A winter break on Madeira

14th-21st January 2008

by Don Taylor

A walking holiday with Trish, with a little birding, based in a Garajou Terrace apartment, with a hire car and flights between Gatwick and Funchal. A first visit for both of us to this amazing North Atlantic island.

The weather was dry, sunny and warm for much of the holiday though there were occasions when we looked down on dense cloud and one or two days either commenced cloudy or cloud drifted over during the afternoon. Strong winds occasionally featured. A great alternative to 'winter' in Kent.

ITINERARY

Monday 14th      Flew from Gatwick with TAPortugal at 4.35pm arriving at Funchal  three hours later, when we picked up our Mitsubishi Colt hire-car from Sixt and drove to Garajau Terrace.
  

Tuesday 15th     Spent much of the day in Funchal and visited the impressive Botanical Gardens in the afternoon and returned via Ponta do Garajau and the statue of Christ.
  

Wednesday 16th Drove to Ponta de Sau Lourenco for a walk on the attractive eastern peninsula. In the afternoon visited Canical and Camacha.

Thursday 17th    Walked on Paul de Serra and visited Rabacal for the Risco water-fall during a long morning. At a late lunch at Urze and returned via Ponta do Sol and Lugar de Baixo.

Friday 18th        Made an early visit to Lugar de Baixo, returned to Funchal via Camara de Lobos. Visited the Tropical Gardens in the afternoon. Drove back via Terreiro da Luta and Romeiros for a brief seawatch off Ponta do Garajau.

Saturday 19th    Commenced with a pre-breakfast seawatch, drove inland to Pico do Arieiro, took a short walk from Rabiero Frio to Balcoes and drove N to the coast near Faial. In the afternoon visited Machico and Pico do Facho, and drove back via Portela and Camache

Sunday 20th      Commenced with another pre-breakfast seawatch and visited Lugar de Baixo en route to Ponta do Pargo, in the far west, for a morning walk. Visited Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar before a final look at Lugar de Baixo.  
 

Monday 21st      An early breakfast and a brief seawatch before leaving Garajau Terrace for the airport at 9.40am. Returned the car having driven 460 kms. The three-hour flight departed at noon.   

DIARY

Monday 14th

Left home at 1.15pm and drove to the North Terminal Summer Special car park at Gatwick. The flight departed at 4.35pm landing at Funchal Airport at 7.40pm. Collected our Mitsubishi Colt hire-car from Sixt and drove to Garajau in about 20 minutes along the new motorway. We had time to stroll around the small town before retiring.  

Tuesday 15th

Greeted by blue skies, purchased food and ate breakfast on our patio before checking in officially at 10am. Spent much of the day in Funchal, an attractive town built on steep slopes, which has produced some fascinating engineering challenges. The harbour attracts good numbers of gulls, with an interesting variety on occasions. One Sandwich Tern was present with numerous Yellow-legged Gulls, about 15 Black-headed Gulls, one or two graellsii LBB Gulls and two Common Sandpipers . Some of the good numbers of Feral Pigeons looked very similar to bona fide Rock Doves . We ate lunch at a harbour restaurant.

We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon visit to the Botanical Gardens, which impressed us with many geometric arrangements of different coloured flowers. The topiary was also imaginative and attractive, but the only birds noted were Blackbirds, Robins, a few Blackcaps and a Chaffinch - and a couple of friendly white Peacocks. On the way home we appreciated the sunset from Ponta do Garajau, where we climbed down the steep steps and back, seeing about five Canaries mainly in juvenile plumage.  

Wednesday 16th

There was another sunny start to the day, though it clouded over in the afternoon. We had a slow start and didn't commence our walk (PR8) on the Ponta de Sau Laurenco northeastern peninsula until around 11am. As we drove out of Canical we saw our first Common Buzzard and Kestrel but failed to see any sign of Rock Sparrows that reputedly occur here. Early on the walk a flock of about 100 Canaries fed on the hillsides and several Berthelot's Pipits amazed us yet again by their confiding behaviour - later, at lunch they scurried around under our feet. Small Lizards appeared to be extremely common but I imagine that one that I photographed, with two tails, must be considered a rare sighting.

