Offshore 15

[david r]

Ahoy,
Another very quiet trip,
Dave

[birdman]

Thanks David,

Not sure if I've asked this before, but have you got yourself a "resident" Jackdaw there?

[david r]

Birdman,
Yes , its been out there since at least November, last year we had a few Starlings, and the winter before that it was a Rook.
They usually leave in the spring when other migrants start to pass.
Regds Dave

[Jos Stratford]

Birdman,
Yes , its been out there since at least November, last year we had a few Starlings, and the winter before that it was a Rook.
They usually leave in the spring when other migrants start to pass.
Regds Dave


I guess we're talking about an oil platform here ...what does this Jackdaw survive on? Handouts from workers?

[david r]

Jos,
Its an F.P.S.O. here is a pix of it, and yes, some of the lads must be feeding it.
Dave

[Jos Stratford]

Jos,
Its an F.P.S.O. here is a pix of it, and yes, some of the lads must be feeding it.
Dave


Er, pretty dumb here, but what is F.P.S.O. ? That picture looks like some kind of moving gas drill or something? Is it in a stationary position or moving about the sea? Presumably it's not coming to shore or the Jackdaw would jump ship

[david r]

Jos
F= Floating p = Production S = Storage & O = Offloading ,the unit is a converted tanker and is permanently moored in this location
Dave

[TWM]

Reading the North Sea Bird Club reports you've had some good stuff on the Ugly Gorm. Do you find spring or autumn best?

[timmyjones]

So let me get this right you have a resident Jackdaw that lives of scraps of food given by the workers!

[david r]

TWM / Tim
There are always a lot more birds in autumn though I think May is best for the rarer birds.
The Jackdaw is away now, but yes he stayed all winter, at the moment we have a Carrion crow, 1 Wren, 1 Blackcap, 20 Starlings, 4 Chaffinches, 1 Blackbird and a Song thrush aboard, I will see if any new birds have arrived during the night shortly when I get out on deck. Dave

[TWM]

Good chance of a Robin---there's been quite a few 'continental' birds at Rattray. Tim

[jeeper]

David,

I've been some 30 years removed from the Gulf of Mexico drilling and production rigs as a communications tech. I wonder if thats the same company that runs your boat that used to run some drill rigs over here called Bluewater. Can not remember their exact names because I only visited them a very few times and I called on a great many rigs, simis, jackups, well you get the idea there. Most were only 15 to 45 minute stops and fly to next.

[TWM]

Jeeper, Uisge Gorm is Gaelic for Blue Water. They also have the Bleo Holm in the North Sea which is Welsh I believe for Blue Water.