Monday 23 September 2019

Azores Nature Update 2019

A quick review of the Azores Nature trips this year. We've done two exploration trips this year, the June Azores Safari and the late August Birder's Pelagic. 

Both trips are running again next year so if you would like to book please email me on littleoakgroup@btinternet.com 

We are also currently finalising the 2016 Rare Bird Report and getting ready for Corvo 2019 too. Also rebuilding our website/social media platforms and getting ready for some exciting new projects in 2020 including underwater photography. 

Here's a few pictures and highlights (all photos by Vincent Legrand who led both trips this year). 

THE NATURAL HISTORY TRIP 2019 (THE AZORES SAFARI) 

Spotted Dolphins 
View over Sao Miguel 
Azores Safari group 2019 (above and below) 

Sowerby's Beaked Whales 
Short-finned Pilot Whales 
Sperm Whale spy hopping 
Vincent came across this trapped Loggerhead Turtle which was successfully caught and released 

Risso's Dolphin 
Common Dolphins (above and below) 

Azores Safari 2019 sightings:

8 Short-finned Pilot Whales, 10 Risso's Dolphin, 100+ Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, 200+ Common Dolphin, 7+ Sperm Whale, 5 Sowerby's Beaked Whales, 1 Hammerhead Shark, 2 Loggerhead Turtle, 1 Sunfish, Azores Bullfinch, Azores endemic forms of Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Yellow-legged Gull, Woodpigeon, Grey Wagtail and Blackbird, Atlantic Canary,  Cory's, Manx and Sooty Shearwaters and Azores Noctules. 

THE BIRDER'S PELAGIC 2019

Monteiro's Petrel (Peter Alfrey) - identification indicated by moult of inner primaries compared to below bird which is fresh, either a juvenile hot season breeding bird or an adult cool season breeding bird (Grant's Petrel). 
Presumed Grant's Petrel 
Wilson's Petrel 
Great Shearwater 
Sooty Shearwater and Cory's Shearwater 
Bulwer's Petrel 
Sooty Tern 
 Sei Whales 
2019 Azores Pelagic Group 

Sightings from 2019 Pelagic

600+ Cory's Shearwater, 60 Great Shearwater, 5 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 7 Bulwer's Petrel, 12 Band-rumped Storm Petrel (at least 2 Monteiro's Storm Petrel), 15 Wilson's Storm Petrel, 15 Common Tern, 1 Sooty Tern, 3 Arctic Skua, 5 Azores Gull 

200+ Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, 3 Sei Whale, 1 Beaked Whale sp , 1 Manta Ray 

Unfortunately no Swinhoe's Storm Petrel this year. Previous years sightings below: 

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