Showing posts with label Fulmar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fulmar. Show all posts

Monday, 12 August 2019

Scilly Pelagic - Seabirds and Sun

A late Wilson's Petrel which I never managed a presentable image of was the class act of an evening spent six miles south of St Mary's. No large Shearwaters again but time to remember the support acts of ever present birds!

Like Manx Sheawater, steaming in low towards the boat for a change!


Before shearing off...




The ever present Fulmar...




And still pitting my wits against the manic fluttery flight of European Storm Petrels!




Finally, a very small Ocean Sunfish, despite being soem 18" accross a mere tiddler!


Waving goodbye...



Thursday, 8 August 2019

Scillonian and Evening Pelagic

Difficult to find some photographic highlights from this gloomy start to the Scilly Pelagics trip! From the moored Scillonian, a Grey Mullet and the last time I photographed one of these was in the bill of a Caspian Tern!! Think he would have bitten off more than he could chew with this one...



Plenty of distant Manxies and a close Kittiwake from the crossing...


At least the Common Dolphins turned up not far from Penzance!



Then off to the evening Pelagic, coupled with fishing trip which drew a blank on the shark front! A 'first' here with Joe in waterproofs!!! Never seen that before... And it did rain... Not all of the evening but enough to keep the camera in the bag most of the time!


No large Shearwaters bur plenty of Manx Shearwaters in sizeable rafts up to 100+


No Wilson's but the chum drew a good number of Storm Petrels through...


And a straight in, straight out Sooty Shearwater!


When all else fails there's always the dependable Fulmar to turn too?




That's my first trip since 2016 without completing a 'Big 3' tally - not even one of the key species this evening! Hopefully the weekend storm will turn things around?


Monday, 13 August 2018

Scilly Pelagic no 5 - Yet another BIG 3

The wind had picked up slightly to a 15mph westerly as we gathered together at the quay. Evening pelagics are shorter and have a more limited chance of attacting Wilson's Petrel so it was with quite a relief that two were attracted to the oily slick this evening...



Here's the distant second bird.


It was also hard work on the Cory's Shearwater front with just 3 seen




12 Great Shearwater came by however including this group of four giving a close pass



On quiet evenings, time to pay attention to one of the ever present birds - Fulmar pics for a change!






Oh and Bella was happy, it was Common Dolphin time!!



And courtesy of Richard Stonier, the track taken this evening!