Introduction:
Where
An itinerary for a week-long trip to Madeira will write itself. In my opinion an overnight trip to the Islas Desertas for its incredible seabird spectacle and to Pico Arieiro for the unforgettable Zino’s Petrel experience are absolutely essential. The endemic landbirds are all easy to find at a number of sites and, if possible, some time should certainly be set aside for a Porto Moniz seawatch and however many subsidiary whale-watching trips the wallet will allow.
When
A high summer visit is essential to coincide with the seabird breeding season, with most birdwatching visitors choosing a window during July or August. Note that overnight visits to the Islas Desertas are run only when there is sufficient demand, hence our trip was timed to coincide with a departure already scheduled when we made our flight booking; see below for details.
How
EasyJet offered by far the best flight deal out of Bristol and were very efficient with their service (http://www.easyjet.com/). Our Renault Clio was secured at a very reasonable price through Economy Car Hire (sublet to Bravacar) (http://www.economycarhire.com/). Our magnificent apartment was booked from Madeira Magic, again at an excellent price, and we recommend both the location and facilities very highly (http://www.madeiramagic.com/).
All ground arrangement for the Desertas overnight trip, Zino’s Petrel excursion and additional half-day whale-watching trip were made by the extremely helpful and efficient Catarina Alves of Ventura do Mar (http://www.venturadomar.com/). We would recommend anyone travelling to Madeira to use the services of this excellent company; Caterina was constantly on call for advice and adjustments to our requirements and we are indebted to her for making our trip such a successful and enjoyable experience. The Birding Madeira website is a great resource for planning your visit (http://madeira.seawatching.net/index.html).
Daily Diary:
Saturday 8th August
Never, in all my years of travelling, have I come so close to missing a flight as the 14.30 EasyJet departure from Bristol. An M5 traffic-jam combined with the Bristol Balloon Festival mean that we sprint through the departure terminal with just minutes to spare; not the most pleasurable start to any trip.
The three-hour and ten-minute flight to our island destination allows frayed nerves to mend and all thoughts of Bristol road rage are whisked away when the dark green mass of Madeira appears above the blue Atlantic, shrouded in wisps of white mountain-top cloud. Descending in a wide arc over the turquoise ocean, we finally set down on a runway supported for much of its length on huge concrete pillars, necessitated by the mountainous terrain of this volcanic isle.
Picking up a somewhat shabby but very cheap Renault Clio from the Bravacar depot, Victoria and I are soon on our way, following the impressive dual carriageway system which sweeps us to the northeast under a glorious blue sky; the fantastic road network, complete with a labyrinth of tunnels which wind through the bowels of this rocky paradise, are set to be a welcome feature of our travels whilst on Madeira.
At Machico we stock up with the essentials for a week of self-catering life, before continuing on to Porto Da Cruz, a delightfully picturesque little village on the rugged north coast. Our villa is perched high on a green hillside overlooking the settlement and blue sea beyond. Typical of Madeira, we are surrounded on our hillside location by immaculately maintained houses whose whitewashed walls and terracotta tiled roofs contrast with the lush greenery all around.
The newly built apartment is fantastically equipped and will be shared for the next week with our friends the Lansdowne family, making for a particularly economical trip. After acquainting ourselves with the grey granite and stainless steel finery of our accommodation we sip a beer on the veranda as Plain Swifts wheel overhead and Atlantic Canaries sing from adjacent telephone wires, the perfect antidote to rather a stressful day of travel.
Sunday 9th August
The new day dawns to steady rain and low grey cloud, not what it said in the brochure! Keen to find some better weather and also to suss out the logistics for tomorrows boat trip we take a drive around the eastern motorway link to a sun-bathed Funchal. The islands sprawling capital covers a large slice of the south eastern coastline, where we pick our way through a maze of whitewash and terracotta to the bustling marina which nestles at the rear of the main port. Car parking is a particular bind in this part of town, but an underground car park below a shopping mall at the western end of the main seafront is our saviour.
