BWB – Spotters friends

Our spotters actually work alone. There are places along the coast of Madeira that are very well suited to overlooking a large area of the sea due to their location. If there are no marine mammals in the area they control, they move east or west depending on the wind and weather conditions. However, they are not completely alone, at least from spring to autumn. Cory’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) are out at sea in search of fishy prey. The pretty birds with button eyes, white bellies and brown plumage are skilled fishermen. But who doesn’t like to be helped? As soon as dolphins hunt fish and drive it to the surface of the sea, the Cory’s shearwaters take advantage of their chance for easy prey and dive into the sea amid the hustle and bustle to grab tasty morsels. This activity is again seen by our spotter from land. If Cory’s shearwaters are extremely active in the air, it is worth taking a close look at what is happening below to check whether there are dolphins there. The feathered friends are once again a fabulous support for our spotters.

by Fatima Kutzschbach