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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Madeira and Porto Santo (16 to 29 September 2003),

Georges and Mireille Olioso

Le Mail, 26230 Grignan (France)

georges.olioso@wanadoo.fr

Ornithology

Very few birds ; like other small islands, few species, but also few individuals. No sparrows on Madeira, no Collared Doves ! Widespread species are rare: Canaries, Grey Wagtail, Plain Swift, Blackbird, Yellow-legged Gull, Buzzard, Kestrel and Feral Pigeon. Others, like Chaffinch, Berthelot's Pipit and Firecrest are common in right habitat. At sea, there are always some Cory's Shearwater.

Diary

We stay in Royal Orchid, at Caniço di Baixo, just in front the sea

Data lists

Birds

  1. Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis. Some tens every day in front of Caniço di Baixo. Also Porto Moniz. Between Funchal and Porto Santo, 24 Sept., 184 birds seen.
  2. Manx Sheawater Puffinus puffinus. 1, Sept 19, and 9, Sept 22, at sea in front of Caniço di Baixo. Perhaps other with the Cory's. Between Funchal and Porto Santo, 24 Sept., 11 birds seen.
  3. Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 1, Sept. 22, in front Caniço di Baixo.
  4. Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis. Between Funchal and Porto Santo, 24 Sept., 3 birds seen.
  5. Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii. 1 in the room, Sept. 27 (3:30 a.m !)
  6. Little Egret Egretta garzetta. Seen every day in small number. Maximum 7, Sept. 19, Funchal harbour. Porto Santo, 4 Tanque dam.
  7. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. Sept. 25, Machico, 5 leaving the roost, 7:45 a.m..
  8. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. 3, Sept. 21 and 27, Rio Machico mouth. 1, Sept. 22, Faja de Nogueira. Porto Santo, 6 first year birds at Tanque dam, Sept. 24.
  9. Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti. Female, Sept. 16, Caniço di Baixo.
  10. Buzzard Buteo buteo. 1, Sept 19, Pico di Arieiro ; 2 (first year), Sept 18, S. Antonio da Serra ; 1, Sept. 20, Rio Brava. 1, Sept. 22, Faja de Nogueira. Common at Porto Santo. Sept. 26, 1 Paul da Serra and 1  near Encumeada.
  11. Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides. 1, Porto Santo, Sept. 24.
  12. Kestrel Falco tinnunculus canariensis. Common and widespread on Madeira and Porto Santo
  13. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa. 8 together, Porto Santo.
  14. Coot Fulica atra. 6, Tanque dam, Porto Santo. 1, Sept 25 and 27 Rio Machico mouth.
  15. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus. 13, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.
  16. Dotterel Charadrius morinellus. 1 first year, Sept 20, Paul da Serra.
  17. Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula. 1 adult, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.
  18. Woodcock Scolopax rusticola. 1, Sept. 20, Fanal, between Paul da Serra and Ribeira da Janela.
  19. Little Stint Calidris minuta. 1, Sept 25 and 27, Rio Machico mouth.
  20. Sanderling Calidris alba. Funchal (1, Sept 19) and Machico (4, Sept. 18 and 21 ; 5, Sept. 25 and 27). Tanque dam, Porto Santo (3, Sept. 24.)
  21. Dunlin Calidris alpina. Machico, 3, Sept 18 ; 5, Sept. 21 and 2, Sept. 25 and 27. Tanque dam, Porto Santo, 2, Sept. 24.
  22. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea. 1, Sept. 18, Rio Machico mouth.
  23. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos. 1, Sept. 24, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.
  24. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus. 1, Sept. 24, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.
  25. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos. Funchal, 4, Sept. 19. One, Sept 25 and 29, Rio Machico mouth.
  26. Ruff Philomachus pugnax. 1, Sept. 24, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.and another, Sept. 25 and 27, Rio Machico mouth.
  27. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa. 1, Sept. 25, Rio Machico mouth.
  28. Turnstone Arenaria interpres. Common. Maxima 26 (Sept. 18) and 28 (Sept. 21), Machico.
  29. Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis atlantis. Very common (about 400, Sept. 19, Funchal harbour, 80 % first year). Abundant Porto Santo.
  30. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus. One adult intermedius, Sept. 18, in front of the Royal Orchid ; 1 (3rd summer) graellsii, Sept 19 Funchal.
