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lovely Zino's Petrel at Pico do Areeiro. Photo: Frank Zino (FCP) |
Careless
birders at Pico do Areeiro in July 2005!
Last summer
groups of birders were seen at Pico do Areeiro using strong torches and/or
playing calls of Zino's Petrel loudly, instead of being patient, enjoying
the atmosphere and waiting for the birds to come in and hearing their
lovely calls. I thought this bad habit of some European birders was history,
but now it has happened again! During July 2005 the Natural Park wardens
have already spotted two visiting groups of birders in the area without
guides and using speakers playing the calls of Zino's Petrel at Pico do
Areeiro! I am aware birders go there on their own without a guide, but
using strong torches and/or a CD or Minidisc/MP3 player to play the call
of Zino's at their breeding ground is against all the rules and detrimental
to an endangered bird. It is also inconsiderate to other law-abiding birders
who have taken the correct decision in going to the breeding grounds with
a guide. Is it really that bad that a tick of Zino's Petrel make people
do this? I just wonder why and how these persons became birders at all.
Is it because they are desperate lister's and not true birders? You tell
me!
Note: Officially it is forbidden to use the path
between Pico do Areeiro and Achada do Teixeira after sunset. This was
determined by a governament resolution signed in 1999. Since penalties
can be quite heavy to those who are found in the area without a guide
or permission you better use one of the guides from the companies which
undertake trips to the area. And please remember that 20 euros of each
paying birder that visit the area along with a guide goes to the Natural
Park and their work in Madeira.
» Here
you find further information about Zino's Petrel and the rediscovery of
it.
Landings on Deserta Grande are now allowed!
In mid June 2005 the Parque Natural da Madeira announced that it's now OK to land on Deserta Grande again after last year landslides on the island. However, it's not permitted to sleep overnight on the island. If you have hired "Ventura do Mar" (who have permission to land on Deserta Grande) for a 24 hours trip to Desertas Islands and staying overnight you will experience the spectacular "night show" on land of Deserta Grande and then sleeping on the boat enjoying the calls of Little and Cory's Shearwaters through out the night as well as Madeiran Storm-petrels, which breed close to where Ventura always anchor in Doca Deserta Grande. I could tell it's better to spend the evening and midnight on Deserta Grande and then leave the island at midnight for a good sleep on the boat close to the shore, whithout annoying sandhoppers and other small insects creeping in your sleeping bag, which is true if sleeping on land!
– Niklas Holmström, Sweden on 14th July 2005
Message posted from Bart-Jan Prak on 31th August 2004:
I've returned yesterday (30 August) from Madeira and yes indeed the road to Porto Moniz is under construction, but it is getting better every day! The last day (29/08) I drove from Sâo Vicente to Porto Moniz in just 27 minutes (I was used to their drive style over there ;-), the first time I drove the 15 km from Sâo Vicente to Porto Moniz in 1:15 minutes. And on 29/08 I was also allowed to walk over the new promenade, and this is excellent for seawatching. This was also the best day for the Zino's/Fea's with at least 20 birds and for Bulwers 69 birds and many migrating Whimbrels (219 divided into three flocks going towards west). Other things I saw beside the expected birds in Porto Moniz are 1 adult Roseate tern and a Black-headed Gull.
And about the Zino's Petrels at Pico do Areeiro, I went there with the excellent guide João Nunes from Madeira Wind Birds and I heard and saw at least 4 different birds. And yes it's not forbidden to go there on your own. But if you go there with a guide at least you pay for the conservation of this endangered species. And on the same night we saw some presumed birders who were spotlighting and trying to tape the Zino's (still in the breeding season) just to get a tick on their list, and this was not the first time according to João. Personally I find this a reason to make this site only accessible with a guide! For every birder, use your commen sense!
(In addition, I could tell, there is also a few more reports of birders who have used a CD-player to play the Zino's call at their breeding site at Pico do Areeiro during this summer. It's impossible to understand such a bad behaviour among birders, only for a tick of the world's most endangerad species! One feel ashamed to being a birder visiting Madeira these days. /Niklas)
– Bart-Jan Prak, Netherlands on 31th August
Message posted from Paavo Sallinen on 25th August 2004:
About the landslides in Desertas: There has been quite strong seismic activity and now there is rock slides pretty much every day. Apparently the seismic activity is now gone, but there is so much loose rock left to fall that the island will propably have to stay closed for tourists at least for a year or two. I heard and saw a couple of rock slides and they were quite impressive. The warden's old house will be demolished and a new one will be built in safe place closer to shore.
– Paavo Sallinen, Chao da Ribeira (near Seixal)
Message posted from Filipe Alves on 3rd August 2004:
"Unfortunately, I have bad news! The Natural Park of Madeira informe us (Ventur do Mar) that is not possible to desembark on Doca (at Deserta Grande) due to a rock fall that happened a few weeks ago. There was and there still are a study carried out by people from the natural park to see if there is safety conditions to desembark. Meanwhile we do not have licence to desembark on Doca. They say that it may take a few days or weeks! Who know for sure?"
– Filipe, Ventura do Mar
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