We make our way down to the waterside, passing lines of moored yachts and numerous touts plying boat trips and bargain accommodation, to where the Ventura Do Mar kiosk nestles amongst a row of whale-watching and sea-fishing purveyors. Here the news is not good; strong winds mean that both our two-day Islas Desertas trip and also the evening’s Zino’s Petrel excursion may have to be cancelled.
Rather disheartened we head west, leaving the crowded Funchal seafront for the relative peace of Camara de Lobos. This picturesque fishing village is only fifteen minutes away, and presents a perfect location for Victoria to deploy her sketchpad and pens while I install myself on a high breakwater for a couple of hours of seawatching. In spite of the mid-day timing and a location of no sea-watching provenance I am pleasantly surprised to notch up 100 Cory’s Shearwaters and over 40 Bulwer’s Petrels in the course of my vigil, a tally no doubt brought about by the strong south-easterly blow.
Our route back north to Porto da Cruz takes us inland, high over the lofty heart of the island, into a contrasting world of spectacular forest peaks and deep valleys, with banks of cloud periodically rolling through. Our destination is the small hamlet of Ribeiro Frio, a popular tourist attraction nestling in a valley of laurel forest beside a babbling mountain stream. Madeiran Chaffinches abound around the restaurant tables, very smart birds and vastly different from their mainland counterparts in both plumage and voice, while within minutes of our arrival a couple of bulky Trocaz Pigeons make a flypast. A short walk on the adjacent laverda produces the first of multitudes of the attractive little Madeira Firecrest and thus, within half an hour, we have seen all the endemic landbirds!
Back at Porto da Cruz, a phone call to Caterina reveals that adverse weather has caused a cancellation of the evening’s Zino’s Petrel tour, but that tomorrow’s Desertas trip is still to run. With no evening interruptions the wine may therefore flow, enjoyed in the company of the ubiquitous Atlantic Canaries, Madeira Wall Lizards and a garden-visiting Long-tailed Blue butterfly.
Monday 10th August
With the route now fathomed our journey to the Funchal seafront car-cark takes a little over half an hour, from where two days worth of kit are hauled to the marina. The lovely Rita and George the skipper welcome us aboard the Ventura do Mar, where we find that we are sharing the trip with five Austrian birders.
The Ventura is a fine vessel, of sturdy construction and clearly with a good few sea miles under her belt. Our voyage commences with the island protecting us from the full force of the strong wind, but as soon as we round the headland we realise what we are in for! Two sails are hoisted to increase the boat’s stability, as we are buffeted by the northerly blow and bounced in the 2m swell. Spray whips across the bows and before long some rather green Austrians are feeding the fish; the lack of a coastline must mean that they have rather a lesser seafaring constitution than us Brits!
Cory’s Shearwaters gather in large groups, flushing into flight only at close range and giving spectacular photographic views. A group of 15-or-so Atlantic Spotted Dolphins are an early highlight, repeatedly crossing the bows and jumping clear of the water to reveal variation of dark-spotted pale flanks. Following the large numbers of Bulwer’s Petrels seen on the previous day, the trip total of just six of these wave-hugging birds is rather a surprise, but ample compensation comes in the form of the ten Short-finned Pilot Whales which pass spectacularly close to the boat. We are over two hours into the three-and-a-half hour crossing before a much anticipated Fea’s Petrel materialises, but it is blown around the boat all-too-quickly leaving a longing for second helpings.
It seems to take an age for the distant dark outlines of the three islands making up the Islas Desertas to take up true definition. Chao, or Flat Deserta, is the most northerly, aptly named with a profile identical to, and just proud of, the surrounding Atlantic. Deserta Grande is our destination and as we approach, the 400m high bare brown cliffs really are an incredible site, a geologists dream displaying all manner of strata and igneous intrusion. To the south lies the jagged outline of Bugio, on whose dramatic peaks Fea’s Petrels breed.
