The Selvagens are probably the ultimate destination for anyone
interested in Western Palearctic seabirds. If you look for
the Salvage Islands or Ilhas Selvagens (in Portuguese) –
the "wild islands" – in an atlas for the first
time, it will take time for sure. They are no romantic islands
in the Caribbean with golden beaches and bars, but a tiny
rocky archipelago, about 162 nautical miles (300 km) south
of Madeira and 80 nautical miles (148 km) north of the Canary
Islands. The archipelago consists of two groups and has a
total area of 283 hectares (2.83 km²). Very few birders
have had the opportunity to go there and a round-trip by boat
from Madeira to these islands is indeed a memory for life!
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| Seabird photographers aboard
"Ventura do Mar" during the tour to the Salvage
Islands on 6-10th July 2005. Photo: Niklas Holmström. |
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Next
trip in late June 2010
In July 2008 Celtic Bird Tours made a successful trip to Selvagens
with Ventura do Mar. During 2009 Ventura didn't made any trips
to Selvagens.
However, a group of (mainly) Swedish birders plan to do a trip
to these remote islands in late June 2010. More info about the
trip will be available later on. |
New
sound recording added
18th March 2008: A couple of years ago I received a tape
cassette from Steve Gantlett, with calling Bulwer's Petrels.
Imagine, while Steve recording these Bulwer's at night the air
was filled by thousands of silent White-faced Storm-petrels! |
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