angusmcoatup
Paul
You’re going to miss that Ross’s gull!
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North Sea Thread (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Gander
- Start date
You’re going to miss that Ross’s gull!
Oh! I thought you were all being evacuated Paul.
Stay safe then lad.
Stay safe then lad.
I'll get it when it heads back the way. :t:
I think the press picked up on one or two of the less stable platforms being down-manned as a precaution. No problem on my platform, although the majority of workers were confined to the accommodation. Thanks for the concern though. :t:
Still pretty rough outside. I'm just back from rescuing a Herring Gull that managed to get itself stranded on a walkway. Every time it tried to take off, the wind would push it back down. A quick helping hand through the handrail saw it soaring off with its mates.
Now four Glaucous together, in close to the platform with Herring Gull flock.
I've checked my records for the year, and including today's four birds, that makes thirty-nine White-winged Gull sightings. Twenty Glaucous and nineteen Iceland.
Previous NSBC records only show two or three sightings per year on average, but I believe they are probably being under reported because the interest in gulls will not be as high as the interest in migratory birds.
I've checked my records for the year, and including today's four birds, that makes thirty-nine White-winged Gull sightings. Twenty Glaucous and nineteen Iceland.
Previous NSBC records only show two or three sightings per year on average, but I believe they are probably being under reported because the interest in gulls will not be as high as the interest in migratory birds.
Last two for the year.
Heading home in a few hours, but just time to report on a last couple of birds. Today, we have had our third Cormorant of the year and another tagged GBBG.
The GBBG was tagged as a chick in Pikkerholm, Hirsholmene, Nordjylland, Denmark on 22/7/16. It was next spotted in January 2017 on Fraserburgh Beach, then recorded 24 times this year in Fraserburgh Harbour, until the 14/09/17. Now it has turned up here.
Also seen yesterday was our semi resident Grey Seal. Good to know the Orcas didn't get him.
Heading home in a few hours, but just time to report on a last couple of birds. Today, we have had our third Cormorant of the year and another tagged GBBG.
The GBBG was tagged as a chick in Pikkerholm, Hirsholmene, Nordjylland, Denmark on 22/7/16. It was next spotted in January 2017 on Fraserburgh Beach, then recorded 24 times this year in Fraserburgh Harbour, until the 14/09/17. Now it has turned up here.
Also seen yesterday was our semi resident Grey Seal. Good to know the Orcas didn't get him.
Attachments
2018
Firstly, a very happy new year to anyone following or visiting this thread.
The final list for 2017 can be seen on post #322. Fifty-four species is a pretty good total, however, a very poor autumn migration slowed things right down following an excellent springtime. Looking at 2016's final list, there are ten birds, mainly seen in the autumn, that did not feature in 2017, although the autumn of 2016 was exceptionally good. Owls and wildfowl made up the biggest gaps.
I arrived back onto the platform today, and before I was off the chopper, I had my first spot of the year. A Cormorant was flying about with the resident GBBGs that had been disturbed by the choppers approach. Cormorants are usually very scarce this far out, and by no means a cert for any year, so it is a good start.
In addition to the Cormorant and GBBGs, we also have Herring Gull and Kittiwake present.
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
Firstly, a very happy new year to anyone following or visiting this thread.
The final list for 2017 can be seen on post #322. Fifty-four species is a pretty good total, however, a very poor autumn migration slowed things right down following an excellent springtime. Looking at 2016's final list, there are ten birds, mainly seen in the autumn, that did not feature in 2017, although the autumn of 2016 was exceptionally good. Owls and wildfowl made up the biggest gaps.
I arrived back onto the platform today, and before I was off the chopper, I had my first spot of the year. A Cormorant was flying about with the resident GBBGs that had been disturbed by the choppers approach. Cormorants are usually very scarce this far out, and by no means a cert for any year, so it is a good start.
In addition to the Cormorant and GBBGs, we also have Herring Gull and Kittiwake present.
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
Glaucous
Glaucous Gull just in. Or at least I think it is a Glaucous. I don't usually see them at the shown angle, and indeed, it is the first one I've seen sat on the platform structure.
