[Stoggler]

Hi

I've just got my first ever scope and I now have the ability to go seawatching.

However, having never really done it before I don't really know the best way of getting started, where and when to go, techniques to use, and what to look for?

So anyone out there able to offer some tips and some dos and don'ts to help me get started? If it helps, I live in West Sussex on the coast with Climping Gap a wee distance away and with Pagham/Selsey a little further away.

Thanks

[Allen S. Moore]

I seawatched a lot from here in the Isle of Man in the 1970s and 1980s. The focus of my birdwatching has changed since that time, but what I remember from that time are intensely cold feet! Seriously, you are best to find somewhere to sit or stand with a bit of shelter from the wind, both for your comfort and for holding your scope steady. A view of a wide amount of the sea helps to give you time to follow a bird and enable you to memorise details to jot down immediately afterwards if it is something unusual. I invested in books on seabirds, which had more detail of various plumages than the general field guides. My own interest in seawatching was sparked by a bit of it on a couple of YOC / YHA birdwatching holidays (1970 and 1971) and a stay on the Calf of Man (1972), on all 3 of which I watched with other birdwatchers. In the BirdForum context, you might find others in your area who have done some or a lot of seawatching and who you could go along with. Another thought is that by learning the plumage and behaviour of the common species it may help you to pick out the unusual.

Just a few thoughts in no particular order!

[dantheman]

Where to start?

Looking at/for birds out to sea I suppose ... ... but a steady tripod/ timing (time of day/season/weather pattern)/ scanning techniques etc etc

Might be worth posting/looking in the Sussex section for where folk seawatch down your way ... joining in with other (friendly) seawatchers a good thing to get started ...

What scope/magnification do you have by the way?

[Stoggler]

Thanks for the replies Allen and Dan

Re: scope, I have a Swaro 80ATM with 25-50 eyepiece

[Phil Andrews]

One idea is to get familar with a particular location and its markers on the water; try to develop a "feel" for how large certain birds look at certain distances so you can judge how big that lone shearwater is when it comes barrelling through with nothing else in sight.

[Farnboro John]

Quite a few seawatchers advocate scanning with bins which means you then use the scope on birds you have a chance of identifying, rather than being tempted to scope the horizon for passing dots.

My scanning technique is always to scan against the wind (and therefore against the direction of travel of the birds, which will invariably be travelling into it). By this system you will miss fewer birds.

Giving directions is both vital and difficult for seabirds. The initial dataset should include going left/right and above/below horizon. Once you have that out the next one is what direction to look, at which point sea marks are best. "Straight out" is a phrase to avoid as everyone will be sitting at a slightly different angle. "Straight out from me" is not much better as not only will people have to look at you instead of the sea but also judge the way you are facing. To agree a twelve o'clock point on a sea mark and then use the clock code is better.

Cheers

John

[PhilW]

Originally Posted by Stoggler

Hi

I've just got my first ever scope and I now have the ability to go seawatching.

However, having never really done it before I don't really know the best way of getting started, where and when to go, techniques to use, and what to look for?

So anyone out there able to offer some tips and some dos and don'ts to help me get started? If it helps, I live in West Sussex on the coast with Climping Gap a wee distance away and with Pagham/Selsey a little further away.

Thanks

Don't.
It's addictive.

[Hotspur]

Find a headland near you as birds that pass further out in bays will pass closer to you at the headland. Seawatch season is just starting with the first Sooty Shearwaters entering British waters over the last week or 2. Somewhere with a bit of height will give you a better panaroma to watch from. I usually set my scope up looking to either the left or right depending upon the direction of travel of the birds (giving myself maximum tracking time on birds). At Flamborough where I tend to go in autumn there is a line which birds tend to pass beyond a reef so I aim my scope on that at about 25x magnification. With this setup I cant see the birds passing very close with the scope so I break off occasionally to check stuff close by. Watching at a location with other people will help develop your skills rapidly as you get used to ID of distant birds and getting on to other peoples. Dont worry if you miss stuff - it all comes together with experience. The biggest thing is to go at first light as this is when birds tend to pass close by early morning. My only UK Leach's Petrels & Cory's Shearwater were before 7.30am with larger numbers of shears and skuas at these times generally. That said my only from land Storm Petrel was at 11am so you never know when birds are going to go past. Patience and optimism are two essential qualities in any observer. I found the patience easier once I had seen a couple of nice birds and with that the belief that more would follow. Which they did. Memorable days include 1000+ Little Auks in November and 100+ Sooty Shearwaters in September with both days including lots of other interesting species. Patience will bring new species aplenty but research what species are being seen both locally and nationally eg with the recent westerly gales there were large movements of Storm Petrels in the English Channel with 267+ being seen from Berry Head in Devon. Get familiar with the regular species so that you know that Leach's Petrel or Long-tailed Skua when it goes past.