Another Common Buzzard flew over and in the bay fish breeding pens attracted numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls and five Grey Herons. Further on we spotted a falcon perched on the edge of a steep cliff and not knowing the likelihood of either Peregrine or Barbary, I should have paid more attention and attempted to take a closer photograph. I did note certain features and began to think it might be a 1st winter Barbary Falcon but continued to encourage other walkers to view a 'Peregrine Falcon' through my telescope. This became a little frustrating when, on one occasion, I could see that it was eating its prey by lifting it up in its talons, when it showed more plumage detail.

Some aspects of the rock formations are spectacular and to quote from the Underwood's Sunflower Landscapes book Madeira , ".. extraordinary geological formations - basalt intrusions into sandstone, uptilted magma dykes, metamorphosed sandstone with astonishing textures and colours, and eroded soft rock under basalt tors." A climb up the highest hills at the eastern end provided wonderful views over an abyss to the lighthouse and the distant islands, with just hundreds of Yellow-legged Gulls the only birds to be seen.

We ate our picnic lunch near the car park, sharing crumbs with Berthelot's Pipits and noting two more Kestrels . In the afternoon we stopped by Canical harbour for a coffee, then walked around the western end, noting six Turnstone on the rocks but failing to find any Spanish Sparrows amongst the palms or in the vineyards, which held a flock of about 90 Starlings and a mixed flock of Canaries and Goldfinches .

On the way back we took a detour through Gaula and Agnas Mansas to Camacha, where we were greatly impressed by the modern design of the new Roman Catholic Church. Enjoyed another impressive sunset as we drove 'home' by 6.45pm. We ate in the 'Snack Bar California', purchased a bottle of Madeira in the local supermarket and sampled it while preparing routes for the next few days.

Thursday 17th

Rose early and left for Paul de Serra by 8.20am driving through more spectacular scenery along the Ribeira de Serra de Agua valley to the Encumeada pass, where we were suddenly wrapped in cloud. The only bird of note en route was a Grey Wagtail. As we wound our way towards the plateau we climbed out of the cloud and enjoyed the warmth of the sun for much of our levada walk to Pico Ruivo do Paul, which we commenced at just after 10am. The levada crosses open moorland before running through woods to its source. Blackbirds were numerous, several Robins sang and a Common Buzzard called as it flew overhead. In the woods we

had our first views of a stunning Madeira Firecrest and as we walked across the bracken to the peak a ring-tail Hen Harrier hunted along the slope, dropping down for prey at one point.

The dense pure white blanket of cloud beneath us was a stunning contrast to the few higher distant peaks. Walking back by the gorse and bracken we had good views of two male Spectacled Warblers and returned to our car by 11.45am. We drove into cloud as we approached Urze and enjoyed a coffee-break before driving on towards Rabacal. From 12.30pm we followed the road down for about thirty minutes in dense, damp cloud and it was even wetter, with water dripping from the steep valley sides, as we followed the Levada do Risco to the 100m waterfall, which was less impressive in the misty conditions. On the way back, a break in the trees gave us an opportunity to look across the valley and we were fortunate enough to have brief but good flight views of four Trocaz Pigeons - the second of the two endemic species I wanted to see. A few Chaffinches with subtle plumage differences from those in the UK were seen as we waited for over an hour for the shuttle bus to take us back to our car. We returned to the café at Urze for a late lunch, when we were blessed with some warm sunshine.

It was nearly 4pm when we headed south for Canhas, driving slowly down through cloud for much of the way, along an extremely windy road. We drove through Ponta do Sol to eventually reach Lugar de Baixo at 5.15pm via a diversion, as a tunnel was temporarily blocked.

