Northumberland pelagic trip (1 Viewer)

[HH75]

Hi Michael,
Was on BINS(Irish birdline),and I was speaking to the finder as well,so can't see why it wasn't on Birdguides?Maybe a juv.Redshank is of greater interest..?;-)
Went to Galley this morning:between 7 and 12 we had the following:
2 Great Shearwaters
4 Sooty Shearwaters
6 Balearic Shearwaters("only" saw 4 of these)
22 Bonxies(Great Skuas)
2 Arctic Skuas(Parasitic Jaegers),both pale phase
14 Common Scoters(saw 9)
70+ (European)Storm Petrels...
...but no "soft-plumaged".Not giving up yet!
Most of the birds this morning came quite close,in particular the Sooties and Great Shears.
Harry H

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Harry,

Birdguides did get it just after - almost immediately after I'd posted, in fact!

Nice lot there, don't suppose you could spare me some Great Shears? I still need it for Northumberland.

Good luck on SPP, keep trying, you'll get one yet. I reckon they're breeding somewhere around the Irish or UK coasts now, the increase in reports is much too large for just observer awareness. Have to check, but I think there's been more SPP records in Northumbs in the last few years, than Great Shears.

Michael

 

[HH75]

Hi Michael,
Maybe the news was tracked from west to east as the bird flew from east to west?;-)
I could gladly spare you a Great Shear(have seen almost 400 in Co.Cork alone)in return for a SPP,but you don't have one to spare!
I WILL get one:not a born optimist,but I AM a realist,and realise that a bird that turns up so regularly in such an underwatched country as Ireland is there to be picked up at some stage!
The theory that they may be breeding(which you told me about before via e-mail)is intriguing:while a little unlikely in some respects,it cannot be disproven either...
Have been more SPP's here this year than Corn Buntings(former breeder,only heard of one this year...ticked it!)
Watch this space...
Harry H

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Harry,

By my reckoning, my suspicion isn't at all unlikely - think what Fulmars were doing a hundred years ago. Almost exactly the same

This year looks like it could be the first since I started birding, with no Northumbrian Corn Bunting.

Michael

 

[HH75]

Hi Michael,
I see they're going the same way as over here?Hope the decline can be halted in time.
My only problem with the prospect that Fea's(for the sake of argument,even though all are acceptable only as Fea's/Zino's)is breeding here,or at least prospecting,is that it seems a large jump from the known breeding area to here without breeding in between?That said,the only theories that make sense to me are:
1)they are indeed spreading north
2)they are increasing in the core range,but not spreading,and the increased numbers mean that more are likely to disperse here randomly
3)resources in the areas where birds traditionally went immediately post-breeding have declined,so birds have to wander more widely to find good feeding areas
or any combination of the above,or none!
As long as I see one I don't care WHY they're here!!
Harry H