[Tarsiger]

Where you are it's easy; Selsey in Spring with S/SE winds or E/NE;Autumn S/SW storms - lots of good seawatchers here (well some at least!!). Alternatively Seaford Head.
Worthing at least has seafront shelters to keep the worst of the weather out but typically less birds.Don't be frightened to put down diver spp, skua spp etc even if other birders seem able to name everything moving between Selsey and the French coast!!
Keep warm, dry and out of the wind as much as you can; maybe fit an extra lens hood
to keep the worst of the weather out. Be aware that wiping your scope objective will scour the glass with salt and sand, remove the coating and make it unusable; I've got a televid in a cupboard to testify to the power of sand!.
Keep an eye on weather forecasts for those suitable onshore winds.
Oh and seawatching is no place for a camera!!

[Farnboro John]

Originally Posted by Tarsiger

Don't be frightened to put down diver spp, skua spp etc even if other birders seem able to name everything moving between Selsey and the French coast!!
Keep warm, dry and out of the wind as much as you can; maybe fit an extra lens hood to keep the worst of the weather out. Be aware that wiping your scope objective will scour the glass with salt and sand, remove the coating and make it unusable.
Keep an eye on weather forecasts for those suitable onshore winds.
Oh and seawatching is no place for a camera!!

I endorse all of this and offer the following: a large plastic bottle makes a good extra-long lens hood; perhaps a skylight filter or similar could be used as a rain barrier that can be wiped sacrificially; save the camera for close-up seabirds on pelagics!

John

[John Cantelo]

A few thoughts on this topic ....

A Dozen Pointers for better seawatching:-

Before you go:-[/size]
[/b]1 – Research local seawatching sites – look at bird reports, ask other birders, check locality for shelter etc. Usually somewhere a few metres above sea level is best; too low & birds get lost in troughs, too high and you lose the advantage of birds appearing above the horizon. Also consider the position of the rising/setting sun; good sites in the morning with the light behind you are dreadful in the afternoon.
2 – Weather forecasts - watch/listen to forecasts & regularly check websites such as http://magicseaweed.com (click on ‘latest wind speed’ map) to check for winds directions. Broadly speaking you want a strong wind coming off a large sea area towards a coastline – so a westerly from the Atlantic or a northerly pushing birds down the North Sea. But be aware that seabirds can get ‘bottled up’ in a long ‘arm’ of the sea so a switch to NW or NE onto a north facing coast after a sharp westerly blow can be good. Don’t leave it too long as after a short while birds get ‘blown out’ and seas are quiet.
3 – Timing – whilst early mornings are often very good, remember that a late blow in the afternoon can bring in birds.
4 – Bag a place at your chosen site in good time – late comers often have to endure the wind and spray. Knowing sheltered sites is important!
5 – Comfort – bring a folding chair (for comfort and squeezing in front of standing birders!), hot drinks, food, make sure you warm and dry so dress accordingly (remember it’s often windier & feels colder on the coast.
6 – Homework – field guides can only take you so far so get a copy of ‘Flight Identification of European Seabirds’ (Blomdahl et al) & watch as much video footage as you can before you go to get some idea of flight envelope, manner and ‘jizz’ of target birds.
7 – Mentoring – find an experienced birder who’s willing to help you.
8 – Equipment – the one activity where I miss x10 bins, but a wider angle x8 has its advantages. I prefer a w/a fixed magnification (x25/30) eyepiece to a zoom as the wider field helps in picking up birds. A good tripod – weight a lighter one down with your water bottle/bag of pebbles if necessary – with a smooth head.

