Time: 0710-1000
Weather: F2-3 S, dry, mild & good visibility.
Observers: Niall T. Keogh, Neal Warnock, Victor Caschera, Jimmy Dowdall, Eamonn MacLochlainn, John Power, Ger Murray, Des Higgins, Bernie Sheridan, Dave Fox et al.
Common Scoter: 1
'Blue' Fulmar: 1 'D'
Sooty Shearwater: 28
Manx Shearwater: 1,250 in 1.25 hrs
European Storm-petrel: 2
Arctic Skua: 1
Sandwich Tern: 6
Arctic Tern: 8
Bar-tailed Godwit: 8
Whimbrel: 1
Leatherback Turtle: 1 @ 0905 (NWarnock)
The sea returned to a calm state once more for our final mornings seawatch. A light but steady passage of Manxies contained quite a few Sooties and a nice 'Blue' Fulmar (I guess it's the same bird which has been seen on several seawatches this past week or so).
Neal connected with a surfacing Leatherback Turtle ensuring at least one made it into the records for our annual watch effort on site. Typically it was an all to brief encounter and difficult to get other observers on to. Luck of the draw! The Bridges of Ross is a particularly good spot for seeing them so with a bit of patience and careful scanning close in on calms days you'd stand a reasonable chance of seeing one, especially if there are plenty of Ocean Sunfish about it would seem based on previous years experience.
Hoping to make it back here later in September for a few more days seawatching so stay tuned!
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| Evening light at BoR © Neal Warnock |
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