Scillonian Pelagic - Latest

[Darrell Clegg]

Latest weather forecast for Sunday:

Rain
Light SE winds

Max temp 18 degrees

visibility poor



Sounds like a normal Scillonian trip to me ;)

Darrell

[Jasonbirder]

So who`s hoping that the Fea`s Petrel which flew south past Sennen this morning, will cross the Scillonian III`s wake on Sunday? ;)

[Reader]

I was wondering if the popularity of this Pelagic is on the wane. I noticed on the pager that tickets are still available. I haven't been on it for a couple of years but those times I have been on it you had to get your application for tickets in early or wait to see if there were last minute cancellations.

I'm not sure how good it will be this weekend as the weather reports are looking mighty ominous. According to the weather reports just given on TV there appears to be a severe band of weather coming up from the south west. If that is so this might be a Pelagic to forget.

I would love to have gone but after purchasing my new scope I couldn't justify the £85 cost of a ticket.

[Darrell Clegg]

Update:

Heavy Rain forecast and strengthening SE winds

- might not need to bring any chum!!!

Darrell

[Reader]

Update:

Heavy Rain forecast and strengthening SE winds

- might not need to bring any chum!!!

Darrell

More to the point, you will be bringing your own --- from the depths of your stomach. LOL

[Andrew]

Some of you guys might get a Sharp-tailed to boot if it gets refound! It showed when we we half way back home to Devon last night. Arrrgh!!!

[Darrell Clegg]

Very latest:

Sea area Sole

SOUTHERLY VEERING WESTERLY 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9. RAIN THEN SHOWERS. MODERATE WITH FOG PATCHES BECOMING GOOD

This is getting mighty close to cancellation stage - passengers are not normally allowed on deck in such conditions - and what good is a pelagic if you can't see the birds?

I still have to turn up though - I've got the DMS!

Darrell

[Chris Mason]

Hi Darrell

Just a quick one, i have been looking into the effects that DMS is having on birds and i have been on the pelagic and seen how much is used. If you must use it (which i doubt) can you please make sure it is used in the correct concentration and not just poured into the sea and the chum bucket. 1 ml to 1 litre is enough. I have chummed on the pelagic and now regret using DMS, as i have seen it just being poured from the bottle into the sea, where tube nosed birds are feeding. Do we need to cause birds to die because of our own self gain.

Cheers hope its not to lumpy
Chris

Very latest:

Sea area Sole

SOUTHERLY VEERING WESTERLY 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9. RAIN THEN SHOWERS. MODERATE WITH FOG PATCHES BECOMING GOOD

This is getting mighty close to cancellation stage - passengers are not normally allowed on deck in such conditions - and what good is a pelagic if you can't see the birds?

I still have to turn up though - I've got the DMS!

Darrell

[Vectis Birder]

DMS? Sorry to appear ignorant...

[Rob Smallwood]

DMS? Sorry to appear ignorant...
Me too?

If as Chris says this is a potentially lethal chemical how on earth can its use be justified? Am I missing something (other than Wilson's)??

[CJW]

I wasn't aware that it is "potentially lethal", especially when used in the right concentrations. It's a naturally-occurring by-product of rotting vegetation.
Isn't this just scare-mongering?

[Andrew]

A transatlantic rowing attempt broke up in half off the coast and has to be rescued (of course!) so they are having a nice bit of weather on the Scillonain (if it sailed).

[Chris Mason]

DMS used in the right concentrations as said above does not seem to be harmful but when it used in the wrong concentratration as i a have seen on the pelagic trips it can not be good. I have been told that DMS can be carcinogenic (I can not Confirm this) in very high concentrations.
If you have ever smelt DMS it is very potent stuff to us so what effect does it have on these tube nosed birds that rely on there noses to find food.
I am just a concerned person who thinks that using chemicals that we have no full understanding about (other than some birds have been found dead in the area of High concentrations of chemicals such as DMS), should we use them for our own gain just for a year tick.
Birds are here to be enjoyed, I feel the same for trampling of vegetation in Cornwall and Silly just to get 2 metres closer to a bird and scare it off.
This is just my thoughts i know not all people think the same as me, Ijust try to think about it from the birds point of view.