On site:-
9 - Arrival - get there in good time & make yourself comfortable
10 – Communication - if possible sit within hearing distance of those who are picking up the birds. If birding with friends try to get all angles covered with some scanning with bins and others “horizon peeking” with ‘scopes. Make sure you agree on ‘seamarks’ so be aware of relevant boats, bouys, etc. Directions – ‘left’ ‘right’ are universal, relevant compass points vary with the configuration of the coast. Use the ‘clock’ system for directions (having agreed 12:00) together with ‘binocular’ widths and position relative to the horizon. Call early rather than late and if necessary keep up a dialogue until everyone’s on the bird.
11 – Watching & Recording – looking ‘downwind’ usually means you pick up birds in good time. Avoid taking your eye off the bird to give directions. At longer range don’t worry too much about plumage details so focus on flight behaviour, wing shape etc rather than plumage details. So get to grips with the typical long straggling line of scoter, the bumble-bee flight of auks, etc. If and when plumage becomes apparent have some idea what sorts of features to expect – wing flashes on a possible skua for example. Make sure someone’s taking a tally and if they leave another carries it on. Expect the unexpected – a winter plumage Black Guillemot is no big deal in the north, but having one off Kent can really throw you!
12 – Patience – it can be worth persevering even on a dull day when little is happening. Having twice put in a couple of hours seawatching in Kent and seeing little then have a Cory’s Shearwater fly past within 5 minutes of leaving I know this to my cost!

[Dave Hawkins]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

....
5 – Comfort – bring a folding chair (for comfort and squeezing in front of standing birders!), hot drinks, food, make sure you warm and dry so dress accordingly (remember it’s often windier & feels colder on the coast....

Comfort is all important so I always take:
1. Sturdy brolly for those fierce squalls of rain, hail and wind blown sand.
2. Bog roll or better still lens tissue for cleaning off salt spray and lens brush for clearing out dry sand.
3. Plastic tube secured by rubber bands extending beyond the end of my scope to give some extra protection against afore mentioned rain, hail and/or sand.

In addition, take a bit of time setting up, so your chair and tripod are steady and your scope is parallel to the horizon when panning.

Dave

[Brian2]

Great advise given by all above but what i'd suggest is to get yourself to a good site and learn from those around you. I regularly get down to Dungeness early morning and the locals are usually more than happy to share the knowledge and explain why it's a black throated diver and not a red throated diver flying past a mile out or why that Skua on the horizon is a Great not an Arctic etc..Get their early (really early) be prepared for days when nothing happens and enjoy the days when it all happens at once. Dungeness is a great spot to practice your skills.

[keith]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

A few thoughts on this topic ....

A Dozen Pointers for better seawatching:-

Before you go:-[/size]
[/b]1 – Research local seawatching sites – look at bird reports, ask other birders, check locality for shelter etc. Usually somewhere a few metres above sea level is best; too low & birds get lost in troughs, too high and you lose the advantage of birds appearing above the horizon. Also consider the position of the rising/setting sun; good sites in the morning with the light behind you are dreadful in the afternoon.
2 – Weather forecasts - watch/listen to forecasts & regularly check websites such as http://magicseaweed.com (click on ‘latest wind speed’ map) to check for winds directions. Broadly speaking you want a strong wind coming off a large sea area towards a coastline – so a westerly from the Atlantic or a northerly pushing birds down the North Sea. But be aware that seabirds can get ‘bottled up’ in a long ‘arm’ of the sea so a switch to NW or NE onto a north facing coast after a sharp westerly blow can be good. Don’t leave it too long as after a short while birds get ‘blown out’ and seas are quiet.
3 – Timing – whilst early mornings are often very good, remember that a late blow in the afternoon can bring in birds.
4 – Bag a place at your chosen site in good time – late comers often have to endure the wind and spray. Knowing sheltered sites is important!
5 – Comfort – bring a folding chair (for comfort and squeezing in front of standing birders!), hot drinks, food, make sure you warm and dry so dress accordingly (remember it’s often windier & feels colder on the coast.
6 – Homework – field guides can only take you so far so get a copy of ‘Flight Identification of European Seabirds’ (Blomdahl et al) & watch as much video footage as you can before you go to get some idea of flight envelope, manner and ‘jizz’ of target birds.
7 – Mentoring – find an experienced birder who’s willing to help you.
8 – Equipment – the one activity where I miss x10 bins, but a wider angle x8 has its advantages. I prefer a w/a fixed magnification (x25/30) eyepiece to a zoom as the wider field helps in picking up birds. A good tripod – weight a lighter one down with your water bottle/bag of pebbles if necessary – with a smooth head.

