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Leach's Petrel Vestmannaeyjar Ferry beginning September (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Arbu
- Start date
StuartReeves
Local rarity
Have you seen this page ? Edward of this parish may have more recent information but I suspect the chances of seeing Leach's Petrel in Iceland are still pretty slim.
Leach's is not an easy bird to see anywhere in Europe as it's very much a bird that needs the right conditions to bring them close to land. Northwest England is probably as good as anywhere - see Jane Turner's classic thread for more info.
Leach's is not an easy bird to see anywhere in Europe as it's very much a bird that needs the right conditions to bring them close to land. Northwest England is probably as good as anywhere - see Jane Turner's classic thread for more info.
Arbu
Well-known member
Thanks. Sounds like I have to get to one of the outer islands at Vestmannaeyjar at night to see them and that will probably require paying a fisherman a lot of money.
Maybe I'll just have to drive up to the Wirral one day when conditions are good. I'd take the train from London, but last minute tickets are expensive. Seems like a trip to Mykines in the Faroes is another option.
Edward
Umimmak
Seeing them from the Vestmannaeyjar ferry is possible but far from guaranteed and also depends on the time of day. Leach's Petrels spend their days far out to sea and we basically never see them from land (unlike European Storm Petrels which can be seen reasonably regularly from land). The best chances would be on the latest possible ferry (as long as it's light enough to see!). I haven't seen one since 2006 since I went on a ringing expedition (but saw hundreds then)! EBird map for Leach's in Iceland http://ebird.org/ebird/map/lcspet?b....287&env.maxX=-13.496&env.maxY=66.564&gp=true
Arbu
Well-known member
Thanks. Ferry times going out are 7:45pm and 10pm and coming back there is one at 9pm. Ferry takes 35 minutes. Sunset at the beginning of September is 8:30pm. Perhaps I'll try 7:45pm going out and 9pm coming back.
Edit: Except I can't see any buses meeting the 9pm ferry. The last one seems to leave at 7:20pm http://www.straeto.is/media/sumartimi/52.pdf. Don't know what you do if you're stuck at the harbour on the mainland late at night.
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Arbu
Well-known member
Took the 7:45pm ferry out and the 7:25pm one back the next day. Not a sign of any storm petrel at all on either crossing. Maybe I should make a trip to the Faroe Islands to try for this bird one day. I did see Manx Shearwater, Great Skuas, Black Guillemots, Fulmars and of course Puffins. Also a possible pair of Iceland Gulls on the cliffs (see photos) - maybe someone has an opinion on whether this is right or whether they are Herring Gulls?
