Matti Koivula
Weather variable, mostly coudy, rainy in upland areas. Daily temperatures around +20 C, winds westerly. I lived in Hotel Belo Sol (in Funchal), and rented a car from Avis (Renault Clio, ca. 250 EUR / Week). Gas expensive, ca. 1 EUR per litre. Roads in good condition but very twisting -- consequently, if a distance looked short in the map it actually took much time to get there. Despite some 10+ hours of trying, no sea birds seen. Note: a couple of species may be missing from the below table.
For the rare gull photos, please click here.
| Species | Scientific | Notes |
| Little egret | Egretta garzetta | Funchal Beach daily 1-2 |
| Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus | 1 |
| Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | common |
| Common buzzard | Buteo buteo | common |
| Coot | Fulica atra | 1 at Funchal Beach |
| Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Funchal Beach daily 10-40 |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | 17.12. Funchal Beach 1 |
| Mediterranean gull | Larus melanocephalus | Funchal Beach daily 3 juv |
| Black-headed gull | Larus ridibundus | Funchal daily 10-30 |
| Lesser black-backed gull | Larus fuscus graellsii | several tens at Funchal Beach |
| Herring gull | Larus argentatus atlantis | total hundreds (several locations), best site: Funchal |
| Iceland gull | Larus glaucoides | 14.12. Funchal Beach 1 juv (photographed) |
| Ring-billed gull | Larus delawarensis | 15.-16.12. Funchal Beach 1 (2-cy; photographed) |
| Rock dove | Columba livia | common |
| Long-toed pigeon | Columba trocaz | 1 near Joao Ferino village |
| Canary swift | Apus unicolor | total over 10 |
| Grey wagtail | Motacilla cinerea | total ca 10 (several locations) |
| Canary pipit | Anthus berthelotii | common in upland meadows |
| Robin | Erithacus rubecula | common |
| Blackbird | Turdus merula | common |
| Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla | common |
| (Spectacled warbler?) | Sylvia sp | 17.12. mountains near Loiral; rattling among dense bushes, seen briefly: coloration very communis like (perhaps conspicillata?) |
| Firecrest | Regulus ignicapillus | common in various forests |
| Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | common |
| Canary | Serinus canarensis | common |
| Linnet | Carduelis cannabina | 11.12. Ponta do Pargo 1 |
| Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis | 12.12. Funchal city 1 |