[wizard]

Has anyone been to Strumble, if so have you any tips of the best places & times to visit this sea watching mecca

thanks in advance.

[Tim Hall]

Good in patches, I understand, but poor much of the time, like most seawatching locations. Only been once, Bonxies, Manxies, fluked some Leaches. That was a few Septembers ago, with favourable winds. One of the magazines recently mentioned a lack of reports from there recently, implying suppression, so there may be more though than is reported. There are some local seawatching fanatics, who spend a lot of time in the concrete shelter. I doubt that this time of year would turn much up.

[Big Phil]

I spent a bit of time watching there in Sep 1990, in the right winds (NW following a SW blow) it can be amazing - I was (very) lucky to see Great and Sooty Shears, Wilsons, Leaches and Storm Petrels, L-T and Pom Skua, Sabs Gull etc in a couple of days. Even on a quiet day 1000s of Manxies pass by on their way back to the Islands, so its a good place to get your eye in - Little Shear has been seen there a number of times over the years. The concrete shelter gives excellent protection from the elements, but get there early if the conditions look good. Early September is probably favourite, but anytime Aug - Oct could produce the goods.

[fynnon]

Originally Posted by wizard

Has anyone been to Strumble, if so have you any tips of the best places & times to visit this sea watching mecca

thanks in advance.

Been there a number of times in the past,mid-late sept being the most productive with greats,sooty & manx(unfortunately no little),sabines,glaucous, leaches and stormies,bonxies,pomms,l/t's and arctics all been seen....in one sea watch I might add..all beit in the 80's.
You can ,with reasonable comfort sleep in the old gunery,it does mean you are there for 1st light.Best advice would be go there and enjoy it,get involved with local bird clubs and see when they are going there.