Even given the angle, the primaries look short, and the bird definitely gave a big and beefy feeling, so unless corrected, I'll list as our first Glaucous of the year.
Glaucous Gull just in. Or at least I think it is a Glaucous. I don't usually see them at the shown angle, and indeed, it is the first one I've seen sat on the platform structure.
Even given the angle, the primaries look short, and the bird definitely gave a big and beefy feeling, so unless corrected, I'll list as our first Glaucous of the year.
Attachments
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Glauc :t:
Thanks Mark. I was pretty sure, but I've been wrong before. :t:
List updated with yesterday's Glauc, and also our first Gannet of the year.
Good numbers of Kittiwake present today. Fifteen; which is a record high for the platform, I think. I have noticed something about the Kittiwakes in recent months, and that is most of them are adults. In previous years, most have been juveniles with the clear "W" mark on the wings. Don't know why this should be?
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
Good numbers of Kittiwake present today. Fifteen; which is a record high for the platform, I think. I have noticed something about the Kittiwakes in recent months, and that is most of them are adults. In previous years, most have been juveniles with the clear "W" mark on the wings. Don't know why this should be?
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
Owl
Things have been pretty quiet for a few days, apart from one notable exception. On the fifth, we had a visit from an owl. I did not get to see the bird myself, but one of the observers had several close views of the bird, and has confirmed that it was a Short-Eared Owl. That is our default owl species, so no surprises there. Also, we had had a couple of days of easterlies to encourage it to make the hop over to Scotland.
Short-Eared Owl makes the list as the first species of this year that was not recorded during 2017. That is a good boost for January!
Now to find that Hawk Owl. :t:
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
Things have been pretty quiet for a few days, apart from one notable exception. On the fifth, we had a visit from an owl. I did not get to see the bird myself, but one of the observers had several close views of the bird, and has confirmed that it was a Short-Eared Owl. That is our default owl species, so no surprises there. Also, we had had a couple of days of easterlies to encourage it to make the hop over to Scotland.
Short-Eared Owl makes the list as the first species of this year that was not recorded during 2017. That is a good boost for January!
Now to find that Hawk Owl. :t:
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
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Spotted a Blackbird/Thrush type battling against the wind, on my way up to lunch. It never quite got close enough for a positive ID though.
A Glaucous was spotted on the 9th, although it looked like it could well have been the same bird seen on the 4th. Very quiet otherwise, with even the gull numbers plummeting.
A Glaucous was spotted on the 9th, although it looked like it could well have been the same bird seen on the 4th. Very quiet otherwise, with even the gull numbers plummeting.
From above the Arctic Circle
First tagged gull of the new year spotted today. This one was tagged as a chick, on the 24/06/11, in Ørndalen, Tromsø, Norway (north of the arctic circle). That is 1550 miles, roughly NE) from the platform. Looks like it has been in the wars going by what looks like a head wound, but the bird seemed healthy enough otherwise.
First tagged gull of the new year spotted today. This one was tagged as a chick, on the 24/06/11, in Ørndalen, Tromsø, Norway (north of the arctic circle). That is 1550 miles, roughly NE) from the platform. Looks like it has been in the wars going by what looks like a head wound, but the bird seemed healthy enough otherwise.
Attachments
And I'm back...
We have had had a few stormy days since I arrived on Wednesday, but today we had a little sunshine, and it brought with it our first Iceland Gull of the year.
Also present today were a few GBBGs, Herring Gulls, a single Gannet and nine plus Kittiwakes along with three Common Seals. It has been a slow start to the year, but Spring is on its way. :t:
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
We have had had a few stormy days since I arrived on Wednesday, but today we had a little sunshine, and it brought with it our first Iceland Gull of the year.
Also present today were a few GBBGs, Herring Gulls, a single Gannet and nine plus Kittiwakes along with three Common Seals. It has been a slow start to the year, but Spring is on its way. :t:
2018 List Updated
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Photo was not good enough for me to say if this one was a Grey or Common. We do get lots of Grey Seal sightings and quite a few Commons also. We had three Commons here a few days ago.
