A run of Atlantic weather systems moving through over the past two weeks produced some nice tallies for the time of year with late Balearic, Sooty & Great Shearwaters noted along with all four species of skuas & a few Grey Phalaropes. A flock of up to 450 Little Gulls off the Murrough coastline in Co. Wicklow on 22nd/23rd October was a nice find, but to be expected in the right weather conditions at this time of year.
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| Little Gull (Dick Coombes) |
The final Seatrack survey of the 2011 season takes place this weekend 5th/6th November starting at 08:30am. Whilst the forecast for the weekend seems rather unfavorable for any 'decent' seawatching, early Novemeber can often throw up a few surprises, with Little Auk certainly topping the seasonal wish list. Observers in the south-west should still be on the look out for our target species, Balearic Shearwater, which can often be found here well into the winter.
If you're interested in undertaking a Seatrack survey then e-mail Niall Keogh at seatrack@birdwatchireland.ie
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| Little Auk, coming to a bathtub near you! (Declan Murphy) |
Location: Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal
Date: 19/10/2011
Time: 08:00-11:05
Weather: F3 N-NW, showers & poor-mod visibility.
Observer(s): Chris Ingram
Great Skua (Bonxie): 23 W
Pomarine Skua: 7 W
Arctic Skua: 5 W
Skua sp: 6 W
Sabine's Gull: 12 W
Arctic Tern: 1 W
Red-throated Diver: 7 W
Great Northern Diver: 11 W & 1 E
Diver sp: 2 W & 1 E
Gannet: 164 W & 5 E
Kittiwake: 1431 W & 4 E
Guillemot: 1 W
Auk sp: 81 W & 16 E
Red-breasted Merganser: 36 W
Barnacle Goose: 54 W & 32 E
Location: Dursey Island, Co. Cork
Date: 17/10/2011
Time: 08:00-10:00
Weather: F6-7 W-SW, dry with excellent visibility
Observer(s): Derek A. Scott
Manx Shearwater: 2 N
Sooty Shearwater: 3 N
Pomarine Skua: 1 N
Arctic Skua: 3 N
Skua sp: 1 M (Arctic/Pomarine sat on the sea)
Fulmar: 190 N
Kittiwake: 105 N
Auk sp: 231 N
Harbour Porpoise: 6 M
"Undertaken from the comfort of our house, 2.2 km from the extreme south-western tip of the island. Our house is situated about 450 feet above sea-level and faces due south, so that we have a commanding view of the sea between Mizen Head and the tip of Dursey. Sea-watching can be quite good from the door of our house when there is a strong wind from the north-west or west and most birds are tracking WNW into the wind on a course from Mizen Head to Dursey Tip. A good telescope is, however, essential. The disadvantage is that we seldom see anything that is heading south-west past the tip from the north side of the island, as this is much too far away."
Location: Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal
Date: 15/10/2011
Time: 08:25-11:35
Weather: F2-4 SW, light-nil rain in poor-good visibility
Observer(s): Ralph Sheppard & Chris Ingram
Manx Shearwater: 1 W
Sooty Shearwater: 2 W
Storm Petrel: 1 W
Great Skua (Bonxie): 1 W & 1 E
Arctic Skua: 3 W
Skua sp: 2 E & 1 M
'Commic' Tern: 1 W
Common Scoter: 8 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W
Great Northern Diver: 13 W & 4 E
Diver sp: 1 W & 1 E
Fulmar: 1 W
Gannet: 535 W & 71 E
Kittiwake: 28 W & 4 E
Guillemot: 26 W
Razorbill: 31 W
Auk sp: 107 W
Black Guillemot: 1 W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1 E
Basking Shark: 1 W
Location: Brownstown Head, Co. Waterford
Date: 15/10/2011
Time: 08:55-12:00
Weather: 5-6 SW, vis moderate, some drizzle
Observer(s): Paul Walsh & Jonathon Bulfin
Great Skua (Bonxie): 2 E
Arctic Skua: 1 E & 1 W
Fulmar: 2 W
Gannet: 20 E, 29 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W
Diver sp: 1 W
Wigeon: 13 W
Shelduck: 3 W
Kittiwake: 17 E & 159 W
Sandwich Tern: 1 W
Auk sp: 27 E & 34 W
