Madeira November 2004 - Full species list

São Lourenço peninsula, 22 November 2004 (Adriana Contin)

Full species list

Madeira, November 2004, by Teus Luijendijk (& Adriana Contin)

BIRDS

Fea's/Zino's Petrel   Pterodroma feae/madeira
       24/11 2 distant at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (16.10-18.00h).
       27/11 2 at sea from the ferry to Porto Santo. These birds were at N32°48.162' W16°33.644' and N32°48.776' W16°32.945', so quite in each other's vicinity, close to the deepest part of the strait.
Cory's Shearwater   Calonectris borealis
       22/11 4 at Ponta de São Lurenço.
       23/11 8 during a short afternoon seawatch from Porto da Cruz.
       24/11 417 W and 8 O at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (16.10-18.00h).
       26/11 169 W at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (14.45-16.45h).
       27/11 3 at sea from the ferry to Porto Santo.
Great Shearwater   Puffinus gravis
       26/11 2 W at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (14.45-16.45h).
       27/11 5 heading SW, from the ferry to Pto. Santo (flying SW at N32°54.686' W16°26.576')
Sooty Shearwater   Puffinus griseus
       24/11 2 W at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (16.10-18.00h).
Madeiran Storm-petrel   Oceanodroma castro
       26/11 At Ponta da Garajau a cackling sound was heard (at 19.15h) that matched the recordings I had at home well. As I couldn't confirm that in situ and as I wasn't able to record it, I cannot be 100% sure about this identification.
Great Cormorant   Phalacrocorax carbo
       22/11 an adult present in Machico harbour.
Grey Heron   Ardea cinerea
       22/11 1 Santa Cruz.
       22/11 3 flying over Machico.
       24/11 1 flying over Seixal.
       27/11 3 at Tanque pond, Porto Santo + 2 more at Porto Santo.
Little Egret   Egretta garzetta
       22/11 1 Machico.
       22/11 1 in Funchal harbour.
       27/11 5 in Funchal harbour.
Cattle Egret   Bubulcus ibis
       28/11 1 at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Gadwall   Anas strepera
       28/11 1 female at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Northern Shoveler   Anas clypeata
       28/11 1 male at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk   Accipiter nisus granti
       22/11 1 near Prainha, along the road to Ponta de São Lourenço.
       23/11 1 Fajã Nogueira.
       25/11 1 Botanical gardens (Jardim Botânico).
Common Buzzard   Buteo buteo harterti
       Common; up to 10 birds can easily be seen on a day.
Common Kestrel   Falco tinnunculus canariensis
       Common; up to 10 birds can easily be seen on a day.
Red-legged Partridge   Alectoris rufa
       27/11 1 videoed at Porto Santo.
Common Moorhen   Gallinula chloropus
       28/11 12 at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Common Coot   Fulica atra
       28/11 35 at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Northern Lapwing   Vanellus vanellus
       22/11 3 seen from the landing aircraft upon arrival.
Whimbrel   Numenius phaeopus
       22/11 4 at São Lourenço peninsula.
        26/11 1 at Jardim do Mar.
       26/11 1 at Porto Moniz.
Common Sandpiper   Actitis hypoleucos
       22/11 1 at Machico.
       28/11 1 at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Ruddy Turnstone   Arenaria interpres
       Common along the coast; foraging on the lawn at the Lugar de Baixo pond!
Common Snipe   Gallinago gallinago
       27/11 6 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
Red Knot   Calidris canutus
       22/11 1 juvenile at Machico.
Sanderling   Calidris alba
       22/11 2 at Machico.
       27/11 14 at Porto Santo.
Dunlin   Calidris alpina
       27/11 4 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
These birds were noticably larger than 'our normal' Dunlins (and had longer, slightly more decurved bills), and may therefore have been of the N-American subspecies hudsonia.
       28/11 9 at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Great Skua   Catharacta skua
       24/11 1 adult O at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (16.10-18.00h).
Pomarine Jaeger   Stercorarius pomarinus
       24/11 1 first-winter O at Porto Moniz during a seawatch (16.10-18.00h).
Mew Gull   Larus canus
       22/11 1 first-winter at Machico.
       22/11 1 first-winter in Funchal harbour.
Yellow-legged Gull   Larus michahellis atlantis
       Common along the coast. Interesting was a group of 14 adults seen at ca. 1000 m above sea level, circling between the peaks seen from the Pousada dos Vinhaticos watchpoint. They disappeared into the clouds.
Lesser Black-backed Gull   Larus intermedius graelsii
       23/11 1 third-winter Ponta da Cruz.
       25/11 3 in Funchal harbour.
       27/11 4 in Funchal harbour.
       27/11 1 from the ferry to Pto. Santo.
Common Black-headed Gull   Larus ridibundus
       22/11 2 at Machico.
       27/11 1 in Funchal harbour.
       28/11 1 first-winter at the Lugar de Baixo pond.
Common Tern   Sterna hirundo
       22/11 2 adult winter at Machico.
Rock Dove   Columba livia
       Regularly seen, but also many feral doves were flying around!

