Not so much a vacation report ; more an article to perhaps inspire a vacation.
Leafing through an RSPB magazine a few years ago I chanced upon an advert for a cruise to the Faroes Islands, Iceland and Greenland. Never having been on a cruise before, nor visited any of these places, my wife and I decided to give it a go. It was a decision we’d never regret. It was the holiday of a lifetime, so good in fact, we carried on cruising and have since done over twenty more.
It was advertised as a whale watching cruise, and it didn’t disappoint, but the birdwatching was brilliant too. Many subsequent cruises turned out to be great for watching birds, yet oddly, I’ve seldom seen that many keen birdwatchers aboard on those trips- maybe the odd one or two on each cruise, and that’s about it.
So if you enjoy birdwatching and have never done a cruise before, maybe I can whet your appetite.
There’s two aspects to seeing birds on a cruise: birdwatching onboard and birdwatching in the ports.
Birdwatching onboard
This will vary from day to day, from location to location and the time of year. There’s too many great locations to mention in detail but Iceland takes some beating. Most cruises sail around the country, usually visiting at least three ports. This means the ship is never far from land so the birds are seldom far away, so you are bound to see Gannet, Puffin, Guillemot, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, and Black-Headed Gull, Arctic Tern, Common Eider, Great Skua and Arctic Skua amongst other birds.
Norway, the Azores and the Canaries are similar. Again the ship will often be close to land. The speciality around the Canaries is Cory Shearwater which you should see in great abundance. Sailing out of La Gomera a few years ago the numbers must have been into the thousands.
Sailing into Gibraltar through the straits is always a highlight, with Spain and Morocco almost within touching distance. Depending on the time of year there should be chances to see Cory’s Shearwater, Gannet and if it’s migration season, any birds crossing from Africa, or vice- versa.
Last year sailing out of Gibraltar, a bird of prey was blown towards the top of the ship by strong winds. It turned out to be a Booted Eagle heading towards Gibraltar. Out to sea, there were three more.
As an added bonus there's generally dozens of Dolphins, many close to the ship.
The north-west coast of Spain is generally very good. It’s where the Atlantic meets the rugged Galician coast. Most cruise ships stop at La Coruna or Vigo on their way from or back to the UK, both great ports to sail in and out.
There are several islands just off Vigo, so sailing in or out, there's generally several Cory’s Shearwater, some Northern Gannet, hundreds of Yellow Legged Gull and dozens of Shag, which is a local speciality.
One memorable evening we sailed out of La Coruna in rough stormy weather. There were hundreds of Yellow Legged Gulls which gave way to hoards of Gannet and Kittiwake the further we sailed out. I also recorded a large number of Great Skua as well as Sooty Shearwater, Cory’s Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Storm Petrel.
One of the best areas is close to home- the Irish Sea. With Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and England so close together, the birds are never far away, with hundreds of Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Kittiwake. There's always the chance of a few Skuas.
The Norwegian coast is marvellous for seabirds, making up for the fjords which are generally bird poor. The scenery more than compensates for the paucity of birds though.
Birds landing onboard
One other thing to watch out for are birds landing onboard out at sea. I've seen Greenland Wheatears hitching a ride crossing from Greenland to Iceland.
Travelling from Southampton to the Azores, two Collared Doves stayed with us for three days. By the time they left us they were in the middle of the Atlantic, so who knows where they ended up.
Once, an exhausted Manx Shearwater took refuge on the prom deck of the Oriana. I found it sheltering under a sunbed. It stayed overnight before flying away.
A few Meadow Pipit have been spotted on the decks, but they haven't stayed too long.
Last year cruising through the Med, three Turtle Doves followed the ship for a couple of days, landing onboard for a rest occasionally.
On our last cruise a Black Redstart joined us onboard at Cadiz, and was still there three days later as we sailed through the English Channel. Where it eventually ended up is anyone’s guess.
Birdwatching at the cruise destinations.
