Madeira - Saturday 20th

 We’d planned an early start but as we didn’t wake up until around 8 it wasn’t quite so early. The plan was to go straight up to the Miradour and look for Bertholot’s Pipit to get some photographs before breakfast and before the crowds arrived. We were also going to look for Rock Sparrows. Following a chat with Bernie the day before, we decided to drive to the end of the Levada and look for Little Egret for the trip. Pulling into a space we looked into the Levada and there was a little egret, pottering around, there was also a Grey Heron and a flock of Waxbills worked their way along the reeds before flying off. 

We then headed up to the Miradour but it was very quiet with just a Spectcle Warbler heard so we checked e-birds and went back down the to the bottom road. We parked up in a parking area opposite the ‘Marina’ and walked up the hill. Almost immediately a Bertholot’s Pipit popped up giving really good views. David could hear Rock Sparrows further up the hillside so we spread out and made our way up. David came back to tell me that they had the Sparrows on the ground so I joined them but the light was awful so we walked round to a better position. It didn’t seem to phase the sparrows at all. There were about 6 sparrows in all plus a couple of Pipits giving excellent views.Walking back down we came across a nice yellow Canary in a bush, and then decided, as it was getting late, that we would head into Canical harbour and find somewhere for lunch.

The village of Canical was much less busy and much less touristy, parking was relatively easy and we made our way down to the harbour. Sean walked on as David went back to the car for his bins before joining Sean along the harbour. A shout from David had me walking to the end of the harbour wall as Sean had found a Laughing Gull on the harbour wall. We managed some photos and I rang Hugo to let him know before we then walked back to find somewhere for lunch.

We chose a cafe with outside seating and sat down to order drinks and a meal. I ordered prawns in garlic, which were very nice with a Pepsi, which turned out to be non-sugar!

Then it was time to head back to the house to get ready for our last pelagic. Fingers crossed it was better than the last two. It was much rougher than before so hopes were high, we saw several Cody’s as we travelled along and the boat stopped for a Green Turtle on the way. 

There seemed more birds about, but only Cory’s and Bulwer’s, which did loops round the chum slick until right towards the end, when Caterina called a Pteradroma which flew through, doing one loop. Unfortunately it didn’t hang around long and I only got brief views before it headed off. Just before it was time to go a small shearwater flew through, which was called as a Manx. On our journey back, another Pteradroma flew across the bows. Success!!