Chris

I wasn't aware that it is "potentially lethal", especially when used in the right concentrations. It's a naturally-occurring by-product of rotting vegetation.
Isn't this just scare-mongering?

[plaxtonman]

As a research biochemist I might be able to answer this one!

DMS is a chemical called dimethyl sulphide. It is a liquid with an extremely unpleasant smell, and a low flash point around 35 degrees C (hence high explosive risk). The chemical is released by phytoplankton when they are being fed upon and acts as an olfactory stimulant to tubenosed birds for example.

Regarding its safety. The safety instructions indicate that it is a strong irritant, harmful by inhalation, harmful by swallowing, harmful by absorbtion through the skin, and has the risk of serious eye damage.

Toxicity information indicates that the chemical is lethal in rats at a concentration of 535mg per kg body weight, alternatively by inhalation it is lethal at a concentration of 40250 parts per million. Severe eye irritation was caused in rabbits at a level of 0.25mg exposure in 24hours.

Hope that helps
Plaxtonman

[CJW]

DMS used in the right concentrations as said above does not seem to be harmful but when it used in the wrong concentratration as i a have seen on the pelagic trips it can not be good.

That's absolutely fine Chris and I agree with your sentiment that it should be used, if at all, in the 'correct doses'. The more we discuss the use of DMS in the right concentrations, the better it will be and should, hopefully, avoid it's misuse on pelagics.


As a research biochemist I might be able to answer this one!

DMS is a chemical called dimethyl sulphide. It is a liquid with an extremely unpleasant smell, and a low flash point around 35 degrees C (hence high explosive risk). The chemical is released by phytoplankton when they are being fed upon and acts as an olfactory stimulant to tubenosed birds for example.
Hope that helps
Plaxtonman

Very helpful, thanks Plaxtonman.

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Toxicity information indicates that the chemical is lethal in rats at a concentration of 535mg per kg body weight, alternatively by inhalation it is lethal at a concentration of 40250 parts per million. Severe eye irritation was caused in rabbits at a level of 0.25mg exposure in 24hours.

Hope that helps
Plaxtonman


No comment - (I'd be banned for ever if I said what I am thinking)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[plaxtonman]

No comment - (I'd be banned for ever if I said what I am thinking)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should perhaps have said, before I get targetted, that this is not my data, it came from a standard reference book which all labs will have. I work on potatoes!

Plaxtonman

[Rob Smallwood]

Do potatoes work on Wilson's?!

[Jane Turner]

I've no idea Rob... lets take some on the Mersey pelagic and see what we attract!

[Chris Mason]

That was a good debate, Interesting to learn more thanks for you reports. I am running pelagic trips without the use of DMS and never will use it again. I do look forward to getting out next weekend and see these birds.
Hope they do have a good pelagic trip and the scillonian doesn't break in 2 like th rowing boat. (glad to see they are ok)
I will try potatoes on my pelagic next week!!

Cheers everyone


Chris Mason

[Rob Smallwood]

Jane,

Speaking as a "Manc" I've always felt there was enough natural chum in the Mersey - no offence intended - after all, it passes through Stockport (where I work) and Manchester long before it gets to our cousins in Merseyside ! !

[CJW]

I'm hoping to get out into the Irish Sea next weekend with a chum mix. I have got some DMS but am in 2 minds as to whether to use it or not.
It should be interesting to compare and contrast what is happening in and around the Irish Sea. Three skua species, Manxies and Stormies have been seen off the land this weekend, so fingers crossed!
Please God, this weather blows itself out for next Saturday....

[rogerscoth]

............
Am I missing something (other than Wilson's)??I did not miss Wilson's when I first went on the Scillonian. It was August 1965 and as I boarded at Penzance, there was Harold smoking his pipe on the bridge! (for the uninitiated Harold Wilson was a former UK prime- minister with a holiday bungalow on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly).
I never saw Lands End on that trip - I was down below within a few minutes from leaving Penzance, shouting for bill!
I travel by aircraft to the Islands now.

