Photos from pelagic trip - October, the 29th

Thanks to Martino Picallo, we can enjoy beautiful images of some of the species observed in the last pelagic trip aboard "Chasula" on October, the 29th:

Alca torda (c) Martiño Picallo

Alca torda (c) Martiño Picallo

Larus fuscus  (c) Martiño Picallo

Stercorarius skua (c) Martiño Picallo

Stercorarius pomarinus (c) Martiño Picallo

Stercorarius pomarinus (c) Martiño Picallo

Morus bassanus (c) Martiño Picallo

Oceanites oceanicus (c) Martiño Picallo

Oceanites oceanicus (c) Martiño Picallo

Puffinus mauretanicus (c) Martiño Picallo

Puffinus gravis (c) Martiño Picallo

Larus michahellis & Oceanites oceanicus (c) Martiño Picallo

Morus bassanus & Hydrobates pelagicus (c) Martiño Picallo

And several sequences of  lesser black-backed gull ( Larus fuscus) being harassed by skuas( Stercorarius skua)

(c) Martiño Picallo

(c) Martiño Picallo

(c) Martiño Picallo

(c) Martiño Picallo

(c) Martiño Picallo

New species - 29 october 2011

On 29th October 2011 a new pelagic trip was performed in the 'Chasula'. As the forecast was not OK for a long (12 miles offshore) pelagic trip, captain decided to visit a well-known fishing point called "Os Setembros", just 7 miles W of Ons islands, were both seabirds and marine mammals were seen in summer.

Nine participants (including TV group) plus the crew observed the following species (bold: highlights, italics: approximate numbers), including new species for Seabirds Galicia: Charadrius hiaticula, Larus sabini, Rissa tridactyla, Alca torda and Anthus pratensis:

Melanitta nigra	42
Puffinus gravis	86
Puffinus mauretanicus	5
Oceanites oceanicus	2
Hydrobates pelagicus	23
Morus bassanus	55
Phalacrocorax carbo	10
Phalacrocorax aristotelis	150
Ardea cinerea	2
Egretta garzetta	3
Charadrius hiaticula	10
Calidris alpina	1
Arenaria interpres	9
Stercorarius skua	5
Stercorarius pomarinus	7
Stercorarius parasiticus	1
Larus melanocephalus	5
Larus sabini	1
Larus ridibundus	50
Larus fuscus	250
Larus michahellis	230
Larus marinus	3
Rissa tridactyla	1
Sterna sandvicensis	4
Alca torda	2
Anthus pratensis	2
Motacilla alba	1
Hydrobatidae	2
Larus sp.	150
Cetacea	1

(this individual was seen breaching twice, no certain ID).

No ornithological trip - As Pozas- October, the 15th

Stercorarius pomarinus & Morus bassanus 15/10/2011

The last saturday (15/10/11), we spent a fishing journey aboard the Chasula. We were around the area known with the name of As Pozas, placed at the west from Sálvora island and 8 milles outland. It was a /nice fishing journey, and also favorable for the observation of birds and other wildlife, although this time, "Wilson" did not appear.

This is the list of species observed:

Larus fuscus  150

Larus marinus   6

Larus ridibundus   155

Larus michahellis   235

Sterna sandvicensis   1

Phalacrocorax aristotelis   110

Phalacrocorax carbo   15

Falco peregrinus   1

Morus bassanus 140

Melanitta nigra   10

Calonectris diomedea 16

Puffinus gravis   6

Puffinus mauretanicus   9

Puffinus griseus   13

Puffinus puffinus   2

Stercorarius skua   2

Stercorarius pomarinus   3

Stercorarius sp   2

Álcido   1

Ardea cinerea   3

Arenaria interpres   2

Were also seen a sunfish, Mola mola, and the star of the day: a minke whale, Balenoptera acutorostrata, which spend with us all the journey.