  31. American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus. Un (first year), Sept 18, Rio Machico mouth.
  32. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus. 2 (first year), Sept. 18, Rio Machico mouth. 3, Sept. 24, Tanque dam, Porto Santo.
  33. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis. 1/2, Machico, Sept. 18, 21 and 27. One, Porto Santo, Sept. 24.
  34. Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Seen daily in small number. 22 at roost, Sept. 21, Machico.
  35. Feral Pigeon Columba livia « domestica ». Common and widespread. About 300, Sept. 19 Funchal harbour) ; 5, Sept. 17, Pico di Arieiro (1818 m). Abundant Porto Santo.
  36. TrocazPigeon Columba trocaz. 3, Sept. 17, levada de Balcoes ; 5, Sept. 18, S. Antonio da Serra. 14, Sept. 22, Faja de Nogueira.
  37. Common Swift Apus apus. One, Sept. 23, Madeira Shopping above Funchal. One, Sept. 26, Royal Orchid.
  38. Plain Swift Apus unicolor. Seen daily everywhere.
  39. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus. One, Sept 17, Pico di Arieiro.
  40. Hoopoe Upupa epops. Porto Santo, Sept. 24, 5 (2 + 2 + 1).
  41. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea schmitzi. Common and widespread. Not seen on Porto Santo.
  42. Berthelot'sPipit Anthus berthelotii madeirensis. Common (abundant), Paul da Serra (at least 150, Sept 20) and Pico do Arieiro. Very common Porto Santo.
  43. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis. One, Sept. 17, above the house of the Parque Ecologico de Funchal.
  44. Robin Erithacus rubecula. Widespread.
  45. Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe leucorrhoa. Two, Sept. 20, Paul da Serra. Another, Sept. 24, Porto Santo.
  46. Winchat Saxicola rubetra. Male, Sept. 26, Paul da Serra.
  47. Blackbird Turdus merula cabrerae. Common and widespread. Abundant Machico. Not seen on Porto Santo. F
  48. Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata. Two(together), Sept. 24, Porto Santo.
  49. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla heineken. Common (Abundant Porto Moniz).
  50. Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus madeirensis. Common in the laurisylva and pines. Abundant, levada de Balcoes. Not on Porto Santo.
  51. Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. 4, Sept. 17, house of the Parque Ecologico and 1, same day, on the road to Ribeiro Frio. One, Sept. 18, S. Antonio da Serra. Two, Sept. 24, Porto Santo.
  52. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata. One, Sept. 24, Porto Santo.
  53. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis. Abundant, Porto Santo.
  54. Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia. Two, Sept. 24, near the airport, Porto Santo.
  55. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs madeirensis. Common in the laurisylva. Tame. Not seen on Porto Santo.
  56. Canary Serinus canaria. Widespread and sometimes abundant. Seen daily.
  57. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis parva. Common near villages. Some on Porto Santo.
  58. Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. Only 2, Sept. 18, near S. Antonio da Serra, and 1, Sept. 28, Levada do Norte.
  59. Red Avadavat Amandava amandava. At least 8 (2 males), Sept. 21, Rio Machico, upstream the first bridge and 2/3, Sept. 27, same place.
  60. Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild. At least 15, Sept. 27, Rio Machico mouth, with some Avadavats.

Escaped

  1. African Collared DoveStreptopelia roseogrisea « risoria ». Numerous, Quinta da Palmeiras, Porto Santo, where bred.
  2. Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus. Some birds, Quinta da Palmeiras, Porto Santo.

Mammals

  1. Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus. One, Sept. 25, Machico.
  2. Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. Two, Sept. 18, near S. Antonio da Serra. Numerous tracks, Sept. 20 and 26, Paul da Serra.
  3. Common Dolphin ± 15 together, Sept. 24, Between Funchal and Porto Santo.
  4. Indeterminate Dolphin  One, big, Sept. 18, in front Royal Orchid

Reptiles

  1. Madeira Lizard Common everywhere (But Paul da Serra ?). Very abundant Porto Santo.

Amphibians

  1. "Green" Frog One, heard, Sept. 22, Faja da Nogueira. Four, seen and heard, Sept. 24, Porto Santo.

 

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