Weather: F7 SW, overcast, dull, dry with moderate visibility. F5 SW, overcast with moderate visibility turning F5 S with persistent rain in the evening.
Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, Noel Keogh & Joe Adamson.
Great Shearwater: 1
Balearic Shearwater: 1
Sooty Shearwater: 494
Manx Shearwater: c.300
Wilson's Petrel: 1 offshore from 08:40-09:30! (NTKeogh, NKeogh & JAdamson)
Storm Petrel: 63
Great Skua (Bonxie): 28
Pomarine Skua: 3 pale phase
Arctic Skua: 20
Long-tailed Skua: 1 adult @16:30 (NTKeogh & NKeogh)
Sabine's Gull: 33 (incl. 5 juvs.)
Sandwich Tern: 32
Arctic Tern: 126
Common Scoter: 17
Puffin: 1
Whimbrel: 7
Bar-tailed Godwit: 1
Sunfish: 3
After being picked up at quite a long range, the Wilson's eventually made its way inshore, giving prolonged views at close range for up to 13 minutes before being lost, heading West. It reappeared several minutes later, straight out from the headland & veered off strongly back East on a single glide, returning to the spot where it was first picked up. It remained in the general area, in view on & off, before being lost heading back West at 09:30! Joe even managed to get up out of bed, get dressed & make his way out to the headland just in time to twitch it before it disappeared!!! It was a real treat to watch the bird make a short run along a wave & then propel itself, gliding effortlessly for quite a distance with a minimum amount of flapping.
Apart from the terns, Sab's & Skuas, passage was very slow today. Most of the shearwaters came through in a single burst this morning. Unusual to get more Sooties than Manx in this half of September too!
Any chance of some vids of these migrants flying by?
ReplyDeleteHi Richella,
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid the camera I'm using isn't really up to the task. Tried getting some footage this morning but failed miserably.
Need a bigger lens!
Niall