Neither Fog Nor Rain Nor Blazing Sun... Pt.1, At Last, At Last

Betty [ah, those names] had not exactly classically good timing in coming through, but come through she did and through a weekend to boot.

It didn't look promising to start.

Friday and getting out of work to worryingly dry ground had me thinking, 'well, there's some mistyfog at least' and getting to the Nose on principle.

I spent more than 20 minutes messing about the bushes at the bottom of the First Slope, with a Willow Warbler the only bird of any note, before setting up at Glonk Corner to give the sea an hour, just in case.

That hour - without much of my usual kit - turned into 2.5 and only leaving due to a drop in passage and a desperate need for coffee [and waterproofs due to forecast rain]

Look at the vis.,

Fog wall, east wind

The wind was right into me, and yes, that's a big swell there, but no rain and visibility wandering from ~1 to 1.5km.

Cory's were coming through inside the Manx Line. Angling out to pass behind the Ore Stone.

Four of them.

It was wonderful...

[And if my bleeping camera would zoom in in fog it would be epic, but, well....]

I did get - in slightly clearer vis. - a couple of skua shots.

Yes, you're getting them.

Arctic Skua

Light morph, 2nd or 3rd summer

Harrying Kittiwakes

Three Pom Skuas

[a light 2s and 2 intermeds, likely younger]

Slightly better?

One of two Ringed Plover

on the Lead Stone

Numbers?

But of course,

Glonk Corner, 2.5 hrs

E wind

Cory's Shearwater [0921, 0931, 1016, 1036]                          4

Sooty  [0936, probable 2nd at 1028 but Poms intervened]     1+

Balearic                                                                                    2

Manx                                                                                     135

Bonxie! [0922]                                                                        1

Pom Sk [1028]                                                                        3

Arctic Sk                                                                                 4

Com Tern                                                                                1

Sarnie                                                                                      1

Gannet                                                                                   118

Kitt                                                                                         7

Fulmar                                                                                    3

Med Gull                                                                                2

Curlew                                                                                   2

Ringed Plover                                                                        2

And for some pictures not so foggy,

Those pesky bushes[what did I miss because of these??]

Common Carpet

[pale one]

Ye Gods and Great Big Cory's, that was far better than I expected!  Proper seawatching, with a variety of goodies and all at a nice range [if a bit foggy for pics...]. I've only ever had one Cory's closer than those - which went down the Ore Stone Channel, once upon a time - and they all gave a lovely prolonged view, muntering by with a few flaps and lots of casual 'ambling over the waves'  :D

Really, I had no choice but to come back again - after a trip home for lunch and to tool up properly - and what happened?

Tune in next time.

Be Seeing You...