The possibilities are endless, but the time is sometimes limited. Most cruises arrive before 8 o’clock in the morning and leave around 5 o’clock in the evening. Some cruise ships will stay overnight at some destinations, giving passengers longer to explore ashore.
Nevertheless, if you plan ahead there’s still enough time to do some birding. With the internet at your disposal, it’s not difficult to search for public transport timetables and destinations, check out maps of likely areas and obtain information about likely birdwatching sites.
Ideally, there will be somewhere to go within easy reach of the cruise port.
One of the best is the new cruise port in Reykjavik. Directly opposite is Videy Island, which is now a nature reserve, complete with waymarked paths. It’s a short ride across on the ferry which is situated within the port itself. The rest of the Iceland destinations are generally excellent for birdwatching close to the cruise ports.
On Videy Island I recorded Northern Fulmar nesting on the cliffs, some with chicks; Lesser Black-Backed Gull and young; Herring Gull; Arctic Tern; Common Snipe; Black-Tailed Godwit; Greylag Goose and young; Common Eider and young; Meadow Pipit; Whimbrel, Common Starling; Oystercatcher; Dunlin; Common Redshank; Pied Wagtail; Common Teal; and Mallard.
Apparently Golden Plover is the most common species and Purple Sandpiper the fourth most common, but I saw neither on my visit.
The Azores ports offer great bird watching opportunities within walking distance. If you’ve never been there before, you’ll be able to tick off their endemic Starling, Blackbird and Woodpigeon.
If the ship calls at Praia De Vitoria, pay a visit to the old quarry near the port entrance. It is now the Paul De Pedreira wetland reserve.
On my visit there were several Kentish Plover including juveniles, 4 Grey Plover, 1 Common Redshank, 1 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, and 1 Bar Tailed Godwit. I also found several singing Blackcap ( very common in the Azores), as well as Azores Blackbird, Goldfinch, and a few Yellow Legged Gull.
The above- mentioned La Coruna, Northern Spain is a great port to visit. The ship docks right in the middle of the city. Not far away is Hercules Monument; a lively place for birds including Black Redstart, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Linnet , Goldfinch and Shag on the rocks below
Other good walkable birding opportunities near the cruise ports are on offer in the Caribbean, Spitsbergen, and La Gomera in the Canary Islands.
The latter provide good alternatives if you feel like using their excellent, reliable bus services.
Las Palmas is the easiest destination for getting on the bus; the main bus station is right outside the cruise port. It may lack a great deal of bird species, but there’s no shortage of birds to be seen particularly Canary, Chough, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Raven and Berthelot's Pipit. I found a Northern Wheatear there this year. It was on migration but way off course.
Lanzarote too has excellent buses which will drop you off right next to some marvellous birding locations. One of the best is the Salinas de Janubio which is on the route from Arecife to Playa Blanca. On one of my visits there I recorded a large flock of Black-necked Grebe, and some Black-winged Stilt, Ruddy Shelduck, Greenshank, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Yellow legged Gull, Barbary Partridge, and some Berthelot's Pipit on the edges of the salt pans. Out to sea there are generally several Cory’s Shearwater.
Right next to the cruise port in Cadiz lies the main train station. An hourly bus will take you to the extensive marshland area on the edge of the bay; a journey which takes around 20 minutes or so. You should certainly see a good few birds there.
Practicalities
Unless you are taking your kids onboard, I'd highly recommend an adult-only ship. There's plenty of choice these days such as Saga, P and O, Marella, Ambassador and Virgin. Fred Olsen is a happy compromise, they aren't really children orientated so there's generally less children.
Always choose your cabin. That way you'll avoid being over the theatre, under the swimming pool, or next to the night club.
Most cruise companies are flexible with luggage weight if you are sailing from the UK, so pack your scope if you fancy. I don't bother these days; I generally just take my binoculars.
So there you have it. If you enjoy bird watching there’s plenty of opportunities on land or at sea wherever you choose to cruise.
The world is your oyster. Bon Voyage!