Roger

[plaxtonman]

Do potatoes work on Wilson's?!

Thanks Rob and others, OK so being literate was NOT in my job description! ;) I bet your 'Potato Field List' isn't as big as mine though! :king:

Plaxtonman

[Reader]

Well by 3:30pm they had seen:

3 Wilson Petrels
3 Cory Shearwaters
1 ad Sabine's Gull
4 Manxies
2 Black Terns
5 Common Terns
1 Knot & several pds Common Dolphins

No Great Shearwaters reported yet.

It hasn't been reported on the pager how bad the weather is so we have to guess.

Not the most productive Pelagic on Record but at least they got the Wilsons plus the Sabine gull Possibly my favourite gull).

The last time I went on the Pelagic was the rearranged one in 2002 when it went out on the 25th August. We didn't see any Wilsons on that one but we did have 50+ Great Shearwater, 20+ Stormie's. I also saw at least 13 Bonxies plus 3 Long tailed Skua, 7 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Sabine's Gull, 5 Arctic Terns and various waders flying over plus quite a few other birds. Quite a good haul but on at day we also missed out on Cory's

[Bluetail]

It hasn't been reported on the pager how bad the weather is so we have to guess.Been as calm as a sleeping babe in Plymouth today. It was windier yesterday. Very odd.

[Andrew]

Windier in Mid Devon just for the afternoon with some rain showers. Nothing really.

[Andrew]

On the return crossing from St Mary's (Friday evening) we had loads of Storm Petrels, some Manx, a Balearic and possibly a Great/Cory's Shearwater. I lost it almost as soon as I saw it close to the boat. Amazing how they just disappear!

There were also a large 100m long pod of Dolphins. Everyone on the boat came over to look at the Dolphins porpoising. So each time I pointed out some birds to my mate they all stood up looking for Dolphins. I even pointed at nothing sometimes for fun!!! ;)

[will o' the wisp]

On Galley Head here in the SW of Ireland we were getting c. 2 Corys/hour today This seemed mainly due to us receiving the tail end of Hurricane Alex. Corys had been pretty scarce before this.

..Kevin

[Rob Smallwood]

22:26 08/08/04 Caspian Tern Cork Cork-Swansea ferry
one reported today, also a Wilson's Petrel, 2 adult Long-tailed Skua, 6 Balearic Shearwater, a Sooty Shearwater, 76 Great Skuas, 19 Arctic Skua and 25 Storm Petrels

Cork - Swansea ferry anyone - what a haul!!

[Bluetail]

Well it looks like there was a gale somewhere at any rate.

[herring99]

Anyone know if DMS was used on the pelagic after all the discussion? (Great thread by the way!) Glad to see there are other lab rats like Plaxtonman who share my passion of birds whilst being confined to lab coats during the day!

Herring

[Darrell Clegg]

Well that was fun!!!!

We sailed into the storm at about 7.00am and had about 5 hours of being severely battered about before we emerged out of the other side, some 30 miles WSW Scilly. The winds were still pretty fierce so we headed North to find calmer sailing, ending up off the 'Pol Bank' - about 6 miles South of the Bishop Rock lighthouse.

The sheer numbers of birds were not as great as in previous years - except for Storm Petrel, but we did manage to find the species people wanted to see. We had good views of other target species such as Sabine's Gull (adult) and Cory's Shearwater. There was a ripple of applause on the back of the boat when it was learned that one eminent birder of 54 years standing had just seen his first Cory's!
There were good, if frustrating - and fairly brief - views of Wilson's Petrel's. They would appear in the chum slick, patter around for a couple of seconds, and disappear. The heavy swell didn't help of course.

This is what we saw

Cory's Shearwater 3
Manx Shearwater c6
Sooty Shearwater 1
Storm Petrel c300
Wilson's Petrel 3
Fulmar <100
Great Skua - c12 - incl 1 very dark bird, and 1 very grey bird
Arctic Skua 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull <100
Herring Gull
Black-headed Gull
Kittiwake - (but no juveniles!!!!!)
Sabines' Gull 1
Common Tern c6
Arctic Tern 1
Black Tern 2
Knot 1
Turnstone 7

We did use the DMS. We took a 125ml bottle for use in 13 100l dustbins - a very small concentration of 1ml per 13l (but the smell never gets any better!)

