10-11 June 2009 - a brief Madeira trip with Mark Finn from Birdwatching Breaks. The first afternoon, after flying via Lisbon, we headed up into the wooded hills to see Madeira Firecrest and Trocaz Pigeon - a good haul of other species included Plain and Pallid Swifts, Spectacled Warbler and Quail. After dinner, we then returned to the Pico de Arieiro with Hugo from Madeira Windbirds, and after an amazing moonlight ascent, with a cloud sea lapping the peaks below us, we waited by the cliffs and then heard the eerie calls of the arriving Zino's Petrels (top), and glimpsed several of these incredibly rare seabirds flying in the darkness, against the moon and stars. A memorable experience!
The next day, a Desertas boat trip was perhaps slightly disappointing in terms of seabirds, but still produced excellent views of over 300 Cory's Shearwaters (3 upper photos, JM), and 3 Bulwer's Petrels including very good views of the first one sighted (lower photo). Alas, no Fea's or Storm Petrels.
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