Videy Island, opposite the Reykjavik cruise port. Easy to get to from the ship; great for birds

Olden, Norway. The fjords are not so good for birdwatching, but the scenery makes up for it.

A Kittiwake high rise development., Alesund, Norway

The brooding dramatic landscapes around Isafjordur. Not far from here were the avalanche defences. Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Meadow Pipit and Common Redshank were around- possibly breeding. This walk was within a couple of miles from the cruise port.

A Redwing on home territory in Iceland
A Whooper on a park lake Reykjavik

La Coruna: Hercules Monument is a lively place for birds including Black Redstart, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Linnet , Goldfinch and Shag on the rocks below

Sunrise over the North Atlantic. The start of another day's birding at sea.
Leafing through an RSPB magazine a few years ago I chanced upon an advert for a cruise to the Faroes Islands, Iceland and Greenland. Never having been on a cruise before, nor visited any of these places, my wife and I decided to give it a go. It was a decision we’d never regret. It was the holiday of a lifetime, so good in fact, we carried on cruising and have since done over twenty more.
It was advertised as a whale watching cruise, and it didn’t disappoint, but the birdwatching was brilliant too. Many subsequent cruises turned out to be great for watching birds, yet oddly, I’ve seldom seen that many keen birdwatchers aboard on those trips- maybe the odd one or two on each cruise, and that’s about it.
So if you enjoy birdwatching and have never done a cruise before, maybe I can whet your appetite.
There’s two aspects to seeing birds on a cruise: birdwatching onboard and birdwatching in the ports.
Birdwatching onboard
This will vary from day to day, from location to location and the time of year. There’s too many great locations to mention in detail but Iceland takes some beating. Most cruises sail around the country, usually visiting at least three ports. This means the ship is never far from land so the birds are seldom far away, so you are bound to see Gannet, Puffin, Guillemot, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, and Black-Headed Gull, Arctic Tern, Common Eider, Great Skua and Arctic Skua amongst other birds.
Norway, the Azores and the Canaries are similar. Again the ship will often be close to land. The speciality around the Canaries is Cory Shearwater which you should see in great abundance. Sailing out of La Gomera a few years ago the numbers must have been into the thousands.
Sailing into Gibraltar through the straits is always a highlight, with Spain and Morocco almost within touching distance. Depending on the time of year there should be chances to see Cory’s Shearwater, Gannet and if it’s migration season, any birds crossing from Africa, or vice- versa.
Last year sailing out of Gibraltar, a bird of prey was blown towards the top of the ship by strong winds. It turned out to be a Booted Eagle heading towards Gibraltar. Out to sea, there were three more.
As an added bonus there's generally dozens of Dolphins, many close to the ship.
The north-west coast of Spain is generally very good. It’s where the Atlantic meets the rugged Galician coast. Most cruise ships stop at La Coruna or Vigo on their way from or back to the UK, both great ports to sail in and out.
There are several islands just off Vigo, so sailing in or out, there's generally several Cory’s Shearwater, some Northern Gannet, hundreds of Yellow Legged Gull and dozens of Shag, which is a local speciality.
One memorable evening we sailed out of La Coruna in rough stormy weather. There were hundreds of Yellow Legged Gulls which gave way to hoards of Gannet and Kittiwake the further we sailed out. I also recorded a large number of Great Skua as well as Sooty Shearwater, Cory’s Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Storm Petrel.
One of the best areas is close to home- the Irish Sea. With Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and England so close together, the birds are never far away, with hundreds of Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Kittiwake. There's always the chance of a few Skuas.
The Norwegian coast is marvellous for seabirds, making up for the fjords which are generally bird poor. The scenery more than compensates for the paucity of birds though.
Birds landing onboard
One other thing to watch out for are birds landing onboard out at sea. I've seen Greenland Wheatears hitching a ride crossing from Greenland to Iceland.
Travelling from Southampton to the Azores, two Collared Doves stayed with us for three days. By the time they left us they were in the middle of the Atlantic, so who knows where they ended up.
Once, an exhausted Manx Shearwater took refuge on the prom deck of the Oriana. I found it sheltering under a sunbed. It stayed overnight before flying away.
A few Meadow Pipit have been spotted on the decks, but they haven't stayed too long.
Last year cruising through the Med, three Turtle Doves followed the ship for a couple of days, landing onboard for a rest occasionally.
On our last cruise a Black Redstart joined us onboard at Cadiz, and was still there three days later as we sailed through the English Channel. Where it eventually ended up is anyone’s guess.
Birdwatching at the cruise destinations.
