DEREK CHARLES
Well-known member
Feas past Galley this morning!
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Seawatching 2008 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nialltkeogh
- Start date
Maybe some good news for those about to head away on the UP this year... Following the big blow on Tues/Weds, my old man recorded better numbers of large shears in the bay on Weds. Not huge, but 20+ Greats is an improvement on recent times, plus a few Cory's towards the northern Bay.
No Macaronesian Shear again (though one was claimed just out of Bilbao...), no Wilson's and still no Sab's!!
It's still slow going cetacean-wise, with just the usual haul of Fins and a couple of distant cuvier's beaked. Clearly, the 5 meter swell didn't help....
BT
No Macaronesian Shear again (though one was claimed just out of Bilbao...), no Wilson's and still no Sab's!!
It's still slow going cetacean-wise, with just the usual haul of Fins and a couple of distant cuvier's beaked. Clearly, the 5 meter swell didn't help....
BT
nialltkeogh
Well-known member
Got a text from Brian Porter during the week saying he was in the west of Ireland for a while and had a day off so he was going seawatching from the Bridges..."very little expected but you gotta try" he said...
13th August, morning until 2pm, out there by himself and he managed to get :
1 FEA'S PETREL
7 Sabs Gulls
2 Pom Skuas
6 Arctic Skuas
5 Bonxies
1 Great Shear
9 Sooty Shears
2000 Manxies per hour
1 Little Gull
c.100 Stormies
Just rewards for putting in the effort!!
See Ya,
Niall
13th August, morning until 2pm, out there by himself and he managed to get :
1 FEA'S PETREL
7 Sabs Gulls
2 Pom Skuas
6 Arctic Skuas
5 Bonxies
1 Great Shear
9 Sooty Shears
2000 Manxies per hour
1 Little Gull
c.100 Stormies
Just rewards for putting in the effort!!
See Ya,
Niall
Hugh Harrop
Member
11 - 14 August 2008 - Company of Whales and Organisation Cetacea aboard Pride of Bilbao
8 Fin Whales, 19 unidentified large rorquals, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whale (plus 1 probable), 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 133 Common Dolphins, 13 Striped Dolphins and 12 unidentified dolphins. Also 22 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 1 Little Shearwater, 6 Great Shearwaters, 102 Cory's Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sabine's Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 1 Grey Phalarope, 9 Storm Petrels, 4 Great Skua, 3 Sandwich Terns and 19 'commic' terns. Migrants at sea included 2 Dunlins. In Spain, highlights included 4 Griffon Vultures, 2 Peregrines, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Black Redstarts, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 3 Zitting Cisticolas, 5 Melodious Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Red-backed Shrikes and a Serin. 17 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Adonis Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue, Large Skipper and Marbled White. Other wildlife included 3 Wall Lizards.
Cheers
HH
8 Fin Whales, 19 unidentified large rorquals, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whale (plus 1 probable), 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 133 Common Dolphins, 13 Striped Dolphins and 12 unidentified dolphins. Also 22 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 1 Little Shearwater, 6 Great Shearwaters, 102 Cory's Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sabine's Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 1 Grey Phalarope, 9 Storm Petrels, 4 Great Skua, 3 Sandwich Terns and 19 'commic' terns. Migrants at sea included 2 Dunlins. In Spain, highlights included 4 Griffon Vultures, 2 Peregrines, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Black Redstarts, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 3 Zitting Cisticolas, 5 Melodious Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Red-backed Shrikes and a Serin. 17 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Adonis Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue, Large Skipper and Marbled White. Other wildlife included 3 Wall Lizards.
Cheers
HH
nialltkeogh
Well-known member
Another Wilson's off the BoR yesterday (John Murphy)
Also 2 sightings (17:05 & 18:55) of presumably the same Fea's Petrel off Dunowen Head, Co. Cork, associating with feeding Manx flocks on Friday eve...probably the same bird which passed Galley that morning (per. Dave McAdams)
Sooty Shears now in the Irish Sea also...
2 Balearic Shears, 1 Arctic Skua and c.200 Stormies off Carnsore this morning, 08:00-12:00
See Ya,
Niall
Also 2 sightings (17:05 & 18:55) of presumably the same Fea's Petrel off Dunowen Head, Co. Cork, associating with feeding Manx flocks on Friday eve...probably the same bird which passed Galley that morning (per. Dave McAdams)
Sooty Shears now in the Irish Sea also...
