Monday, July 25, 2011

A gallon of Petrels...


After yesterdays good showing of Storm Petrels off various north east headlands I could only manage half an hour this evening after work, so me and the terriator trotted down to the front and waited.

Not for long mind you as no sooner had my eye hit the scope two tiny House Martins Stormies fluttered into view. The true sea swallows these, forget the analogy about terns. As they soared and glided, and flicked their wings the sea looked just like a big pond with hirundines over it.  

Each time I moved the scope it was only a minute or two before I picked up another, with some very close in, feeding with feet pattering the waves. In total I think I had 10 birds, but there may have been more disappearing over crest and into troughs. This was a sight I didnt think possible in Northumberland even after 25 plus years seawatching here I saw more Storm Petrels in this half hour than in many dozens of hours previously.

Also of note - 8 Manx Shearwaters and a Roseate Tern plus many auks, gannets, terns and kittiwakes.

Brilliant.

4 comments:

Bryan Rains said...

Awesome. My first Stormie at sea was at St Mary's Lightouse way back in Sept '96. Not seen any on the Northumberland coast since apart from trapping nights!

abbey meadows said...

Great title Stew

Alan Pavey said...

They are great little birds, pretty difficult here in Kent to, We had a spring a few years back, where something similar happened with large numbers passing by, a real treat.

Warren Baker said...

Very nice Stewart. Had a few House Martin over today, i'll check 'em out more carefully next time :-)