BWB – Trees growing in the sea?
December 16, 2025
BWB – Fireworks in Madeira
December 19, 2025
Sometimes there are days where we go out on the ocean, enjoy the views and the thrill of the trip, but sadly see no cetaceans. It’s nature in the end. Today was such a day, but still we got lucky with the sighting of a special little critter. While we were out there on the ocean, a small grey and white bird flew by. This little fella was either a Zino’s petrel (Pterodroma madeira) or a Desertas Petrel (Pterodroma deserta). These two bird species are endemic two the archipelago of Madeira. Both species are very similar which makes it difficult to distinguish them from each other. The difference lays in the size of the beak, which is impossible to see on the ocean. No matter which species it was it was a special sighting as they are vulnerable and endangered. There are only around 160 breeding Zino’s petrels left nesting in the centre of the island between Pico Ruivo and Pico Areeiro. From the Desertas Petrel there are still more left, but still with at most 1000 reproductive adults. They nest on one of the Desertas Islands which lie to the southeast of Madeira. This also one of the reasons why those islands are a nature reserve and it is not allowed to visit them.
So sometimes, even though we don’t see the large marine mammals, interesting small critter can appear.
By Horst Schulte
Sightings of the day
Ribeira Brava
09:00 No sightings
Stenella
09:30 No sightings
