A Hot Date With Bertha

Up at aaaauuurrrgghh o'clock this morning to be at the Nose for 6.

I got there with what turned out to be the tail end of the really heavy rain, though there were still bands of the sideways stuff - powered by a blustery warm SSE-SE with some nasty squirrelly bits - up until about 9. There was a nice [if a bit pushed-in] slick in play, though only large gulls were on it. Unfortunately, the lack of ongoing rain [95% my arse] meant it died off and spread out when the wind kicked to hard offshore [W pushing WNW]. So no storm petrels today, more's the pity.


What there were a lot of were Gannets! In 2.5 hours I counted 477 [at which point I stopped counting, due to having other things to pay attention to] - a good mix of all ages too - though quite a few lingered to feed and that number's probably an undercount [not withstanding the gunk early on that they {and a whole ton of skuas and shears, it seems} were passing in].


In my first 1.5 hours I had an amazing 18 Manx. Yes, 18.
No complaining, as 2 Sooties started things off, so not that bad, but still... I was a little concerned. Then Bailey Junior arrived, and so did the shears! My first Balearic came through and a kick in the numbers of Manxies started right before he got down, and soon there was a half-decent passage. The Balearics were coming roughly every ten minutes, and in the hour and a half he was there, I counted 130 Manxies. I think they must like him.


Then Mark mentions the Great Shears that have been tarting about off the Exe.


Oooh.


So we watch and we wait.



I'll not mess about any more, all three came past - two together were vexingly distant [outside the wreck], but the later one showed reasonably [though as it came in it bowed its wings just like Cory's do, causing me to think it was one until it showed better once past both the Ore Stone and the sun - the light was abysmal, I must add!]. The single also conveniently waved a wing at The Artist, who was at Berry Head.


The sunshine did not let up, and even as I type now, there's still not a sniff of any 'squally showers', [or any showers]. I kept on until 11. Hoping, really. There were a few more bits; another Bonxie to make two, a seventh Balearic, a few more Manx, a juv Med Gull..


Also of note;
2 and 5 C Scoter both north and south.
The first two juv. Kittiwake of the year plus 58 adults
72 Fulmar, many in inner primary moult, and one flying in spot-on big shear arcs, the git.
Final Manx score of 172


Plus! Arriving home, I looked out of my kitchen window at just the right time to see a Clouded Yellow flying past. Backwards.





Bertha darling, you were Great.


;D