Me at Balcões, 23 November 2004 (Adriana Contin)

Trocaz Pigeon   Columba trocaz
       23/11 1 at Ribeira Frio.
       23/11 25 at Fajã Nogueira.
       24/11 1 along Levada da Central da Ribeira da Janela.
       28/11 1 along the road just N of Encumeada. Within touching distance!
Rose-ringed Parakeet   Psittacula krameri
       22/11 1 or 2 heard at Santa Cruz.
Barn Owl   Tyto alba schmitzi
       26/11 1 or 2 heard at Ponta da Garajau (19.15h).
       28/11 1 probably this species at Garajau: a white ghost crossing the street of our hotel.
Plain Swift   Apus unicolor
       23/11 15 Balcões.
       23/11 several Fajã Nogueira.
       23/11 10 Levada da Central da Ribeira da Janela.
       23/11 8 Ponta da Garajau.
Eurasian Hoopoe   Upupa epops
       22/11 1 at the Ponta do Rosto miradouro.
       27/11 1 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
Eurasian Skylark   Alauda arvensis
       22/11 8 near the baía d'Abra parking (São Lourenço peninsula).
Grey Wagtail   Motacilla cinerea schmitzi
       Common wherever there is water.
White Wagtail   Motacilla alba
       27/11 8 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo + some more here and there on Porto Santo.
Meadow Pipit   Anthus pratensis
       22/11 15 near the baía d'Abra parking (São Lourenço peninsula).
       27/11 at least 20 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
Berthelot's Pipit   Anthus berthelotii madeirensis
       Common in the drier parts.
European Robin   Erithacus rubecula
       Commonly seen and even more heard.
Common Blackbird   Turdus merula cabrerae
       Common.
Common Chiffchaff   Phylloscopus collybita
       22/11 2 at the São Lourenço peninsula.
       22/11 2 in the Botanical gardens (Jardim Botânico)
Blackcap   Sylvia atricapilla heineken
       Common.
Madeira Firecrest   Regulus madeirensis
       Common, from sea level (though scarce here) up to the highest slopes; here and there abundant.
Common Chaffinch   Fringilla coelebs maderensis
       Common.
Brambling   Fringilla montifringilla
       27/11 1 female at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
Canary   Serinus canaria
       Common. Noteworthy was a flock 24/11 of around 70 at Seixal and 27/11 a flock of approximately 300 at the N edge of the Porto Santo airstrip.
European Goldfinch   Carduelis carduelis parva
       27/11 at least 3 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo.
Eurasian Linnet   Carduelis cannabina nana
       27/11 at least 3 at the Tanque pond, Porto Santo + some more here and there on Porto Santo.
Spanish Sparrow   Passer hispaniolensis
       27/11 common on Porto Santo.
       28/11 1 near Boa Morte.

MAMMALS

Bat species   Chiroptera
       26/11 several at the Christo Rei statue at Ponta da Garajau. These could not be identified to species.
Rabbit   Oryctolagus cuniculus
       27/11 1 at Porto Santo.
Bottlenose Dolphin   Tursiops truncatus
       26/11 a group of approx. 40 heading E, seen from Ponta da Garajau.
       27/11 10-12 seen from the ferry to Porto Santo.

REPTILES

Madeiran Wall Lizard Teira dugesii
Present almost everywhere. They are easily attracted by fruit, but two also came to lick my hands at the Baía de Abra parking, apparently to get some salt. One of them even bit me!

BUTTERFLIES

Large White   Pieris brassicae wollastoni
       (not 100% sure) 23/11 1 briefly seen at Balcões.
Small White   Artogeia rapae
       Commonly seen, especially on the N side of the island.
Clouded Yellow   Colias crocea
       23/11 1 near Santana.
       26/11 1 along the Levada Nova (Prazeres).
Long-tailed Blue   Lampides boeticus
       22/11 1 at the Ponta do Rosto miradouro (São Lourenço peninsula).
       26/11 1 male along the Levada Nova (Prazeres).
Red Admiral   Vanessa atalanta
       22/11 1 at the Ponta do Rosto miradouro (São Lourenço peninsula).
       23/11 2 near Santana.
       24/11 2 along Levada da Central da Ribeira da Janela.
Painted Lady   Cynthia cardui
       22/11 several at the São Lourenço peninsula.
Madeiran Speckled Wood   Pararge xiphia
       Commonly seen in all wooded areas.

DRAGONFLIES

Emperor Dragonfly   Anax imperator
       24/11 1 female São Vicente.
Madeira Darter   Sympetrum nigrifemur
       Commonly seen, especially along the Levadas.

OTHER INSECTS

Desert Locust   Schistocerca gregaria
       26/11 10s or 100s Ponta do Pargo.
       27/11 several at sea and many dead on the beach, Porto Santo.

Go to a printer friendly version of this list