Saturday 29 October 2011

28TH OCTOBER, 2011

Manx Shearwater seen flying West about 1 1/2 miles out of West Bay
Reported by Tony Smith.

Sunday 23 October 2011

19TH OCTOBER, 2011

Approximately 14 Bottlenose Dolphin seen 1 mile off West Bay harbour.
Reported by Ivor Bending.

16TH OCTOBER, 2011

7 Bottlenose Dolphin 2 miles out of Seatown.
Reported by Tony Smith of Christine Anne.

9TH OCTOBER, 2011

A Dwarf Sperm Whale live stranded at Mounts Bay, Cornwall and was refloated. This is the first confirmed record of this species in UK waters. More details
A similar species, the Pygmy Sperm Whale stranded on the Isle of Seil in Scotland on 6th October. More details

Friday 21 October 2011

20Th OCTOBER,2011
20nm SE of Start Point, Devon
Out on a fishing boat, still good numbers of Bonxies in the English Channel, with c30 around the boat. One Arctic Skua (pale phase adult), 2 Mediterranean Gulls (ads) in with numerous Kittiwakes, 2 Little Gulls (ad and 1w), 2 European Storm-petrels. Best of all a Leach's Storm-petrel passed by a distance, quite a white-rumped bird - I managed to get a couple of shots (see below). Also Common Dolphins feeding under Gannets and a shark sp. feeding on the surface. On the 16th the skipper of the boat saw 2 Risso's Dolphins while fishing in the same area.
Photos below: Leach's, Bonxies, Arctic Skua and Med Gull ©Mark Darlaston

Friday 14 October 2011

12th OCTOBER 2011
English Channel - 20nm south of Start Point, Devon
A good day out on a fishing boat with 4 Common Dolphins briefly bow riding. Notable was a large movement of Bonxies through the channel, we had up to 40 around the boat at anyone time, so I probably saw in excess of 6o during the day. One bird carried an orange ring (on left leg) and a logger and would be a bird breeding on either Foula or Hoy being monitored by the University of Glasgow. Only when the data is download next breeding season with we know which Island as I was unable to read the number on the ring.

Other birds included this very interestingly plumaged Pomarine Skua. A very dark bird, with paler barred belly. Probably 4th cal-year as underwing almost as adult except for a hint of barring on axillaries, or perhaps advanced 3rd cal-year.


And also around the boat two Sooty Shearwater but only 3 European Storm-petrels seen.
Photos ©Mark Darlaston