First Leach's: Bridges of Ross 21st August 2012

Time: 06:30-10:30 & 12:00-19:50

Weather: F2-3 SW, largely dry, bright & warm but some showers (am). F4-5 W-SW, sunny, warm & hazy but with heavy showers in evening (pm).

Observer(s): Niall T. Keogh, Keith Langdon, Mikey Hoit, Dave Farrow, Reg Land, Simon Woodhouse, Dave Andrews, Alan Clewes, Dan Pointon, Brian Porter, Paul Flint, Cory Flint et al.

Balearic Shearwater: 2

Sooty Shearwater: 84

Manx Shearwater: 3,000+

Fulmar: 1,000+

Leach’s Petrel: 1

Storm Petrel: 88

Kittiwake: 54 incl. 18 juvs.

Common Scoter: 6 (4 males & 2 females)

Great Skua (Bonxie): 15

Pomarine Skua: 9 (adult & subadult pale phases)

Arctic Skua: 39

Sandwich Tern: 6

Common Tern: 2 juvs.

Arctic Tern: 19

Razorbill: 90+

Guillemot: 15 

Auk sp: 40+

Puffin: 3

Black Guillemot:  1 juv.

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 adult

Common Gull: 1

Teal: 6

Whimbrel: 10

Dunlin: 7

Sanderling: 21

Knot: 2

Merlin: 1

Common Seal: 1 close offshore for much of the day.

Bottlenose Dolphin: 8+ in the evening.

Common Dolphin: 10+ in the morning.
Ocean Sunfish: 1

Another slow morning, livened up by some cracking Pom Skuas. Passage picked up from about 5pm when nice numbers of Manxies, Fulmars & skuas moved through. The first Leach’s Petrel of the season appeared at 19:08 which was most unexpected. I figured it would be a week or so before we would see one. 

F5 Westerlies tomorrow...bring it on! 

Pomarine Skua (video grab) © Niall Keogh

Dan Pointon...nuff said © Niall Keogh

"World of Pain" weather © Niall Keogh