The pool behind the café and library has attracted many rarer species over the years and I was looking forward to visiting it. Initially, the dominant species were Muscovy Ducks and Feral Pigeons but amongst them was an interesting variety of waders and other wetland species. Among the waders were 27 Turnstone, three Dunlin, two each of Sanderling and Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint with a ring on its left leg. There was just one drake Mallard and more surprisingly a duck Greater Scaup . We departed at 6.30pm and reached 'home' by 7pm.  

Friday 18th

Returned to Lugar de Baixo at 8.30am but were delayed again by another tunnel closure. A similar range of species was still present and we returned eastwards to visit Camara de Lobos, a picturesque fishing village where most of the fishermen are now redundant and sit around the harbour playing cards. Spent a short while in Funchal harbour, where the strong wind made viewing the gulls more difficult than usual, as few were resting on the rocks. However, I was able to obtain a few photographs of a 1st winter Ring-billed Gull and several Mediterranean Gulls . A pair of Mute Swans had been introduced to a small pond in Jardim de Sao Francisco, where another Grey Wagtail of the Madeira schmitzi race was also present. A service was being conducted in Se Cathedral so it was difficult to study the carved native cedarwood ceiling overlaid with ivory, or to look at other interesting aspects of this 1541 building, essentially plain from the outside.

We spent much of the afternoon in the Tropical Gardens, rubbished by a local taxi man, but fascinating nonetheless, with a strong Japanese influence. If you have an interest in geology, a visit to the museum is a must to see the amazing display of minerals and gems from all over the world. Two more pairs of Mute Swans had been introduced to the lakes and Chaffinches were among the commonest birds seenand heard - could I have heard a Golden Oriole singing? Of four Madeira Firecrests one provided a welcome photographic opportunity, while one of two Common Buzzards uttered a subtly different sounding 'mew', compared with British birds. Two Plain Swifts also flew overhead.

Decided to take a cross-country route back and stopped first in Terreiro da Luta, at an expensive looking Hotel, advertising tea, cakes and the local poncha, that appeared almost deserted but eventually a waiter appeared and we enjoyed the tart lemon flavour of a poncha each - made with sugar cane, lemon, honey and rum. A viewpoint in Romeiros provided an opportunity to watch two Kestrels and three Common Buzzards circling over the valley, before we followed a twisty route 'home' by around 5.30pm. The wind was still blowing strongly at this level but we'd hardly noticed it higher up, where for much of the time we'd been sheltered by trees or in valleys. A brief seawatch before dusk proved unproductive.

Saturday 19th

The day commenced cloudy but the wind had dropped and I went to Ponta do Garajau for a forty-minute seawatch from 8am. Literally thousands of Yellow-legged Gulls flew in off the sea, among which were at least two graellsii LBB Gulls. A total of seven Little Shearwaters was noted, a trio and four singles; one of which was chased by a Yellow-legged Gull. A Common Buzzard flew high overhead, a distant Plain Swift was seen and locally there were several Canaries, two Berthelot's Pipits and a Blackcap .

After breakfast, departed for Ribeiro Frio around 10am but with a cloudless sky en route we decided to drive to Arieiro, the third highest peak, for some splendid views between 11-11.30am. A cold wind blew and it was interesting to hear an Andean trio, wearing their traditional costume, playing and selling CDs of their music.

From Ribeiro Frio we followed the dry Levada do Furado to Balcoes to enjoy the magnificent views of the high peaks and the Faja da Nogueira Valley - it took just twenty minutes each way. A few Chaffinches were present at the viewpoint and it was interesting to hear their very different song of several notes on the same level, "chew-chew-chew-chew-chew". Enjoyed a beer around 1pm in sunny Ribeiro Frio and then headed to the north coast near Faial. We passed under an old bridge that had been washed away during floods and came to a strange development, with a go-cart track and a restaurant, the latter and the small cove surrounded by a high fence that had a lockable gate. We ate our lunch by the sea and saw not one bird, not even a gull.