2 Balearic Shears, 1 Arctic Skua and c.200 Stormies off Carnsore this morning, 08:00-12:00
See Ya,
Niall
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Hugh Harrop
Member
14 - 17 August 2008 - Company of Whales and Organisation Cetacea aboard Pride of Bilbao
14 Fin Whales, 32 unidentified large rorquals, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whale (including one breaching), 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 348 Common Dolphins, 1 Harbour Porpoise and 5 unidentified dolphins. Also 8 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 4 Great Shearwaters, 90 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Grey Phalarope, 9 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic Skuas, 13 Great Skua, 7 Sandwich Terns, 9 Common Terns and 9 'commic' terns. Migrants at sea included 1 Grey Heron, 40 Knot, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Wheatear and 1 Chiffchaff. In Spain, highlights included 5 Griffon Vultures, 3 Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Wryneck, 1 Black Redstart, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, 3 Melodious Warblers, 6 Red-backed Shrikes and a Cirl Bunting. 15 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Adonis Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue, Marbled White and Wall Brown. Other wildlife included Jersey Tiger Moth and a Wall Lizard.
Cheers
HH
14 Fin Whales, 32 unidentified large rorquals, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whale (including one breaching), 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 348 Common Dolphins, 1 Harbour Porpoise and 5 unidentified dolphins. Also 8 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 4 Great Shearwaters, 90 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Grey Phalarope, 9 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic Skuas, 13 Great Skua, 7 Sandwich Terns, 9 Common Terns and 9 'commic' terns. Migrants at sea included 1 Grey Heron, 40 Knot, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Wheatear and 1 Chiffchaff. In Spain, highlights included 5 Griffon Vultures, 3 Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Wryneck, 1 Black Redstart, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, 3 Melodious Warblers, 6 Red-backed Shrikes and a Cirl Bunting. 15 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Adonis Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue, Marbled White and Wall Brown. Other wildlife included Jersey Tiger Moth and a Wall Lizard.
Cheers
HH
Pariah
Stealth Birder
On saturday, from the Bridges. Didnt keep strict counts myself today.
A good skua day by all accounts, with circa 30 each of Arctic and bonxies. (arctics were mostly dark phase adults, with only 4 light phase adults seen and 3 juveniles.
1 2nd summer dark longtailed skua. (Ageing the dark ones is always tricky, with this bird being right on the periphery of safe ageing. The lack of any noticeable barring in the underwing coverts at close range pointed to 2nd summer despite the relativly still dark head. Upperwing pattern supported this.
2 pomarine skuas
several sooty and balearic shearwaters
Good numbers of storm petrels and 1 wilsons petrel.
Sunday was quiet with just 3 balearics and 2 sooties and a few bonxies and arctics.
Regards
Owen
A good skua day by all accounts, with circa 30 each of Arctic and bonxies. (arctics were mostly dark phase adults, with only 4 light phase adults seen and 3 juveniles.
1 2nd summer dark longtailed skua. (Ageing the dark ones is always tricky, with this bird being right on the periphery of safe ageing. The lack of any noticeable barring in the underwing coverts at close range pointed to 2nd summer despite the relativly still dark head. Upperwing pattern supported this.
2 pomarine skuas
several sooty and balearic shearwaters
Good numbers of storm petrels and 1 wilsons petrel.
Sunday was quiet with just 3 balearics and 2 sooties and a few bonxies and arctics.
Regards
Owen
DEREK CHARLES
Well-known member
No such fun at St.Johns Point, Down on Saturday. 11 Arctic Skua, 1 Great Skua, 1 Storm Petrel, 5000+ Manx Shearwater plus the usual suspects.
Derek
Derek
Seen for 1.5 hours by Peter Wolstenholme per Irishbirding...surely some mistake on the website? 5 minutes is an eternity with a seabird!
Galley was relatively quiet over the weekend:
Sat 16th 4.45-7.30pm: 1 Balearic Shearwater
15+ Sooty Shearwaters
3 Bonxies
lots of Arctic Terns
1 subad skua sp (possibly a Pom, not seen well enough)
Sun 17th 9.15am-2pm: 1 Great Shearwater
3 Balearic Shearwaters
9 Sooty Shearwaters
1 3rd cal type Pomarine Skua
2 Bonxies
Galley was relatively quiet over the weekend:
Sat 16th 4.45-7.30pm: 1 Balearic Shearwater
15+ Sooty Shearwaters
3 Bonxies
lots of Arctic Terns
1 subad skua sp (possibly a Pom, not seen well enough)
Sun 17th 9.15am-2pm: 1 Great Shearwater
3 Balearic Shearwaters
9 Sooty Shearwaters
1 3rd cal type Pomarine Skua
2 Bonxies
Marshall-78
Well-known member
An update on my visits to Berry Head now I have the chance! This is what I saw and recorded. There were people keeping more accurate counts than me!