On site:-
9 - Arrival - get there in good time & make yourself comfortable
10 – Communication - if possible sit within hearing distance of those who are picking up the birds. If birding with friends try to get all angles covered with some scanning with bins and others “horizon peeking” with ‘scopes. Make sure you agree on ‘seamarks’ so be aware of relevant boats, bouys, etc. Directions – ‘left’ ‘right’ are universal, relevant compass points vary with the configuration of the coast. Use the ‘clock’ system for directions (having agreed 12:00) together with ‘binocular’ widths and position relative to the horizon. Call early rather than late and if necessary keep up a dialogue until everyone’s on the bird.
11 – Watching & Recording – looking ‘downwind’ usually means you pick up birds in good time. Avoid taking your eye off the bird to give directions. At longer range don’t worry too much about plumage details so focus on flight behaviour, wing shape etc rather than plumage details. So get to grips with the typical long straggling line of scoter, the bumble-bee flight of auks, etc. If and when plumage becomes apparent have some idea what sorts of features to expect – wing flashes on a possible skua for example. Make sure someone’s taking a tally and if they leave another carries it on. Expect the unexpected – a winter plumage Black Guillemot is no big deal in the north, but having one off Kent can really throw you!
12 – Patience – it can be worth persevering even on a dull day when little is happening. Having twice put in a couple of hours seawatching in Kent and seeing little then have a Cory’s Shearwater fly past within 5 minutes of leaving I know this to my cost!

As a seawatcher, this is excellent advice from John, an impressive summary from an expert.

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by keith

As a seawatcher, this is excellent advice from John, an impressive summary from an expert.

That is very kind of you but woefully inaccurate! Having just spent an hour sifting through Corys in search of little shearwater and Bulwers petrel without success (one poss Little) I fear I am a rank beginner ... oh yes I am on Madeira at the moment!

[Tarsiger]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

That is very kind of you but woefully inaccurate! Having just spent an hour sifting through Corys in search of little shearwater and Bulwers petrel without success (one poss Little) I fear I am a rank beginner ... oh yes I am on Madeira at the moment!

An excellent communicator always sounds like an expert!!
Russ

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by Tarsiger

An excellent communicator always sounds like an expert!!
Russ

Thanks again. My comments need revision in the light of today's bout of seawatching at Porto Moniz (Madeira) where it was warm and sunny and I was dressed accordingly. No huddling up to avoid hypothermia and no flask of hot coffee either as I was birding from a promenade cafe! All this and Bulwer's Petrel (but not, alas, Little [Macaronesian] Shearwater),

[Allen S. Moore]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

Thanks again. My comments need revision in the light of today's bout of seawatching at Porto Moniz (Madeira) where it was warm and sunny and I was dressed accordingly. No huddling up to avoid hypothermia and no flask of hot coffee either as I was birding from a promenade cafe! All this and Bulwer's Petrel (but not, alas, Little [Macaronesian] Shearwater),

Sounds good! I saw little shearwater from the ferry between Funchal and Porto Santo (back in 1998).

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by Allen S. Moore

Sounds good! I saw little shearwater from the ferry between Funchal and Porto Santo (back in 1998).

Not that good - I could have stayed there all day, but there are two of us on this holiday and only one of them is a birder! (Seawatching for the non-birding spouse must be one of a VERY boring activity). All of which brings me on to my 13th Commandment.

13 -If seawatching somewhere sunny & hot, don't forget to apply plenty of 30+ suntan cream!

[John Cantelo]

Originally Posted by Allen S. Moore

Sounds good! I saw little shearwater from the ferry between Funchal and Porto Santo (back in 1998).

Not that good - I could have stayed there all day, but there are two of us on this holiday and only one of them is a birder! (Seawatching for the non-birding spouse must be a VERY boring activity). All of which brings me on to my 13th Commandment.

13 -If seawatching somewhere sunny & hot, don't forget to apply plenty of 30+ suntan cream!

[Pariah]

Originally Posted by John Cantelo

Not that good - I could have stayed there all day, but there are two of us on this holiday and only one of them is a birder! (Seawatching for the non-birding spouse must be a VERY boring activity). All of which brings me on to my 13th Commandment.

13 -If seawatching somewhere sunny & hot, don't forget to apply plenty of 30+ suntan cream!

And if its quiet at said location...don't fall asleep out in the sun..
The lessons we learn the hard way...

Owen

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by Pariah

And if its quiet at said location...don't fall asleep out in the sun..
The lessons we learn the hard way...

Owen

I experienced that at sea yesterday. Thank god its raining today. Not sure my cheeks & forehead could survive more sun...

[birdboybowley]

Stoggler - if you can then Selsey's way better than Climping and there are always watchers at the Bill (weather conditions permitting of course!) Things are now quieting down although Justin had a Pom this morning and looking at the WSW blows overnight and tomorrow am then it may be worth a looksy for sure...maight even get a Stormie! Head down the Bill in mid-April to mid-May and there'll be plenty of people there, especially if there's a nice SE blowing

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Take a look at this for details of seawatching at Selsey if you haven't already: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....99#post2443099

We look forward to perhaps seeing you next spring Stoggler.