Some Things In Life Are Bad

But the seawatching Brian [the storm, not the Very Naughty Boy] gave on Saturday was not this.

It was, however, very idiosyncratic..


The weather I got at the Nose was a strong to yikes SW to WSW, with sunshine and passing [rapidly!] discrete showers. Perhaps 'sun and white squalls' would be a good summary.

With the high tide and big [and mounting] swell, it made for impressive scenery, to say the least.

The Goddess calls Her devotees to seawatch

Ah yes, looking east in the morning..

That squall, heading off up Lyme Bay

The blowhole was busy

Blazing sun, tipping rain, same time.

The birds were very unusual. Mostly in that they were almost entirely three species! It was odd, skipping from one clicker to the next over and over, with only very occasional forays to the notebook.

Said birds were largely Gannets. 954 in four hours, no less, and 405 of those in hour one!

Inevitable Gannet

It's almost art..

It was getting on for north coast numbers early on - very odd. Also passing in numbers were 272 Kittiwakes and 178 auks - of which 171 were Razorbills!

Here are a couple from a small group who came in to pose for me;

"Hey, has he got a camera..?"

"Yikes! Time for my good side"

Most interesting of course was the little black[ish] job in the north edge of the squall you can see up there - yup, Leach's Petrel! :D - which was not the DW bird as this was in view at 1019* Said squall brushed the Nose, and I picked up the LHSP just outside the Ore Stone in the edge of it. Later, what was probably a EUSP went zipping by at the same range and in similar circumstances, but I forgot to note the time! [Oh the shame]. The difference in flight action and effect is so marked - I can't get over how differently the smaller and seemingly less powerful bird handles a little wind..


Nearly as interesting was what wasn't out there***.. shearwaters, skuas, scoters;  Nowt! Huh.

I did see four Fulmars, one of which seemed to have a dark tail, but with the wind more or less behind me, it was towering belly-on and too far out to be sure enough on said rectrices to get properly excited about.
Gulls also passed in small numbers, and the odd one was incautious enough to get shot;

You weren't expecting a Sabine's, were you?

One of 18, btw

Underside

Upperside

4cy[ish] LBB

Much better-showing were the 2 Great Northern Divers [both s/pl, too], though I was too busy cooing to try shooting. One of the two parties of Curlew [total 7] was less fortunate;

Curlews!

Closer to..

Sasquatch Shag

"Feed the gull?"

Vulture Squadron

[Can you see them all?]

"He means me!"

At least Hungry Gull was a classic 1w Herring

Unlike some others...

A final Gannet

Or two ;)

Be Seeing You..






[[*I suppose it is theoretically possible that it was blown up to Dawlish - I didn't see it pass, just zig-zagging in the squall's edge - and then seen up there trying to get back...** ]]
[[**What?!? It could have happened. Ok, two Leach's and two hungry Geebs are more likely... {ouch}]]
[[***Ok, 'what I saw out there' - there clearly were all of the above about.]]