Mid way along the south-western shore of Deserta Grande juts a small platform of relatively flat land, which serves as both the only safe landing point amidst otherwise vertical cliffs and also forms a protected natural harbour. A tiny inflatable boat is launched from the Ventura for visitors and equipment to be ferried ashore, with wet feet a certainty at the rocky disembarkation point.
Once ashore Rita and one of the three island-based park guards take us on a short circuit of the only accessible portion of this barren landscape, explaining the geology, human and natural history of this fascinating island. In the course of the tour we are shown both an adult and a fluffy juvenile Bulwer’s Petrel, just two of the many hundreds of seabirds currently nesting below the boulders strewn at our feet.
After a session of Atlantic Canary photography we re-board the Ventura at 17.00 for a cruise down to Bugio where, after scanning through hundreds of Cory’s Shearwaters, a Fea’s Petrel is eventually picked out. In the lee of the island it is interesting to watch the petrel in relaxed flight mode, as it moves across the waves in a very languid manner quite unlike the Pterodromas I have seen previously, seemingly waiting out the last daylight hours until it is safe to soar up to a nest hole high in the island’s peaks.
Mission accomplished, we return to Deserta Grande, where a magnificent meal of fresh tuna salad and fine Portuguese red wine awaits, consumed as the sun sinks below the horizon just off Funchal town; now is the time for the seabird party to really begin! Before the daylight is totally extinguished the first of the Cory’s Shearwaters begin to descend on the islands, with male and female flight calls being clearly distinguishable. Their numbers built to a torrent of cacophonously calling birds, constantly pouring in off the sea to search out their nesting crevices and hungry chicks.
It is pitch black and the bright lights of Funchal are illuminating the distant coastline before the first Madeiran Storm-Petrel is heard. With a sound likened to a finger being squeaked across wet glass, their numbers grow as the night progresses. By now a sweep of the torch picks up numerous Bulwer’s Petrels flying past, often at head height or below, darting through the night silently and bat-like en route to crevices where they greet partners with a deep cooing display that echoes between the rocks. With a little practise and a measure of luck the smaller Madeiran Storm-Petrels can also be picked out in the torch beam, and on several occasions the white rump-bands of banking birds are clearly seen.
A walk around the short nature trail reveals numerous Cory’s Shearwaters and Bulwer’s Petrels now sitting beside nest holes and on one occasion I briefly dazzle a Bulwer’s which promptly flies right into my chest! It is truly difficult to abandon what has to be one of the Western Palearctic’s most incredible birding spectacles, but as midnight approaches the number of flying birds has clearly reduced and the lure of the warm sleeping bag can be resisted no longer.
Tuesday 11th August
An early breakfast sets us up for the return leg, which is thankfully much less of an ordeal with the wind in our favour. Though generally a much quieter crossing bird-wise, with far fewer Cory’s present, around ten Bulwer’s skip through and a certain highlight are two more Fea’s Petrels, this time rising up high above the waves in the regular arcs of spectacular Pterodroma flight. A group of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins guide us in to Madeira and by 12.30 we are back on dry land, thanking the crew of the Ventura do Mar warmly for what has been a truly unforgettable experience.
After a major food shop we return to the digs for a well earned siesta in anticipation of a trip up to Pico Arieiro, as Caterina has confirmed that it is all systems go for this evening’s Zino’s Petrel trip. The story of the (re)discovery of Zino’s Petrel is a fascinating one, and dates back to 1903 when Priest Ernesto Schmitz was brought a bird collected in the Madeiran mountains above San Antonio. Schmitz was a well established naturalist, but failed to realise the significance of the bird and concluded that it was identical to the Fea’s Petrels with which he had previous knowledge from Bugio. Schmitz left Madeira and interest in the existence of the anomalous Pterodroma lapsed for over fifty years, until a group of French ornithologists visited the islands in 1963 and awakened an interest in birds for Maderian resident Alec Zino and his son Frank.