12/08/08
0715-1230hrs
1 Pom Skua,28 Storm Petrel,14 Manx,3 Artic Tern,2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Balearic Shearwater,2 Common Scoter, 3 Common Tern, 1 Bonxie
16/08/08
0630-1230hrs
13 Arctic Skua, 3 Pom Skua, 12 Bonxie, 133+ Manx, 22 Balearic, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Arctic Tern, 4 Sandwich Tern, 38 Common Tern, 7 common Scoter.
As I turned up the Great Shearwater was just moving out of sight and just after I left the other went through!!
18/08/08
1315-1800hrs
42 Manx, 20 Balearic, 6 Sooty Shearwaters 2 Bonxie, 8 Arctic Skua, 2 Peregrine Falcon
12/08/08
0715-1230hrs
1 Pom Skua,28 Storm Petrel,14 Manx,3 Artic Tern,2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Balearic Shearwater,2 Common Scoter, 3 Common Tern, 1 Bonxie
16/08/08
0630-1230hrs
13 Arctic Skua, 3 Pom Skua, 12 Bonxie, 133+ Manx, 22 Balearic, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Arctic Tern, 4 Sandwich Tern, 38 Common Tern, 7 common Scoter.
As I turned up the Great Shearwater was just moving out of sight and just after I left the other went through!!
18/08/08
1315-1800hrs
42 Manx, 20 Balearic, 6 Sooty Shearwaters 2 Bonxie, 8 Arctic Skua, 2 Peregrine Falcon
[email protected]
Well-known member
Am I right in reading that these records are
"Accepted By The IRBC"
the same day that they are seen? That is what Irsihbirding suggests.
"Accepted By The IRBC"
the same day that they are seen? That is what Irsihbirding suggests.
DEREK CHARLES
Well-known member
As it is a new website there are a few teething problems. I am led to believe that this particular problem is being worked on at present as well as a few others. It does not mean that the sightings shown on the website are accepted by the IRBC or NIBARC.
Derek
The nightly Tern passage off Spurn has picked up in the last week with 10,000 plus on a couple of nights. Mainly Commons and Arctics but a couple of Black and Roseate each night. Also 3 Sabs, 3 Long tail and a few Poms in the last week. SW winds are the best for the terns as more move on this wind and they hug the shore and give closer views.
G
G
nialltkeogh
Well-known member
Yesterdays sightings...taken from www.clarebirdwatching.com
At the Bridges of Ross there was :
one Fea's Petrel (Chris Heard),
one Great Shearwater,
52 Sooty Shearwaters,
two Balearic Shearwaters,
20 Great Skuas,
3 Arctic Skuas,
one Pomarine Skua,
adult Sabines Gull,
12 Common Scoter
two Storm Petrels.
Two Long-tailed Skuas flew over the Anvil Farm B&B, Loop Head (Dave McAdams).
One dark phased Arctic Skua was in Kilbaha harbour.
A flock of 4,000 Manx Shearwaters were feeding this evening off Seafield, Quilty, with them there were three Sooty Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters, one Bonxie, one Black Tern, one adult Little Gull and one adult Sabines Gull.
See Ya,
Niall
At the Bridges of Ross there was :
one Fea's Petrel (Chris Heard),
one Great Shearwater,
52 Sooty Shearwaters,
two Balearic Shearwaters,
20 Great Skuas,
3 Arctic Skuas,
one Pomarine Skua,
adult Sabines Gull,
12 Common Scoter
two Storm Petrels.
Two Long-tailed Skuas flew over the Anvil Farm B&B, Loop Head (Dave McAdams).
One dark phased Arctic Skua was in Kilbaha harbour.
A flock of 4,000 Manx Shearwaters were feeding this evening off Seafield, Quilty, with them there were three Sooty Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters, one Bonxie, one Black Tern, one adult Little Gull and one adult Sabines Gull.
See Ya,
Niall
Hugh Harrop
Member
News from the guides before they head back out to Biscay:
17 - 20 August 2008 - Company of Whales and Organisation Cetacea aboard Pride of Bilbao
Bad weather in the Bay seriously hampered observations on this particular trip but the weather is getting much better! 26 Fin Whales, 36 unidentified large rorquals, 1 Sperm Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 2 Pilot Whales, 1 unidentified beaked whale, 5 Common Dolphins, 10 Striped Dolphins and 2 Harbour Porpoise. Also 1 Basking Shark and 13 Ocean Sunfish. Not surprisingly, the bad weather brought good numbers of seabirds and we recorded six species of shearwater: 1 Little Shearwater, 6 Great Shearwaters, 114 Cory's Shearwaters, 10 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwater and 6 Manx Shearwaters. Also 9 Sabine's Gulls, 3 Grey Phalaropes, 14 Storm Petrels, 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, 4 Sandwich Terns, 12 Arctic Terns, 1 Common Tern and 1 'commic' tern. In Spain, an excellent assortment of birds on the 'hill' included a dark morph Montagu's Harrier, 8 Griffon Vultures, 1 Booted Eagle, 5 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Kestrels, 1 Cuckoo, 3 Little Owls, 2 Hoopoes, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Nightingales, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and 2 Serins. Butterflies included Adonis Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Grayling and Specked Wood. Other wildlife included Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Wasp Spider.