Darrell

[Andrew]

That would be four lifers for me and two year ticks for me. I shall have to do one next year!

[Jasonbirder]

Four Lifers Andrew - i`m assuming Cory`s, Wilsons Sab`s & ?

[Andrew]

Shamefully enough, Black Tern!

[Jos Stratford]

Ai yi yi Andrew ... no Black Tern yet? I said you needed to pop out here - got a colony of 40 or so breeding on my local patch, occasionally with a pair of White-winged Black Terns too...

[Andrew]

That's the thing, I have White-winged Tern! Bizzarre?

[Jos Stratford]

Couple of years back, got a absolutely spectacular spring flock - usually they arrive here in dribs and drabs from late April, with occasional flocks of 100 or 200 ...but that year had almost none til 10th May, then on my local patch, an amazing 1200 White-winged, couple hundred Blacks and four Whiskered!

[kmonty1950]

Andrew,

A Black tern spent a few hours on the Exe outside the Port Royal in Exeter on Saturday - that's how birding should be!!! B (:

Regards

Ken.

[Andrew]

Ken,

As I mentioned elsewhere. I was ready to board a bus to get that bird and called it off at the last minute as there was no further report to suggest it was staying there. Serves me right, could have had a pint too!

Was it you who found it? If so then :clap:

Andrew.

[Reader]

No Great Shearwaters. How many times has that happened to the Scillonian Pelagic in recent years?

[Highway Man]

No Great Shearwaters. How many times has that happened to the Scillonian Pelagic in recent years?

There hasn't been one since 2002. Looks like I'll have to go on it again next year.

"We did use the DMS. We took a 125ml bottle for use in 13 100l dustbins - a very small concentration of 1ml per 13l (but the smell never gets any better!)"

Was that the little jar of red stuff that I saw someone tip in the first bin, was that you Darrell? It was quite possibly the worst thing I have ever smelt, the bloke next to me threw up everytime he got a wiff of chum, even when they swilled down the deck later on.
A very enjoyable trip despite the storm and the smell and Cory's was a new bird for me also.

Regards

Mark

Mark

[Paul Hackett]

Will be posting a series of pics to try and give a flavour of the day from start to finish

first pics Sunrise, people observing, our own Tom Mckinney ;)

[Paul Hackett]

More pics of the common birds we saw close to the boat

I am sure if our Nigel B had been with us he would have done the pics real justice !

[Paul Hackett]

Last lot of bird pics

we were in the company of the GBB gulls most of the day

[Paul Hackett]

last few pics now



People disembarking

the Scillonian III

The Coast Guard ship we had on standby in Penzance harbour just in case !

the last birds we saw next to the car in the car park

[Paul Hackett]

Last Pic

Lands End

Says it all dont you think ?

Rgds

Paul

[Steve]

"Vessel 15 degrees of my port bow this is the SS Scillonian, request you alter your course to avoid me"
"SS Scillonian this is vessel on your port bow, that is a negative"
"Vessel on my port bow this is SS Scillonian , the collision regulations state that you must in this situation alter course to avoid me"
"SS Scillonian this is vessel on your port bow I am unable to alter course, you must alter to avoid me"
"Vessel on my port bow this is the SS Scillonian Captain Evans speaking, We are a very big vessel Im in command and your in big trouble , Now alter course now to avoid me"
Finally exhaultedly a triumphant voice says
"SS Scillonian this is lighthouse, your call over!"

[Andy Bright]

LOL ;)
:clap:

[Highway Man]

Last lot of bird pics

we were in the company of the GBB gulls most of the day


I think the Gulls were mostly LBB's Paul.

[Darrell Clegg]

Was that the little jar of red stuff that I saw someone tip in the first bin, was that you Darrell? It was quite possibly the worst thing I have ever smelt,
Mark

No It wasn't me - I won't go near the stuff when it's open.

I was the silly sod who was chumming in the rain!!!

Darrell