Over subsequent years the Zinos and their French colleagues studied many of the archipelago’s birds and by 1967/8 were concentrating on the search for the mystery Pterodroma. They listened for the birds in the area above Curral das Freiras, but to no avail and it seemed that the bird may be extinct. Alec Zino then changed his strategy, figuring that if the birds still existed they may well sound like the very similar Fea’s Petrel. Zino interviewed the shepherds who spent their lives in this mountainous area, also playing them recordings of the calls of Fea’s Petrel.
After much searching he eventually found a shepherd called Lucas, a resident of Curral das Freiras, who knew the calls; they were made by ‘the souls of shepherds who died in the mountains’. Lucas took the Zinos to where he had heard the calls, on a path down from Pico Arieiro, and so the rediscovery of this mythical bird was made. Since this time there has been a constant battle to eradicate Black Rats from the area and some success has meant that the population has now increased to around 60 birds.
At 20.30 Marc and I head inland, snaking up via Ribero Frio and through ominous banks of thick grey cloud. It is only as we near the Pico Arieiro turning that we burst through the mist and into a wonderful bright twilight world above the clouds, with the surrounding dark jagged peaks puncturing the creamy white mat below. As we drive to the peak an orange sunset illuminates the western horizon, creating a breathtaking panorama from the 1816m summit.
We don several layers of warm clothing, woolly hats and head torches for the 21.45 arrival of the Austrians and our guide, Joao Nunes. Taking a paved path to the east we set off in file, a line of torches trotting down the steeply descending trail. Joao takes no prisoners with his pace, and it takes just twenty minutes to march to the allotted spot along the excellent paved trail; although the darkness means that the true picture is never revealed, one cannot help but feel that precipitous drops lay a few steps beyond the wire guide ropes that line the path!
We wait below a sky speckled with the light from a million stars and the outlines of tall black peaks rising above us like gothic spires into the velvet-blue night. It really is one of the most atmospheric birding locations one will ever encounter, and when the first ghostly calls of returning Zino’s Petrels begin to echo up the valley it makes the hair on the back of the neck tingle.
Taking up position on a razor-like ridge above the valley running down to the bright lights of Faial, several kilometres away and many hundreds of metres below, we strain our eyes to see a bird as the cries begin to resonate from various locations around us. The first sighting of a seabird silhouette soaring around the tip of a mountain causes a huge rush of adrenaline, as one of the world’s rarest birds is seen at one of its most memorable settings.
Over the next hour-and-a-quarter we hone our technique and pick up birds every few minutes either against the lights of Faial, the white banks of cloud or the star-speckled sky. Joao pours us tea and hands around the most delicious handmade biscuits as we soak in the spectacle. Shooting stars rip across the blackness above, and a huge orange-tinged half moon rises to the north to complete an unforgettable evening.
Wednesday 12th August
This morning’s goal is a thorough investigation of the extremely scenic Ribeiro Frio area, and the first goal for Vic and I is to be on site before the coach parties arrive! It transpires that most of the run-of-the-mill tourists don’t do much sightseeing pre-10am and we have the delightful leverda walk to the spectacular Balcoes viewpoint all to ourselves. Madeira Firecrests call constantly from the lush laurel forest, while at the viewpoint itself Plain Swifts whiz past at eye level and the Maderia Chaffinches can be hand fed with our consignment of bird seed!
The view both down to the sea and up to the high peaks is spectacular, under a deep blue sky. Far below, band-tailed Trocaz Pigeons skim the treetops and around the viewpoint Madeira Speckled Woods defend territories with vigour. When the first coach party descends we make a sharp exit, to continue our walk along an adjacent laverda, before heading upwards to the Cabeco da Pedra picnic site on the ER 202.
