My Turn

After all the news earlier in the week of people seeing Stormies all over the shop, finally the weather was forecast to be good for me to have a go. Well, it was forecast earlier in the week. At one point it looked really good for a certain set of conditions, even.. :)

But then the jet stream zigged and off the lovely low went and so.. I went anyway. A front was forecast for the afternoon, so get there early and wait for it, right?

The weather laughed at me quite a lot. Not as much as the Stormies, though.

Nope, not one.


I did see a few birds in the eight hours I gave it. Yes, eight.

415 Manx and a Balearic - not bad? 9 Puffins - not bad at all.

No Sooties, no skuas [of any flavour]. One Common Scoter. One. [I'm not sure I've only seen a 'one' before...?] A scattering of Swifts, two gorgeous Med Gulls - one a pristine adult WOW - and the usual Gannets, Kitts, and Fulmars.

I gave the Ore Stone a look and there were more than 500 auks. Yes, 500 [I got 523 in all, including resting on the sea in vicinity]. At least 6 Razorbills, with birds coming in FF [looked like Sandeels and smaller fish, maybe Sprats or Whitebait?] and everything. :D

Nothing sexy came close enough to shoot, but that didn't stop me;

Leading elements of a horde of 29...

Yes, 29 *&?@$%*£$!!!!! on jet skis. I might observe the proportion of them who were shall we say, the type who might be expected in other circumstances to buy a Harley Davidson and last maybe two or three weeks before...?
 Of the 34 jet skis in all, I could tell you how many weren't.

Ach, where's a trained White Shark when you really need one?


Let's see a nicer surprise, name that bird!

Not expected on this date.

Much more expected, here's a couple of target practice shots;

2cy Gannet

Sarnie

One of four, there.

And finally, because I haven't inflicted one on you in so long, here's something truly horrifying;

Moulting 2cy Herring Gull

Urrrrrgh......


;)


In case you're in the dark, that was a full s/pl G C Grebe up there. Quite what it was doing tarting about on the sea when it should be on a lake somewhere I do not know.

Also of interest; the first Sunfish I've seen in an age, a Cormorant catching and [once it had fought off 5 GBBs!] narfing a humongous Bass, and a brief glimpse of a grey cetacean - probably a Harbour Porp, but I got so little on it..


Despite it seeming that not a huge amount happened, the time went quickly - always a good sign - and indeed, 4 of the Puffins and quite a few of the Manxies came through very close.

Ah, if only there'd been decent rain to turn the chummer on, I reckon it would have been a corker..


Be Seeing You..