Wildlife observations from RRS Charles Darwin
during CD166: Lisbon to Madeira

Dr Russell B Wynn and the CD166 scientific party

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October 30th: 165 km SW of Cadiz, Spain
(35^o45’N/07^o40’W)

Wildlife observations on CD166 started slowly, with single Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Goldfinch (left) on or over the ship, and one Great Skua, two storm-petrel sp., and several Gannets and Lesser Black-backed Gulls over the sea.

Oct 31st: 165 km SW of Cadiz, Spain
(35^o46’N/07^o37’W)

A Leach’s Storm-petrel (right) was picked up on deck overnight and single Goldfinch and Pied/White Wagtail flew over the ship. A Gannet and up to 15 ‘Scandinavian’ Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also seen.

Nov 1st: Transit from 165 km SW of Cadiz, Spain to 225 km off NW Morocco
(35^o45’N/07^o39’W to 34^o10’N/10^o45’W)

A good passage of migrant passerines took place between 0800-1400 hrs in good conditions (a light NW wind and sun with scattered light cloud). At least 700 birds were logged moving south from Europe into Africa in flocks of up to 100 birds. Skylarks appeared to be the dominant species, with four White/Pied Wagtails, three Serins, one Grey Wagtail, one Goldfinch and one Meadow Pipit also noted. Single Skylark, Starling and a 1st winter male Black Redstart touched down briefly on the ship. Seabirds were scarce but included about 100 Gannets moving south, single 1st winter Mediterranean Gull and Great Skua, and about five immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A single hoverfly sp. was noted on deck.

Nov 2nd: Transit from 225 km off NW Morocco to 160 km ESE of Madeira
(34^o10’N/10^o45’W to 32^o05’N/14^o55’W)

A Spotted Flycatcher (left) was on board early morning before departing to the SE. A Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler briefly alighted early afternoon. Other birds noted included single 1st winter Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and at least two storm-petrel sp.

Nov 3rd: Transit from 160 km ESE of Madeira to 110 km SE of Madeira
(32^o05’N/14^o55’W to 31^o30’N/16^o12’W)

A Grey Wagtail circled the ship briefly mid-morning and a Sooty Shearwater flew SW. Up to eight storm-petrel sp. were also noted. A small brownish turtle sp. was seen. Another three Leach’s Storm-petrels crash-landed on the deck overnight and were boxed until dawn. 

Nov 4th: 135 km S of Madeira
(31^o15’N/16^o50’W)

The three Leach’s Storm-petrels were released successfully after breakfast.

Nov 5th: 115 km SSE of Madeira
(31^o26’N/17^o13’W)

An adult atlantis race Yellow-legged Gull was seen in the afternoon and two Skylarks flew over in the early evening. Two more Leach’s Storm-petrels were found on the deck overnight, and were boxed until morning. Another that was dazzled by the ship lights was seen to fly into the ships’ hull, but flew off apparently unhurt. Several small passerines were also seen flying around the ship at night, with both Starling and Skylark noted. 

Nov 6th: 110 km SSE of Madeira
(31^o30’N/17^o11’W)

Another Leach’s Storm-petrel was found inside the main lab in the morning and was boxed for a few hours to recuperate. It was slightly oiled from walking around on deck, so after a quick clean it was returned to its box to dry off before being released in the afternoon. However, it had difficulty flying and appeared to become rapidly waterlogged, so its chances of surviving were unfortunately slim. The two birds from the previous night were released successfully in the morning. In the afternoon a small arrival of sub-Saharan migrants on the ship included single Wheatear, Turtle Dove and Chiffchaff. After dark, another four Leach’s Storm-petrels were picked up on deck and boxed overnight.

Wheatear	Turtle Dove

Nov 7th: 130 km S of Madeira
(31^o16’N/16^o41’W)

	The four Leach’s Storm-petrels were released successfully in the morning. A distant Sperm Whale was seen after lunch, and single Pied/White Wagtail, Chiffchaff and Spotted Flycatcher visited the ship. Two Leach’s Storm-petrels and a Cory’s Shearwater were also noted in the afternoon. After dark, a Meadow Pipit (left) was found roosting at the back of the ship and another four Leach’s Storm-petrels were found and boxed overnight, while an additional bird was seen clattering into the after deck A frame but apparently flew off unscathed.
	Leach's Petrels

Nov 8th: 160 km SE of Madeira
(31^o17’N/16^o00’W)

The four Leach’s Storm-petrels were released successfully in the morning. A Whitethroat and a Blackcap were seen on board mid-morning, and a Short-eared Owl gave good views as it passed low over the ship on its passage to the SE. Its heading would suggest arrival in the Canary Islands later in the day. At least two Leach’s Storm-petrels and up to ten distant storm-petrel sp. were seen, and a Spotted Flycatcher and a tired-looking Reed Warbler arrived mid-afternoon. However, highlight of the day was a Fea’s Petrel seen late afternoon and photographed passing by the ship. At night a severe downpour dumped a bizarre collection of land birds onto the deck, including a Cattle Egret, a 1st winter Night Heron, two Grey Herons, three White Wagtails, a Skylark, a Redwing, a Starling and two Leach’s Storm-petrels, while at least another two Leach’s Storm-petrels, a Lapwing, a Grey Plover, 15 Knot, two small waders and several other unidentified land birds were seen circling around. These birds were apparently displaced on their southward migration by a large high pressure system to the NW of Spain, producing east winds across west Iberia.

Blackcap	Reed Warbler
Fea's Petrel	Short-Eared Owl	Grey Heron

Nov 9th: 115 km SE of Madeira
(31^o35’N/15^o58’W)

The Cattle Egret from the previous night was still on deck in the morning, as were two Starlings and single White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Skylark, male Blackcap and Chiffchaff (which later died). Up to ten storm-petrel sp. were noted in the morning, some of which were definitely identifiable as Leach’s Storm-petrel. The two Leach’s Storm-petrels from the previous night were successfully released. At night, single Dunlin,  Skylark, Meadow Pipit and female Blackcap were seen on or around the ship and another two Leach’s Storm-petrels were observed approaching the ships’ lights but did not land.

Cattle Egret	Chiffchaff
White Wagtail

Nov 10th: 120 km SE of Madeira
(31^o54’N/15^o34’W)

A Chiffchaff (left) arrived on deck in the early afternoon.

Nov 13th: 320 km off NW Morocco
(32^o22’N/12^o34’W)

A White/Pied Wagtail was seen on board in the early afternoon.

Nov 14th: 325 km off NW Morocco
(32^o32’N/12^o37’W)

A Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over late morning and a small orange-brown turtle was seen at close range in the early afternoon.

Nov 15th: 360 km off NW Morocco
(32^o27’N/13^o29’W)

A 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull was the only bird noted. A Pearly Underwing (a migrant moth - pictured left) was captured in the evening.

Nov 20th: 210 km ESE of Madeira
(32^o04’N/14^o43’W)

At least three distant storm-petrel sp. were seen in the early afternoon and a Migratory Locust (right) arrived on deck in the early evening, the sole representative of a major influx into the region. A single Leach’s Storm-petrel crash-landed on the deck at night; the weather was calm with bright moonlight in between scattered cloud and showers, which fits the earlier pattern of occurrence.

Nov 21st: 115 km E of Madeira
(32^o33’N/15^o10’W)

The Leach’s Storm-petrel was successfully released in the morning. A Chiffchaff arrived on deck in the late afternoon as we began the passage to port in Madeira.