Great few days at Flamborough in the company of Bazzo and Tropical, with NWly winds above us pushing birds down into the North Sea, while it stayed for the most part bright as we perched on the cliffs and scanned the waves.
As ever, despite the winds, most of the birds headed north - the theory has always been that the big shears and skuas get pushed into the North Sea, but don't like the narrows around the English Channel, so turn back up and fly out into the Atlantic above Scotland.
No big deal for masters of the air like seabirds.
14.09.06 totals
7am to 8am; 9.15am to 1pm; 3.05pm to 6.15pm
Guillemot 80
Razorbill 500
Little Gull 302
Gt C Grebe 1
LBB 57
Kestrel 1
Rock Pipit 2
Shag 50
Gannet 2,000
Fulmar 45
Manx Shearwater 46
Balearic Shearwater 2
Sooty Shearwater 12
R T Diver 21
Common Scoter 50
Wigeon 15
Teal 8
Brent Geese 10
Bonxie 15
Arctic Skua 23
Long Tailed Skua 4
Pomarine Skua 2
Kittiwake 163
Arctic Tern 100
Common Tern 25
Sandwich Tern 25
Little Tern 2
plus Purple Sandpiper, Stonechat, Wheatear, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Long Tailed Tit, Goldcrest Swallow, House Martin etc.
Good start to the trip, with all four skuas in the bag - Poms distant, but two Long Tails quite close, and two Balearic Shears feeding on the swell just offshore.
But those Sooty Shears never lose their magic....
15.09.07 totals
6.50am to 8am; 9.25am to noon; 1.50pm to 6.50pm
Gannet 1000
Manx Shearwater 69
Sooty Shearwater 209
Great Shearwater 4-5
Arctic Skua 39
Long Tailed Skua 1
Pomarine Skua 1
Bonxie 21
Kittiwake 400
R T Diver 16
Sandwich tern 30
Arctic Tern 100
Common Tern 25
Fulmar 168
Common Scoter 5
Eider 1
Shag 30
Pink Feet 265
Little Gull 75
Med Gull 1 adult winter
Merlin 1
Peregrine 2
Razorbill 300
Guillemot 30
The Great Shearwaters were the birds of the day, but distant as always, being suitably enigmatic as they pushed north. The last bird was at a reasonable range, so you could clearly see its dark cap and grey/brown back.
Not much bigger than Sooty Shearwaters really, but they disappear so easily against the grey swell...
South Landing was devoid of passerines as yesterday, but a good place to take a break in the middle of the day and give our eyes a rest.
A few Stonechats and titmice about....
Then it was all hands to the pub to drink the Village of the Damned dry while "tribute" act Bon Jordi stunned the locals with his rawk 'n' roll karoake act.
Lord help us.....
16.09.07 totals
6.50am to 8am; 9am to noon
Common Scoter 5
Gannet 950
Bonxie 9
Arctic Skua 4
Pomarine Skua 2
Manx Shearwater 8
Sooty Shearwater 26
Fulmar 56
Arctic Tern 35
Sandwich Tern 7
Common Tern 15
Little Gull 39
Kittiwake 118
Guillemot 4
Razorbill 150+
Puffin 1
R T Diver 10
Pink Feet 70
Med Gull 1 1st year
Shag 40+
Much the quietest day, which was good as all three of us were absolutely trashed - eyes boiled raw by looking at the sea, kidneys battered by long nights in the pub, very little sleep and black and blue from lying on the cliffs all day.
The QE2 sailed past late morning drawing huge crowds, we resisted the temptation to moon "the Queen of the Seas" and headed for home....
The big boat docks in Liverpool on Friday morning this week.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies....
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Bob wrote...
What? Two hour lunch breaks - call yourselves dedicated sea-watchers (pah).
They say ringers are mad for getting up early, and gull-watchers are just sad - but, considering the amount of time you spent staring at all those 'acres' of salt-water you too must have some sort of cranial disturbance ;)
Posted by: Bob | September 18, 2007 8:23 AM