With a number of new roads and tunnels it was possible to drive quite rapidly towards Pico do Facho but we ended up by the northeast side of Machico, close to the fort, where we enjoyed a coffee in the warmth of the sun. A few Yellow-legged Gulls were present in the harbour and a couple of Grey Wagtails were seen but there was no sign of any Waxbills, where they are reputed to occur. From Pico do Facho it was interesting to watch planes landing on the extended runway, which is supported on numerous pillars. More exciting was the sighting of a pale-phase Booted Eagle that circled overhead for a while - during which I was able to take a few photographs - before it dropped rapidly down towards Canical. Again, I wasn't aware just how rare this species is on Madeira and was glad to have a photographic record.

Drove 'home' via Portal and Camache again, enjoying splendid views at various points and noting that the Blackbird also has a slightly different song. Arrived back around 6.30pm as dusk began to fall.

Sunday 20th

Managed to arrive at Ponta do Garajau by 7.45am, just before dawn under a cloudless sky, with an easterly wind. Located a distant school of dolphins about half-an-hour later. The local Kestrel appeared and a Blackcap called as the sun rose over the Desertas. I located a second school of dolphins just before 8.30am, which was a little closer and had attracted several Little Shearwaters.

Around 9.45am we set out for Punta do Pargo at the southwestern point of the island and stopped for just fifteen minutes at Lugar de Baixo, where there were fewer waders but four Little Egrets, the Greater Scaup and ringed Little Stint were still present. Reached the lighthouse by 11.15am where the sea was decidedly choppy to the east but with no broken waves to the northwest. We intended to follow route 34 from the Underwood's book but made what was obviously the wrong decision to do part of it in reverse and we got hopelessly lost. It was interesting to see cattle grazing in terraced fields and as we walked inland a short way the pleasant aroma of eucalyptus pervaded the atmosphere. The only birds seen were the usual Blackbirds, Canaries and Chaffinches .

We stopped for our picnic looking west out to sea near Serrado, where there was a moment of frustration when we only glimpsed a small flock of six Skylark-sized birds that made a soft 'took-took' call, which I didn't recognize as they disappeared behind a clump of trees.

We walked back to the car by 2.30pm and on our return east stopped for a coffee looking out over the large breaking waves off Paul do Mar. A new tunnel enabled us to drive directly to Jardim do Mar, which we explored for a short while until 4pm. Visited Calheta and walked the length of the marina to the old sugar-beet factory at the southeastern end. En route home made a final stop at Lugar de Baixo, where I noted 34 Turnstone, three Dunlin and singles of Common Snipe, Greenshank, Sanderling, the ringed Little Stint, Greater Scaup and a Grey Wagtail . It was a fortuitous stop, as I met Hugo and Catarina, who run Wind Birds Tours and an extremely useful website.

We returned to our accommodation by 6.30pm and enjoyed our last evening meal out.

Monday 21st

Ate an early breakfast before visiting Ponta do Garajau for a last hour-long seawatch, which provided glimpses of a couple of Little Shearwaters which were lost in the swell. Otherwise just the usual quintet was noted - Yellow-legged Gulls, Kestrel, Blackbird, Blackcap and Berthelot's Pipit .

All packed and ready to leave by 9.40am, when I somehow strained my back justreaching for my case! The return of our hire car was straightforward and I noted we'd driven just 462 kms during the week. The check in was also simple and rapid, which allowed us an opportunity to walk towards the northeastern end of the runway and bask in the sun for an hour or so, looking towards the peninsula where we'd taken our first walk.

We had a good three-hour flight back to Gatwick, where the collection of our car was straightforward and though the roads were busy with rush-hour traffic we made it home in good time.