Cheers
HH
17 - 20 August 2008 - Company of Whales and Organisation Cetacea aboard Pride of Bilbao
Bad weather in the Bay seriously hampered observations on this particular trip but the weather is getting much better! 26 Fin Whales, 36 unidentified large rorquals, 1 Sperm Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 2 Pilot Whales, 1 unidentified beaked whale, 5 Common Dolphins, 10 Striped Dolphins and 2 Harbour Porpoise. Also 1 Basking Shark and 13 Ocean Sunfish. Not surprisingly, the bad weather brought good numbers of seabirds and we recorded six species of shearwater: 1 Little Shearwater, 6 Great Shearwaters, 114 Cory's Shearwaters, 10 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwater and 6 Manx Shearwaters. Also 9 Sabine's Gulls, 3 Grey Phalaropes, 14 Storm Petrels, 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, 4 Sandwich Terns, 12 Arctic Terns, 1 Common Tern and 1 'commic' tern. In Spain, an excellent assortment of birds on the 'hill' included a dark morph Montagu's Harrier, 8 Griffon Vultures, 1 Booted Eagle, 5 Buzzards, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Kestrels, 1 Cuckoo, 3 Little Owls, 2 Hoopoes, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Nightingales, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and 2 Serins. Butterflies included Adonis Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Grayling and Specked Wood. Other wildlife included Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Wasp Spider.
Cheers
HH
Last edited by a moderator:
nialltkeogh
Well-known member
There should be a big crowd at the Bridges this weekend with the UK Bank Holiday, and given that it includes the 'magic' days of 23rd-25th something good should turn up...
Good luck
Niall
Good luck
Niall
Hugh Harrop
Member
20 - 23 August 2008 - Company of Whales and Organisation Cetacea aboard Pride of Bilbao
29 Fin Whales, 45 unidentified large rorquals, 1 possible Sperm Whale, 1 unidentified beaked whale, 6 Pilot Whales, 5 Common Dolphins, 16 Bottlenose Dolphins, 167 Common Dolphins, 5 Striped Dolphins and 36 unidentified dolphins. Also 4 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 6 Great Shearwaters, 287 Cory's Shearwaters, 7 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoters, 8 Sabine's Gulls, 7 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas, 10 Great Skuas, 2 Black Terns, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Terns, 13 Common Tern and 2 'commic' terns. Migrants recorded on or from the ship included 3 Sanderling, 40 Dunlin and a White Wagtail. In Spain we recorded 1 Little Egret, 1 Black Kite, 1 Peregrine, 2 Little Owls, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Black Redstarts, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Melodious Warblers, 2 Firecrests, 1 Pied Flycatcher and 2 Serins. It was a very poor morning for butterflies with just two species recorded on the wing - Gatekeeper and Holly Blue.
Does anybody have any news on what the Ultimate Pelagic trip recorded?
Cheers
HH
29 Fin Whales, 45 unidentified large rorquals, 1 possible Sperm Whale, 1 unidentified beaked whale, 6 Pilot Whales, 5 Common Dolphins, 16 Bottlenose Dolphins, 167 Common Dolphins, 5 Striped Dolphins and 36 unidentified dolphins. Also 4 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 6 Great Shearwaters, 287 Cory's Shearwaters, 7 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoters, 8 Sabine's Gulls, 7 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas, 10 Great Skuas, 2 Black Terns, 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Terns, 13 Common Tern and 2 'commic' terns. Migrants recorded on or from the ship included 3 Sanderling, 40 Dunlin and a White Wagtail. In Spain we recorded 1 Little Egret, 1 Black Kite, 1 Peregrine, 2 Little Owls, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Black Redstarts, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Sardinian Warblers, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Melodious Warblers, 2 Firecrests, 1 Pied Flycatcher and 2 Serins. It was a very poor morning for butterflies with just two species recorded on the wing - Gatekeeper and Holly Blue.
Does anybody have any news on what the Ultimate Pelagic trip recorded?
Cheers
HH