The possibilities are endless, but the time is sometimes limited. Most cruises arrive before 8 o’clock in the morning and leave around 5 o’clock in the evening. Some cruise ships will stay overnight at some destinations, giving passengers longer to explore ashore.
Nevertheless, if you plan ahead there’s still enough time to do some birding. With the internet at your disposal, it’s not difficult to search for public transport timetables and destinations, check out maps of likely areas and obtain information about likely birdwatching sites.
Ideally, there will be somewhere to go within easy reach of the cruise port.
One of the best is the new cruise port in Reykjavik. Directly opposite is Videy Island, which is now a nature reserve, complete with waymarked paths. It’s a short ride across on the ferry which is situated within the port itself. The rest of the Iceland destinations are generally excellent for birdwatching close to the cruise ports.
On Videy Island I recorded Northern Fulmar nesting on the cliffs, some with chicks; Lesser Black-Backed Gull and young; Herring Gull; Arctic Tern; Common Snipe; Black-Tailed Godwit; Greylag Goose and young; Common Eider and young; Meadow Pipit; Whimbrel, Common Starling; Oystercatcher; Dunlin; Common Redshank; Pied Wagtail; Common Teal; and Mallard.
Apparently Golden Plover is the most common species and Purple Sandpiper the fourth most common, but I saw neither on my visit.
The Azores ports offer great bird watching opportunities within walking distance. If you’ve never been there before, you’ll be able to tick off their endemic Starling, Blackbird and Woodpigeon.
If the ship calls at Praia De Vitoria, pay a visit to the old quarry near the port entrance. It is now the Paul De Pedreira wetland reserve.
On my visit there were several Kentish Plover including juveniles, 4 Grey Plover, 1 Common Redshank, 1 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, and 1 Bar Tailed Godwit. I also found several singing Blackcap ( very common in the Azores), as well as Azores Blackbird, Goldfinch, and a few Yellow Legged Gull.
The above- mentioned La Coruna, Northern Spain is a great port to visit. The ship docks right in the middle of the city. Not far away is Hercules Monument; a lively place for birds including Black Redstart, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Linnet , Goldfinch and Shag on the rocks below
Other good walkable birding opportunities near the cruise ports are on offer in the Caribbean, Spitsbergen, and La Gomera in the Canary Islands.
The latter provide good alternatives if you feel like using their excellent, reliable bus services.
Las Palmas is the easiest destination for getting on the bus; the main bus station is right outside the cruise port. It may lack a great deal of bird species, but there’s no shortage of birds to be seen particularly Canary, Chough, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Raven and Berthelot's Pipit. I found a Northern Wheatear there this year. It was on migration but way off course.
Lanzarote too has excellent buses which will drop you off right next to some marvellous birding locations. One of the best is the Salinas de Janubio which is on the route from Arecife to Playa Blanca. On one of my visits there I recorded a large flock of Black-necked Grebe, and some Black-winged Stilt, Ruddy Shelduck, Greenshank, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Yellow legged Gull, Barbary Partridge, and some Berthelot's Pipit on the edges of the salt pans. Out to sea there are generally several Cory’s Shearwater.
Right next to the cruise port in Cadiz lies the main train station. An hourly bus will take you to the extensive marshland area on the edge of the bay; a journey which takes around 20 minutes or so. You should certainly see a good few birds there.
Practicalities
Unless you are taking your kids onboard, I'd highly recommend an adult-only ship. There's plenty of choice these days such as Saga, P and O, Marella, Ambassador and Virgin. Fred Olsen is a happy compromise, they aren't really children orientated so there's generally less children.
Always choose your cabin. That way you'll avoid being over the theatre, under the swimming pool, or next to the night club.
Most cruise companies are flexible with luggage weight if you are sailing from the UK, so pack your scope if you fancy. I don't bother these days; I generally just take my binoculars.
So there you have it. If you enjoy bird watching there’s plenty of opportunities on land or at sea wherever you choose to cruise.
The world is your oyster. Bon Voyage!

Videy Island, opposite the Reykjavik cruise port. Easy to get to from the ship; great for birds

Olden, Norway. The fjords are not so good for birdwatching, but the scenery makes up for it.

A Kittiwake high rise development., Alesund, Norway

The brooding dramatic landscapes around Isafjordur. Not far from here were the avalanche defences. Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Meadow Pipit and Common Redshank were around- possibly breeding. This walk was within a couple of miles from the cruise port.

A Redwing on home territory in Iceland

A Whooper on a park lake Reykjavik

La Coruna: Hercules Monument is a lively place for birds including Black Redstart, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Linnet , Goldfinch and Shag on the rocks below

Sunrise over the North Atlantic. The start of another day's birding at sea.
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