Websites worth consulting are Birding Madeira http://madeira.seawatching.net Madeira Birds www.madeirabirds.com and Wind Bird Tours www.madeirawindbirds.com

SYSTEMATIC LIST

The sequence and nomenclature generally follows, with a few exceptions, that used in Birds of the Atlantic Islands by Tony Clarke, published by Helm in 2006, from which rarity status notes are taken.

Little Shearwater    Puffinus assimilis

Only seen off Ponta do Garajau, where the identification was based on the manner of flight and local distribution knowledge, as all the observations were distant: a total of seven on the 19th, about five the next day and two on the 21st.

Little Egret    Egretta garzetta

The only sightings were at Lugar de Baixo, with two on the 17th and four on the 20th.

Grey Heron    Ardea cinerea

Five were seen on the 16th, associated with fish breeding pens in Baia de Abra off the Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula.

Mallard      Anas platyrhynchos

A single drake was present at Lugar de Baixo on the 17th and 18th, with two on the 20th.

Greater Scaup      Aythya marila

A single duck, seen at Lugar de Baixo on the 17th, 18th and 20th, had apparently been present since late autumn 2007 and is only the second record for Madeira.

Hen Harrier    Circus cyaneus

A single ring-tail bird was observed closely on the 17th near Pico Ruivo do Paul.

     Only the second record for Madeira.

Common Buzzard    Buteo buteo

On the 16th two singles were seen along the Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula, with one near Pico Ruivo do Paul the next day and a total of five on the 18th, including three together near Romeiros. One was also seen from Ponta do Garajau on the 19th.

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

A pale-phase individual was seen well and photographed from Pico de Facho on the 19th, as it circled nearby before plunging towards Canical. The upperparts showed contrastingly pale wing coverts and a narrow white rump; the underparts were predominantly white, with black primary tips and an almost complete black bar across the secondary tips.

     This is only the third record for Madeira.

Kestrel      Falco tinnunculus

Seen almost daily in a wide variety of localities, with day totals ranging from just one to at least five.

Barbary Falcon    Falco pelegrinoides

One was observed and photographed as it perched on a cliff face on the   Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula on the 16th. It was almost motionless for much of the time, apart from turning its head and on one occasion raising prey in its talons, when it showed bright yellow legs. The underparts were heavily streaked; a long buffy supercilium almost met on the nape and the buffy forehead appeared to extend into a pale crown stripe. Sadly, not knowing the status of this falcon, or Peregrine on the island, I didn't make extensive notes or attempt to get closer photographs.

     The record has been accepted as the second for Madeira.

Moorhen    Gallinula chloropus

Seen only at Lugar de Baixo, where about 10 were present on the 17th and just two were noted on the 18th and 20th.

Coot    Fulica atra

Seen only at Lugar de Baixo, with 27 on the 17th, 30 the next day and 30 again on the 20th.

Ringed Plover      Charadrius hiaticula

One was present at Lugar de Baixo on the 17th and 18th.

Sanderling    Calidris alba

At Lugar de Baixo two were present on the 17th and 20th, with just one seen on the 18th.

Little Stint    Calidris minuta

One, with a ring on its left leg, present on the 17th, 18th and 20th, had apparently been present there since November 2007.

Dunlin      Calidris alpina

Three, present on each of the visits on the 17th, 18th and 20th, appeared to have quite long bills, possibly C.a.schinzii , but without others to compare assigning them to a particular race wasn't possible.

Common Snipe    Gallinago gallinago

Only seen at Lugar de Baixo, where there were two on the 17th and just singles noted on the 18th and 20th.

Greenshank    Tringa nebularia

One was present at Lugar de Baixo on each of the visits on the 17th, 18th and 20th.

Common Sandpiper    Actitis hypoleucos

Two were seen in Funchal harbour on the 15th, with singles at Lugar de Baixo on the 17th and 20th.

Turnstone    Arenaria interpres

Six were seen on the rocks off Canical, but most were noted at Lugar de Baixo, where there were 27 on the 17th, 11 on the 18th and 34 on the 20th. They were as confiding as always, feeding with the feral pigeons on the grassy bank within a metre or two of humans.