Cabeco da Pedra is above the tree line and affords views up to Pico Arieiro across an alpine habitat of scattered boulders, juniper, broom and pockets of wonderful flower meadows. The blooms attract hundreds of Clouded Yellows, Madeira Graylings and lesser numbers of Long-tailed Blues, with ornithological interest coming in the shape of a photogenic Spectacled Warbler.
A late lunch is taken back down at Porto da Cruz, after which Vic spends a couple of hours drawing in the village while I explore the barren wastes of the Sao Lourenco Peninsular. For some reason this desolate area attracts a stream of tourists, though this in turn makes the Berthelot’s Pipits which attend the car park ridiculously tame. The Rock Sparrows remain elusive, so after admiring the views of the Islas Desertas and Porto Santo I head for Canical, where the local population of Spanish Sparrows prove to be much more obliging.
Dinner and beers back at Porto da Cruz.
Thursday 13th August
Keen to make the most of our visit and see everything this beautiful island has to offer, today we set off on a long tour along the northern coastline. The journey itself is a spectacular one, with lush green slopes climbing steeply into the low cloud on one side and dipping into the blue Atlantic on the other, liberally peppered with white-walled terracotta-roofed houses. The road is treacherously narrow in places, occasionally cobbled and at times within single track, rock-hewn tunnels; it all adds to this thoroughly exhilarating route.
At Sao Vincente we make a scheduled art stop, where Victoria maps the detail of the pretty village church and I find a suitable seawatching location where several Bulwer’s Petrels and a Roseate Tern are the highlights. A picnic lunch is consumed at Seixal harbour, before we follow the old coast road to our main destination, Porto Moniz. Described by some as the best seawatching site in the Western Palearctic, the town also has an old quarter to entertain the artist in the car.
At 15.00 I settle down close to the helicopter landing pad just east of Ilheu Mole and begin to savour a constant stream of Cory’s Shearwaters at extremely close range. Although the variety of birds passing is less than astounding, the close proximity is exceptional and it gives one the chance to really get a seabirding eye in without the frustration of a constantly rocking boat. Bulwer’s Petrels are relatively scarce today, with less than ten seen during my two-hour sojourn, but cetaceans are thankfully abundant with an active pod of ten Common Bottlenose Dolphins constantly in view and several Bryde’s Whales blowing for a short time and briefly showing a characteristic sickle-shaped dorsal fin.
The undisputable highlight of my watch comes at 16.30 when my scope drops onto a different shearwater heading west. The prognosis of Macaronesian Shearwater comes surprisingly easily as this small back-and-white bird with relatively short rounded wings, beaten rapidly and then held stiffly for the duration of brief glides, really is very distinctive to anyone who has regularly watched Manxies.
Over the moon with my afternoon’s work I collect Vic who is equally pleased with the contents of her sketchpad. We retrace our route to the west but this time call in to Santana, famous for its traditional triangular houses. It’s all rather touristy so we only hang around long enough for a couple of photos, then head for the tranquillity of our secluded villa.
Friday 14th August
Having spent a few days firmly on land the lure of a boating finale to our trip is just too much and the morning of our final full day sees us making our way back to Funchal Marina. The Ventura do Mar is on an all-day trip to the Desertas, so Caterina has kindly booked us onto the Gaviao, a slightly smaller yacht than the Ventura but with a certain air of luxury about her.
At 10.30 we head out to sea, in the wake of a flotilla of gaudily painted catamarans, draped with sun worshippers possessing a passing interest in whales. Heading east we are treated to a relatively calm sea and some stunning views of several pods of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins which hug the bows for a prolonged period.
This morning there are actually very few seabirds and we also look like we may be about to draw a blank on the whale front as we head back west. Directly off Funchal town the sharp-eyed skipper spots a phenomenally distant blow and we head directly south to investigate. As we approach we note that the blow is actually being made at a 45 degree angle and instead of the expected sickle-shaped fin our whales (there are two of them) actually have a hump. They are Sperm Whales, and we enjoy them for several minutes before they dive with raised flukes. Fantastic!
