Risso's dolphins and common sandpipers (1 Viewer)

I was up early yesterday morning and drove out to Niarbyl, a fine place on the west coast just south of Peel. The air was still, the sea was calm and I thought that I would be able to see any basking sharks between there and the Calf of Man, but didn't. However, there was a passage out to sea, with 4 very distant porpoises seen first and then 4 Risso's dolphins passing much closer, probably less than a kilometre from my viewpoint. They afforded great views as they repeatedly surfaced over a period of about 5 minutes. The porpoises and dolphins were all heading south.

Also far offshore were 15 Manx shearwaters, feeding beyond where the Risso's dolphins were. I have seen many more Manx shearwaters this year than I usually do, a case of being out on the coast more, initially because of fieldwork for the Manx Chough Census. Indeed, 3 choughs briefly flew into view along the coast just before I spotted the dolphins.

Earlier during my visit I heard the calls of common sandpipers, eventually seeing 3 of them, my first on southbound migration this summer. Swimming close to the rocks were 7 eiders, including an eclipse drake and 4 ducks. Two of the ducks were accompanied by one duckling each. One of the ducklings was still fairly small. When I was there a few days before the smaller duckling was giving the cute “wheep wheep wheep” call that they have. On yesterday's visit, one of the ducks gave the “cackling” contact call, although its duckling, the larger one, was swimming fairly close by.

Interesting, Allen. Common sands already heading south - I narrowly avoided running over juv Curlews on the way to work this morning - so they've a way to go yet.
Risso's dolphin sounds great.

H