[Pariah]

Thought I would start off the thread for this Seawatching season.

Just had
1 adult long tailed skua
1 bonxie
6 sooty shearwater
in a good passage of Manx at ballycotton.

here's hoping for a good season to come.

Owen

[rob-innes]

Evening all. Here's a question for Owen and other seasoned Irish seawatchers - apols if it's been discussed before.

The Bridges of Ross phenomenon is now pretty well known: essentially it seems the site "collects" seabirds coming out of Galway Bay, drawn by the long leading line of the west Clare coast.

Is there evidence of anything similar to the SW, on the north Dingle coast? Brandon, of course, has a great record in strong NW winds, and Clogher Head has some pedigree but looks too "tucked round the corner". Some convenient point either side of Smerwick Harbour might seem, on the face of it, better for birds on a leading line.

Any thoughts? Anyone tried it?

Good luck to all this seawatching season,

Rob

[Neal Warnock]

See this link for a promising looking spot in Kerry and a bit about the other more regular spots:

http://kerrybirding.blogspot.co.uk/p...pot-in-co.html

Neal

[Cheshire Birder]

Some of the highlights from NW England today - Sabine's Gull and 39 Storm Petrels at Workington; 6 Pomarine Skuas and 2 Storm Petrels at Bowness-on-Solway; 3 Storm Petrels at Blackpool; 3 Storm Petrels at Rossall Point;

CB

[Pariah]

Originally Posted by rob-innes

Evening all. Here's a question for Owen and other seasoned Irish seawatchers - apols if it's been discussed before.

The Bridges of Ross phenomenon is now pretty well known: essentially it seems the site "collects" seabirds coming out of Galway Bay, drawn by the long leading line of the west Clare coast.

Is there evidence of anything similar to the SW, on the north Dingle coast? Brandon, of course, has a great record in strong NW winds, and Clogher Head has some pedigree but looks too "tucked round the corner". Some convenient point either side of Smerwick Harbour might seem, on the face of it, better for birds on a leading line.

Any thoughts? Anyone tried it?

Good luck to all this seawatching season,

Rob

The cliffs around the north of smerwick, feoanagh are pretty steep and inaccessible as I recall. And quite high. Not that great for seawatching.
On the other side of the hbr, you may as well try clogher head, but the islands do affect passage a bit I think.

Owen

[rob-innes]

Thanks for the responses. It might just be worth a go one day... and that spot on Valencia sounds very interesting.

ATB

Rob

[Pariah]

A reasonably poor day yesterday, despite seemingly ideal weather conditions on Galley head.

1 Corys shearwater
3 Sooty shearwater
10 Bonxie
7 Storm petrels

One great shearwater was seen before I got there.

Seems we were on the wrong headland with Feas being scored off Mizen.

Owen

[jogresh]

I'm hoping all these Atlantic lows will have brought up a few Wilsons into British and Irish waters...

[Neal Warnock]

Fairly quiet at Ramore Head over the weekend. Very few Manx. The odd Bonxie and Storm Petrel moving through. Decent looking weather system forecast from early Saturday may liven things up a bit.

[Pariah]

Galley head. 07.15 -11.30.
1 wilsons petrel.
9 pom skua (all sub adults, 3rd and 2nd summer).
1 arctic skua.
10 bonxie.
8 sooty shearwater.
100+ puffin.
80+ arctic tern.

Owen

[Neal Warnock]

Totals from over the weekend at Ramore Head:

7000+ Manx
3 Sooty Shearwater
9 Bonxie
4 Arctic Skua
2 Pomarine Skua

No sign of any petrels.

[Pariah]

Looks like the big passage of Cory's has finally gone past.
1000+ from Galley head yesterday, with counts in the hundreds from other south coast watchpoints. Smaller counts of Sooty and Great Shearwaters and various Skua species.

Still numbers moving past today also.

Weather due to change tomorrow....Typical.

Owen

[Pariah]

Had a really amazing experience in west cork today. I picked up a stonking adult white winged tern with what seemed to be a huge congregation of seabirds stuck inshore at garretstown, at the base of the old head of kinsale. Hundreds of Manx, with a nice selection of petrels and skuas, including 2 dark poms. one petrel glided exceptionally close just off the beach. Unfortunately it was backlit the whole time, and I could not see plumage details, but on gizz and wing structure it certainly looked like a Wilsons.

It would be worthwhile for anyone in the area to check if the flock is still in the area tomorrow.

Owen

[mickbe74]

I've read reports recently of Corys and Great shearwaters and Skua's in big numbers in Cornwall,obviously this is a seasonal thing,but how long does the season go on for and do you need to be an experienced seawatcher to id the birds(are they dots on the horizon i mean)? Thanks in advance.
Mick

[Pariah]

Kilbaha Pelagic today.

2 Wilsons petrel.
1 1st summer long tailed.
1 2nd summer pom.
1 arctic skua.
7 bonxie.
30 sooty.
1 Balearic.
2 ad sabs.
300+ stormy.
2 minke.
150+ common dolphin

Regards

Owen

[Mark Batten]

Lööks good for cornwall for Thursday...

[Pariah]

Originally Posted by Pariah

Kilbaha Pelagic today.

2 Wilsons petrel.
1 1st summer long tailed.
1 2nd summer pom.
1 arctic skua.
7 bonxie.
30 sooty.
1 Balearic.
2 ad sabs.
300+ stormy.
2 minke.
150+ common dolphin

Regards

Owen

oops. mea culpe. fecked up the long tail. Thanks to Rich Bonser for the pick up. Pale 2nd cal arctic indeed. No excuses. Should have looked at it harder and longer.

Owen

[Captain_of_Crunch]

The weather for Wednesday to Friday looks very interesting, with strong winds seeping up from Biscay. I think I might head down to Cape for a day or two...

[cwpbirder]

Any local knowledge for Berry Head for Thurs? good with SW winds / showers ?

[Jane Turner]

If you were currently in SW Ireland, where would you go seawatching Fri/Sat? A friend, actually my ex husband and the kids are over there and wondering.

[dan pointon]

Originally Posted by Jane Turner

If you were currently in SW Ireland, where would you go seawatching Fri/Sat? A friend, actually my ex husband and the kids are over there and wondering.

Surely Galley is prime, followed by Mizen or Old Head of Kinsale? Cape Clear might be alright too tho a bit more difficult!

[Pariah]

Originally Posted by dan pointon

Surely Galley is prime, followed by Mizen or Old Head of Kinsale? Cape Clear might be alright too tho a bit more difficult!

You need an access card to get out to the tip of Old Head of Kinsale. (I don't like it as a seawatching point myself).

Galley is excellent. Mizen is tougher to find a comfortable spot.

Details on the sites are here.
http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=682

Owen

[Neal Warnock]

Forecast strong easterlies didn't amount to much here. Best in an hour this evening at Garron Point was 1 Great Skua, 1 Arctic Skua and 4 Storm Petrel.

Neal

[nialltkeogh]

Seabird counts from The Bridges of Ross for the next month will be posted here: www.seabirdwatchireland.blogspot.com

Niall

[jalethbridge]

Any thoughts on Pendeen or St Ives tomorrow, Saturday 25th? Looking like a good WNW with rain.