:

Pelagic Birds and Island Endemics of Madeira, Eastern Atlantic, June 2022

Herein we feature some pelagic birds that occur in NYC area waters as well as the eastern Atlantic off northwest Africa (Madeira Island). Stay cool! Our bird walks continue on Sundays at 9:30am ($10) throughout the summer into August.

www.birdingbob.com

 

[Gonçalo Elias]

Nick, I'm sure you have plenty of information but if you are not just doing seawatching/pelagics, other sites for endemic/regional species/sub-species that I got in late summer 2012 (that long ago ... really!) include:

• Ponta de Sao Lourenco - Common Buzzard (harterti), Kestrel (canariensis), Plain Swift, Berthelot's Pipit (madeirensis), Rock Sparrow (madeirensis), Atlantic Canary;
• Machico - seafront/river - Grey Wagtail (schmitzi), Common Waxbill, Blackbird (cabrerae);
• Laguna do Lugar de Baixo - Waxbill, Wagtail;
• Monte/Quinta Gardens (Funchal) - Madeira Firecrest, Sparrowhawk (granti), Goldfinch (parva);
• Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo - Kestrel, Swift, Pipit, Canary;
• Ribero Frio/Balcoes/Faja de Nogueira - Trocaz Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Swift, Wagtail, Blackbird, Blackcap (heinecken), Firecrest, Chaffinch (madeirensis);
• Ponta do Pargo/Paul de Serra - Spectacled Warbler (orbitalis), Linnet (guentheri), Rock Dove (atlantis), Buzzard, Kestrel, Swift, Wagtail, Firecrest, Chaffinch.

As far as I know, Buteo buteo harterti and Petronia petronia madeirensis are currently not recognized by any major authority.

 

[foresttwitcher]

As far as I know, Buteo buteo harterti and Petronia petronia madeirensis are currently not recognized by any major authority.

I must admit I didn't consult a particular taxonomic authority for this list but included them as they are mentioned in "Where to watch birds in the Madeira archipelago" (Claudia Delgado).