After a week in which I carried out 2 offshore surveys for the Northeast Cetacean Project, and attended a meeting of the PAW Marine Wildlife Enforcement Working Group, it was fitting to end with an 8hr pelagic off the coast of southeast Northumberland and Druridge Bay. Birdwatching from a boat off our coastline has to be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a Saturday in early September, and this was no exception.
Most of the birds were concentrated well offshore and we had excellent views of Gannet, Great Skua, Kittiwake and Fulmar (including one of my favourite birds, a ‘blue’ Fulmar). ‘blue’ Fulmar may be just a colour morph of our regular Fulmar but it’s an exciting bird on a pelagic, so I made sure everyone knew it was there, and we enjoyed several fly-bys and it kept diving into the melee while we were ‘chumming’. Great Crested Grebe, Arctic Skua, Sooty Shearwater and Manx Shearwater all passed by but didn’t linger, a single cetacean was seen distantly and we engaged in some more ‘chumming’ just off Newbiggin with the intention of providing close views of Mediterranean Gull for all on board.
2 responses to “Out to sea”
Thanks for another excellent pelagic. No better way to spend eight hours than being on the open sea. That blue Fulmar was certainly the star bird for both Tom and I.
Best wishes.
Hi Brian
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 The Blue Fulmar was my personal highlight as well, although I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for all Fulmars.
I’m always excited whenever we’ve got a pelagic running – 4hr from Seahouses this coming Saturday, then another 8hr from Royal Quays on 17th are both gripping my imagination already.