Boat trips off Funchal traditionally end with a swimming session, so we head for a sheltered area just west of the harbour for our dip. As we approach we are amazed to hear the skipper tell us that he has recently seen a lone Monk Seal in this area. Knowing how rare a creature this is, almost impossible to see even on their Desertas stronghold, we daren’t even consider that this mammal is a possibility. While scanning the waves, however, a distinctive brown-tinged head appears and we have a Monk Seal within twenty metres of our boat; we cannot believe our luck.
Back on dry land we celebrate with scrumptious bolo do caco garlic bread from a stand next to the marina, before heading inland for the remainder of the day. A picnic lunch is had close to Monte, with a backdrop of spectacular views down to Funchal and the ocean beyond. Close to Ribeiro Frio we take a steep walk to Chao das Felteiras, cutting through the dense laurel forest. Above the treeline we are back in the land of Clouded Yellow and Madeira Grayling butterflies and amongst a large herd of sheep with charismatically ringing bells.
Our final stop is made at the road to Faja da Nogueira, where a gravel track traverses pristine laurel forest far below the Balcoes viewpoint. This site is reputedly one of the best on the island at which to see Trocaz Pigeon and we are not disappointed in this respect as several birds fly past as soon as we arrive. Travelling just a short distance we encounter a perched bird on a dead tree close to the road and finally have chance to admire the detail of this large dark pigeon with distinctive white tail band.
After our final evening meal and a little packing, a celebratory visit to the local bar is in order where we order a poncho, the traditional Madeiran tipple. The barman slices the contents of a lemon into a jug, adds a dollop of runny honey then skilfully blends the mixture with a traditional wooden whisk. Topped off with a generous helping of white rum, we raise our glasses to toast what has been a thoroughly enjoyable trip to this wonderful location.
Saturday 15th August
Although it’s our last day on Madeira, we do not fly until late afternoon and are keen to utilise our time to the full, so we therefore head for the Rabacal area, the only significant portion of the island which we are yet to explore. Retracing part of the route taken two days previously we follow the coast road west to Sao Vincente, where we head southwards and upwards. From Sao Vincente a good road cuts through the mountainous heart of the island, taking us up into the most spectacular scenery of steeply terraced vineyards backed by forested slopes and craggy peaks. Eventually the hairpins and steep gradients level out as we emerge into bright sunshine in the southern slope of the mountains, with amazing views down to the coast from a road which clings to the rock face.
Sweeping inland again we pass huge red-and-white wind turbines which slice through the passing banks of cloud and then traverse a high plateau of windswept grassland and dry soil on which Berthelot’s Pipits feed. Our planned destination is the Rabacal Waterfall, but as the site is thick with both mist and tourists we rapidly retreat and seek a more secluded alternative. The perfect spot is found at Cristo Rei on the road to Canhas, where a levada cuts across a beautiful hillside dotted with broom and bramble bushes. The brambles are in flower and attract a myriad of Clouded Yellow and Madeira Grayling butterflies, along with a smattering of Long-tailed Blues and a single spectacular Queen of Spain Fritillary; needless to say all are photographed with relish as we walk the route of the crystal clear watercourse enjoying views down to the southern coastline.
A fine hillside picnic ends our time at high altitude and we then descend to follow the coast road all the way back to the airport and our 17.40 flight back to Bristol. Even our last minutes at the airport have a twist in the tail, as eight-year-old Sam spots a blow from the departure lounge window, leaving us with a final memory of a group of Bryde’s Whales crossing the turquoise Atlantic waters.
Madeira is an easily accessible, uniquely beautiful and largely unspoilt island with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Our week-long stay has given ample opportunity to savour its many highlights, with scenic splendour, cetacean encounters and seabird spectacles which hold their own in comparison with destinations half-a-planet away.
Ian Merrill August 2009
i.merrill@btopenworld.com
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