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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

What is the best way to "sea watch?" (1 Viewer)

AidenD

Well-known member
What would you recommend (most specifically, for the north-east coast) as beginner tips for sea watchers? What are the best ways to see sea ducks, alcids, and so on from land? Thank you very much.
 
Get out onto the end of a prominent headland, try to get some shelter from the wind, and scan for what flies past, best with a telescope. Be prepared to sit for several hours (so wrap up well!!) of seeing not very much, with the occasional bit of excitement. And be prepared to accept that an awful lot of birds are just too far out to identify accurately.

Onshore or longshore winds are generally best, and winds blowing offshore worst, but you'll need to find out locally which wind direction is best for the location. On this northeast coast (NE England), NNW to NE winds are best, as they blow birds from the Atlantic into the North Sea.
 
My experience is that the best way to sea watch is to find someone who does a lot of seawatching.... and sit next to them. You will see a lot more birds if there are several people watching, and most birders will happily call out the birds they see. I've also found that, if I go to a seawatching spot and find no-one else there, then there are usually no birds either...Seasoned seawatchers know when to be there.
 
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