Madeira - Part II

Continuing down hill, more small hamlets with their neat little houses

as we also noted our second, and much more obliging, BUTTERFLY.

This FUNGUS clad Tree Stump got 99 for Artistic Impression but was well outdone by this

male BLACKCAP feeding on Pyrocantha Berries

THISTLE while up ahead

the tiny church in the village of ASSOMADA.

One of the 'WHITES'

and an example of the beautiful street signs.

Blue Morning Glory? Who knows but no doubting the little fella up that tree.

Not at all complementary to the MADEIRAN FIRECREST, another Sub-species, this photograph is nowhere near as good as looking at it through the bins!

More hillside fields as we rounded a bend to find the only bus of the day bearing down on us. Still 20 or so 'clicks' from Funchal we stuck our hand out more in hope than anything else, as the driver squealed to a halt.

Yes, he was going to the capital but better still he would drop us at the Botanical Gardens, his passengers being more than helpful on the way.

Not a lot in the way of bird-life here, except for what we had already seen, but excellent gardens and a huge system of aviaries dedicated in the main to Parrots.

Of these, DERBYAN PARAKEET was of most interest and worth of a shot even if only to dedicate to Dave (Parrotface) Penney, as being from China and Mongolia and of which none of us had ever been aware of.

The views from here were also magnificent with some of the Islands tunnel entrances in view

along with the 'mighty' VOYAGER waiting to take us to our next destination after a sumptuous dinner on board.

Finally, there was a meeting with one of Lonesome George's mates before we took a taxi back to town.

At this time and date, we are in fact mid-Atlantic where any action has been 'thin on the ground'. There have been one or 2 highlights which I will publish in a 'round-up' later in the week.