DEREK CHARLES
Well-known member
I assume these are the birds recorded off Cape Clear Island Co.Cork this morning.
Derek
Derek
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Seawatching 07 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dan pointon
- Start date
Jane Turner
Well-known member
I think Cape Clear must have slipped anchor!
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
Cory´s and Great´s small numbers off various Irish headlands yesterday, including BoR and Cape Clear.
Gastronaut
_______________
Sorry Dan, really don't know the answer.
Having followed the theories, seen the charts and waited expectantly only for nothing to show up, then other days they're there when nobody expects them, I suppose there's really no simple answer. I tend to think they're less 'windblown' than most birders imagine, unless its really strong. Instead I guess they follow areas of windy weather around, it being easier to glide into a steady headwind than flap about on a calm day. Predicting when they'll be visible from a certain headland is another thing, but an onshore wind certainly doesn't hurt and some squally showers obscuring the horizon is good too, if only because it helps you concentrate on the bit you can see properly.
Of note there seems to have been a sudden increase in basking sharks off Pendeen and Porthgwarra today, maybe indicating the arrival of food rich waters, or then again maybe just the arrival of sharks with nowhere better to go.
davidearlgray
davidearlgray
Porthgwarra yesterday
Of note there seems to have been a sudden increase in basking sharks off Pendeen and Porthgwarra today, maybe indicating the arrival of food rich waters, or then again maybe just the arrival of sharks with nowhere better to go.[/QUOTE]
Hi all, spent a couple of hours at Porthgwarra yesterday, and had excellent views of a Basking Shark, feeding 50 metres offshore. Other highlights included 6 Balearic Shearwaters, with two feeding next to the runnel stone, a pod of 10+ Common Dolphins, 2 Arctic Skuas and a single Sooty Shearwater.
Cheers,
Dave.
Of note there seems to have been a sudden increase in basking sharks off Pendeen and Porthgwarra today, maybe indicating the arrival of food rich waters, or then again maybe just the arrival of sharks with nowhere better to go.[/QUOTE]
Hi all, spent a couple of hours at Porthgwarra yesterday, and had excellent views of a Basking Shark, feeding 50 metres offshore. Other highlights included 6 Balearic Shearwaters, with two feeding next to the runnel stone, a pod of 10+ Common Dolphins, 2 Arctic Skuas and a single Sooty Shearwater.
Cheers,
Dave.
Well, just back from my two weeks in Cornwall, sporting a very healthy tan after two superb week's of weather, (which after this year should be some cause for celebration). Unfortunately the same good weather did me for the large shearwaters. There's been a couple of Cory's whilst I've been down but no big numbers and I failed to connect.
I had one good morning at Porthgwarra on the 4th August with c. 10 Balearic and hundreds of Manx Shearwaters, several Storm Petrels, a Pom. Skua, 2 Bonxies, an Arctic Skua and 2 Basking Sharks.
I was sat with the guy from seawatch southwest and apparently 2 Cory's slipped past us both!
Oh well not this time but still hugely enjoyable.
I had one good morning at Porthgwarra on the 4th August with c. 10 Balearic and hundreds of Manx Shearwaters, several Storm Petrels, a Pom. Skua, 2 Bonxies, an Arctic Skua and 2 Basking Sharks.
I was sat with the guy from seawatch southwest and apparently 2 Cory's slipped past us both!
Oh well not this time but still hugely enjoyable.
lewis20126
Well-known member
Pendeen might be worth a look on Tuesday-Wednesday? Will need to keep looking at the weather forecasts for the inevitable downgrading to a light breeze...
Gastronaut
_______________
Yeah, charts look very exciting this morning but no doubt none of it will come to pass. Don't you just hate the met office. But if by some fluke they've got it right this time then Porthgwarra on Tuesday (maybe from monday afternoon) looks the place to be. Don't forget your raincoat. Wednesday also looking good after strong overnight winds, but depends what direction they're coming from, forecast saying anywhere from W to SSW but chart currently looking to favour more W than S, maybe even a touch of N (pleeeeeeease).
o
dan pointon
Can't Stop
Hi Lawts,
Just back from my 11 days, got to Cornwall and realised i'd not put your number in my phone!!
I did quite a lot of seawatching, and had a Cory's off Porthgwarra on the 5th (Sat). In addition to this I had 100+ Balearic, plenty of Sooties, 100s of Stormies, Arctic Skuas, but not even a Bonxie over the 10 days!
Also had a couple of days on Scilly where I got Wilson's Petrel on the 2nd trip, 2 birds round the boat, bins not even required! Perhaps the highlight however was finding a Black Stork at St. Just, not a British lifer but still satisfying.
I may go back to Cornwall on Tuesday for a go at Porthgwarra, 'cause the conditions do look rather good.....
D
Happisbirder
Always looking, seldom finding...
AStevenson
Well-known member
Some good stuff off the Outer Hebs of late highlight being a Fea's type petrel off Labost west Lewis yesterday - followed up today with 41 great shears (another very high Scottish count) and 250 Sooties. It's only been seriously watched during the last 3 years or so!
Also 2 great shears and 30+ sooties off Rubha Ardvule South Uist yesterday - only managed a few sooties of there today myself.
Weather looks reasonable for producing stuff again tomorrow. Winds have been SW-W F3-5 max but with some drizzly showers and mist.
Cheers,
Andrew
Also 2 great shears and 30+ sooties off Rubha Ardvule South Uist yesterday - only managed a few sooties of there today myself.
Weather looks reasonable for producing stuff again tomorrow. Winds have been SW-W F3-5 max but with some drizzly showers and mist.
Cheers,
Andrew
Does anyone know when the seawatching season off the West coast of Ireland really ends? I´ve only ever seawatched for any length of time at the end of August, but I seem to remember someone telling me that Leach´s Petrels and Sabine´s Gulls are more likely to turn up in October. Any truth in this? Thanks in advance!
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Sept is peak for Leach's you get odd ones in August and a few in Oct (in the Irish Sea)
Its looking good for Liverpool bay in the next few days, though it also look like by Wed, when I'd expect there to be good numbers of Leachs, the wind will be too far to the north for Wirral to be good. Point Lynas and the Orme looking favourite.
Its looking good for Liverpool bay in the next few days, though it also look like by Wed, when I'd expect there to be good numbers of Leachs, the wind will be too far to the north for Wirral to be good. Point Lynas and the Orme looking favourite.
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Conorbirda2
Well-known member
Wilsons Petrel and a few grey Phals off st Ives this morning and a couple of leach's off Pendeen. See link below for full update.
Rich Bonser
Well-known member
The seawatching seems to be continuing today and I hear that 15 Leach's and 39 Sabine's Gulls were seen at the Bridges of Ross today as well as good movements of other species- particularly 1000+ Arctic Terns and 80+ Grey Phalaropes. Also Great Shears, all 4 skuas... not a bad day at the bridges by the sound of things.
So with the above in mind (and the Kilcummin totals), October less that a week away I think you could work on the hypothesis that later the better (compared to late August) for Sabs and Leach's.
Cheers and good birding
Rich
Thanks folks, it certainly looks that way, Rich, both Kilcummin Head (Killala Bay, Co. Mayo) and the Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare) have produced large numbers of Grey Phal, Sabine´s and Leach´s over the last few days. Must make note for late September next year!!!:t:
