balearics

The first two balearic shearwaters of the year headed slowly west tonight, before ditching into a big raft of feeding manx shearwaters. At least 4 sooty shearwaters were also knocking about, while 4 common terns heading west were also new for the year (108).  A minke whale and a porpoise represented the blubber side of things.

a few more skuas

Two pomarine skuas, 1 arctic skua, 2 bonxies (106) and a sooty shearwater were tonight's seawatching fare, with 12 common scoter east and c.10 puffins west too.

another wader

A dunlin heard flying over tonight was a welcome boost to the year list (105). The sea remained quiet this evening in a north-westerly.

pickin' up

A late afternoon seawatch (4.30 - 6.30) produced 1 sabine's gull, 1 great shearwater, 1 sooty shearwater, 2 bonxies & 2 arctic skuas.  I managed an hour then from 6.40 to 7.40 gleaning 2 pomarine skuas, 1 sooty shearwater and 31 arctic terns for the year (104), along with 15 puffins and 2 common scoter.

common sand

A common sandpiper calling at Long Strand this evening was the first sign of wader passage at Galley for the autumn (101).