Shearwaters And Storm Petrels

Prawle on Sunday was a bit of a settle. 'Should have gone to 'Gwarra' was going to be this post title in my head for a lot of the morning.. It was sunny on The Patch, it was sunny a lot of the way down, I ran into the Tones Show and their wonderful appropriation of roads on the way - which really improved my mood - and then.. Ah, it HAS been raining, somewhere. Big puddles. The South Hams lanes are notable for some truly impressive holes, so all puddle should be treated wi-BANG, yeah, care.

Ok, blathering aside, the wind was blowing and while the sun was shining a bit, there was cloud and definitely a few showers out there. Hey, at worst I'm looking at the sea for the day and relaxing, right?

Wall

[Ok, not JUST the sea]

Looking at Manxies and Gannets at first. The birds came in pulses, with a background trickle of the M and G; an effect of the showers, I reckon. In between it could be a little yachty, though there was the ever-present promise of cetaceans! An early pod of Common Dolphins - at least 3 - went East, and later something big breached way out to the SE - maybe S of Start? - I got only a bulky black body hitting the water with a huge splash, no big pale flippers or body markings, so  ????  I kept eyes on the area, but nothing else. Ho hum...

Manxies

Gannets

Manxies

Ga- Yeah, you know

Only one interesting bird in the first hour and a half. Then the Balearics started. Stuttering at first, one, then two more, but they didn't stop. Eventually it got a bit silly, with up to eight in view at once.. Yes, that 77 from the trailer..  Balearic Shearwaters. Not bad. :)

Blob Balearic

And again..

 I know it's not the massive total like The Boss had had on Friday, but considering the weather?

To get even better, the Storm Petrels started up. Some very good views - the benefit of a little height - though not as close as at the Nose, and mostly just passing. A different angle than I'm used to meant more careful study required [always check that it is a EUSP! ;) ] but you could actually track them for a ways - which was nice.

I'm pretty sure that's a Stormy and not an artifact..

Some very nice European Storm Petrels, including three at once at one point, with a total of ten seen.


Speaking of numbers.. I suppose I should stick a few in, right?

1675/33 Manx, 796/46 Gannet, 91/8 Kittiwake, 18 Fulmar, 13 C Scoter, 4 Razorbill, 2 Sarnie, lone Common and Arctic Terns.



How were all these birds coming by? Well, observe the weather;

Passing to the south - and full of thunder!

Incoming!

This one didn't miss

Look at the edge of the rain, there..

Wandering back to birds, I did get one interesting one in frame, which was the best Booby-a-like I've seen for, well ever.

Lookit;

Brown and white, with really long tail feathers

If only there'd been a nice Regulation Gannet to fly beside it..

All in all, it was a great watch. Even if some of the best squally showers missed inland [where they're no use to anyone]. They did make for nicely atmospheric shots, though,

Gammon Head and The Bolt

There were also - in the gaps between pulses - some scenic yachts. Here's the poseyest;

No crop

Also passing;

HMAS Argus

And because you've got to have some manky gulls;

Just look at the pretty wave

The usuals about on land - with many juvenile Linnet about in particular, though juvie Cirls seen too :D - this also including coobeasties on the coast path [watch where you walk, folks!].


Of Note:
I was at the Nose yesterday [Wednesday] and there will be a post regarding this soon. I hope. Suffice to say there were some pretty good birds in my limited time [Ah, the Joy of having to work for a living], such as no less than 18 EUSPs - all nice and close - as well as a lot of weather.


Be Seeing You..