Mediterranean Gull    Larus melanocephalus

Probably five or more were present in Funchal harbour on the 18th, when photographs were also taken.

Black-headed Gull    Larus ridibundas

Only noted in Funchal harbour, where there were maybe 15 on the 15th and about 10 on the 18th.

Ring-billed Gull    Larus delawarensis

A 1st winter bird, seen and photographed in Funchal harbour on the 18th, had apparently been there since 29th December 2007.

Lesser Black-backed Gull    Larus fuscus graellsii   

At least two adults were present in Funchal harbour on the 15th and two more were also noted off Ponta do Garajau on the 19th.

Yellow-legged Gull    Larus michahellis

Virtually the only species noted daily, with the highest numbers noted at dawn off Ponta do Garajau on the 19th, when possibly 1,000's were seen in flocks rising off the sea.

Sandwich Tern      Sterna sandvicensis

One was present on the rocks in Funchal harbour on the 15th.

Feral Pigeon/Rock Dove    Columba livia

Noted almost daily, though I pay little attention to Feral Pigeons. A few seen were almost pure Rock Doves and two noted as such were present in the Tropical Gardens on the 18th.

Trocaz Pigeon      Columba trocaz

Four were seen in flight between Rabacal and the Risco waterfall on the 17th.

Plain Swift    Apus unicolor

A total of about 10 was noted on the 18th, mainly in the vicinity of the Tropical Gardens at Monte. One was also seen over Ponta do Garajau on the 19th.

Berthelot's Pipit    Anthus berthelotii

A total of about 20 was noted during the walk along the Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula on the 16th and ones and twos were present on Ponta do Garajau on the 19th, 20th and 21st. As always this species was incredibly confiding.

Grey Wagtail    Motacilla cinerea schmitzi

The first was noted somewhere en route to Paul de Serra on the 17th, with one the next day in Jardim de Sao Francisco and at least two in the Tropical Gardens. At least three were noted in the Machico area on the 19th and another three on the 20th, including one at Lugar de Baixo.

Robin    Erithacus rubicula

Most commonly noted on the 15th and 17th in the Botanical Gardens in Funchal and in the woods near Pico Ruivo do Paul respectively. Also heard singing in the Tropical Gardens at Monte on the 18th.

Blackbird    Turdus merula

Recorded almost daily with the largest numbers noted on the 15th and 17th - as for Robin.

Spectacled Warbler    Sylvia conspicillata

Two separate males were seen in gorse bushes on Paul de Serra on the 17th, close to the Lavada near Pico Ruivo do Paul.

Blackcap    Sylvia atricapilla   

About five were noted in the Botanical Gardens in Funchal on the 15th, with ones and twos at various localities from the 18th - 21st.

Madeira Firecrest    Regulus madeirensis

The first was seen in the woods near Pico Ruivo do Paul on the 17th, with two pairs in the Tropical Gardens at Monte on the 18th, when one of these little gems provided good photographic opportunities.

Starling    Sturnus vulgaris

A flock of about 90 was present in a vineyard on the edge of Canical on the 16th.

Chaffinch    Fringilla coelebs maderensis

One-five or so were seen almost daily, with a total of about 10 on the 19th at various localities. The plumage differs markedly from the nominate coelebs in the British Isles; the male showing a distinctive, more extensive green mantle and a less extensive, less orangey breast. I noted the song as a more mono-toned "chew-chew-chew-chew-chew".

Canary Serinus canaria

A few were seen almost daily in a variety of localities and habitats, with a flock of about 100 at the beginning of the walk on the Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula on the 16th.

Goldfinch    Carduelis carduelis

Only noted on the 16th, when a flock of at least 20 associated with the Canaries and Starlings in a vineyard on the edge of Canical.

A total of 40 species was satisfactorily identified.