Archive for

February 2011

MadeiraBirds.com 2011 Upgrade

The MadeiraBirds.com birdwatching information platform has been in place since Sunday, January 23, 2005. From then, 2.222 days have passed and for a computer server that is a very long time.

In 2.222 days lot of web technologies were born and other disappeared, the web became a faster place.

With this upgrade, we aim to boost several key points of MadeiraBirds.com:
- 99% browser ubiquity;
- Faster load times, less than 900ms;
- Better commenting, rating and feedback interface;
- Slicker UI;

The first stage of the upgrade in complete and we will fine tune until March 1st, 2011.

If you wish to send us feedback and your views, please do so. Otherwise enjoy the new interface. www.madeirabirds.com

Posted by Hugo Romano 

Swimming with Bryde's Whale in Madeira

Here is one of the videos from the Summer of 2010 during the Quest of Swimming with 10 Species of Dolphins and Whales in 100 days.
At the end of the Quest I only achieved 9 Species in 90 day. Perhaps 2011 will be diferent.

Posted by Hugo Romano 

Madeira North Coast Today

View from Porto Moniz, oceanic 6 meter swell.

Posted by Hugo Romano 

7 years awarded with João Borges 2010 Prize

Today, the 2nd of February 2011, Madeira Wind Birds celebrates 7 years of hard work but great birdwatching experiences and friendships! Since 2004 the aim of this company is to promote birdwatching and ecotourism in Madeira, always collaborating on conservation works and sharing information.

In January 2011 Catarina & Hugo saw their company and these 7 years of work being publicly recognized by Funchal City Hall with the João Borges award. This was a great beginning for 2011 and hopefully a good sign for a prosperous year!
The "João Borges Award" was established in 2009 by Funchal City Hall and aims a public recognition for people or companies whose practices in the tourism, nature conservation and maritime/nautical activities deserve to be highlighted. João Borges was a distinguished citizen of the Autonomous Region of Madeira and especially Funchal. His compelling personality stood out mainly in areas related to the environmental protection and tourism. He was passionate by the sea where he used to dive, hunt or sail. Most of his life he worked for the Madeira Tourism Board and due to his humored and friendly manner with people and being a great story teller, he was called on the international tourism community by "Mr. Madeira".


The jury for the 2010 Prize decided that it should reward innovation, quality and entrepreneurship in the nautical sector. Thus and unanimously, the jury decided to award Madeira Wind Birds, a company run by two young entrepreneurs - Catarina Fagundes and Hugo Romano, who brought innovation to the Madeira nautical tourism sector with the observation of pelagic seabirds. The results of these observations have been made available on the internet, which contribute to the spread of knowledge but also promotes Madeira to a very particular market segment with growing interest worldwide. 

 The innovation and quality of service provided by Madeira Wind Birds, brought to Madeira in 2009 and 2010, one of the most important photographers of seabirds worldwide and renowned specialist in this zoological group, Hadoram Shirihai, who took the first photo of a Zino's Petrel at sea.

Happy Anniversary Wind Birds and keep flying high!!!

 

Posted by Catarina Fagundes