Good pelagic trip - 12 Oct 2011

A pelagic trip was performed on 12th October 2011, being observed (and photographed) a good quantity of birds of several species (bold: highlights, italic: approximate numbers):

Arenaria interpres	6
Calonectris diomedea	24
Charadrius hiaticula	1
Haematopus ostralegus	1
Hydrobates pelagicus	31
Larus fuscus	470
Larus marinus	9
Larus melanocephalus	14
Larus michahellis	1435
Larus ridibundus	201
Melanitta nigra	2
Morus bassanus	100
Oceanites oceanicus	5
Phalacrocorax aristotelis	308
Phalacrocorax carbo	44
Puffinus gravis	182
Puffinus griseus	1
Puffinus mauretanicus	13
Stercorarius parasiticus	1
Stercorarius pomarinus	6
Stercorarius skua	14
Sterna sandvicensis	9
Alcidae	1
Hydrobatidae	7
Larus sp.	50
Scolopacidae	1
Stercorarius sp.	1
Delphinus delphis	53
Delphinidae	2
Mola mola	1

Successful pelagic trip - 1st October 2011

Oceanodroma castro, 1/10/2011 (c) Xoán Diéguez

Today, 1/10/2011, a pelagic trip on-board 'Chasula' boat was performed with success, reaching 12 nm off W Ons island. From 8:00 to 18:00 h, 11 participants plus crew were able to observe these species (in bold, highlights, in italic aproximate quantities; highlight: Oceanodroma castro):

Melanitta nigra	5
Calonectris diomedea	20
Puffinus gravis	225
Puffinus griseus	8
Puffinus puffinus	3
Puffinus mauretanicus	14
Oceanodroma castro            Oceanites oceanicus	1 7
Hydrobates pelagicus	37
Morus bassanus	139
Phalacrocorax aristotelis	100
Ardea cinerea	1
Falco peregrinus	1
Arenaria interpres	2
Actitis hypoleucos	1
Larus melanocephalus	10
Larus ridibundus	221
Larus argentatus	2
Larus fuscus	940
Larus michahellis	664
Larus marinus	4
Stercorarius skua	20
Stercorarius pomarinus	2
Stercorarius parasiticus	3
Stercorarius longicaudus	1
Sterna sandvicensis	24
Sterna hirundo	7
Sterna paradisaea	1
Sterna albifrons	1
Motacilla cinerea	2
Motacilla alba	2
Procellariidae	1
Puffinus sp.	1
Hydrobatidae	13
Larus sp.	50
Stercorarius sp.	6
Motacilla sp.	5
Delphinus delphis	33
Delphinidae	3
Prionace glauca	25
Mola mola	1
Vanessa atalanta	1
Pieridae	1
Lycaenidae	2

And some photos:

Puffinus gravis (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Puffinus gravis (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Puffinus gravis (c) Xoán Diéguez.

 Puffinus gravis (c) Alejandro Torés.

Hydrobates pelagicus (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Oceanodroma castro (c) Xoán Diéguez.

 Oceanites oceanicus (right) (c) Alejandro Torés.

Falco peregrinus hunting a Larus ridibundus (c) Xoán Diéguez.

 

Stercorarius skua (c) Xoán Diéguez.

 Stercorarius skua (c) Xoán Diéguez.

 Sterna hirundo (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Delphinus delphis (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Next pelagic trip - 1 Oct 2011

After the 'pilot' trip of the 10th September 2011, and hoping better sea and wind conditions, we schedule the next pelagic trip for the Saturday 1st October 2011, at the time of the World Bird Day (BirdLife International).

Please, check the different pages above to see location, route, species, tips on-board and prize.

Reserve here:

No success this time

Today, 10th September 2011, we performed the first birding trip of the 'Chasula'. 14 people (12 participants plus skipper and sailor) started at O Grove harbour at 7:30 facing W to the Sálvora archipelago. However, at Sagres area (near Aguiño), waves and wind (stronger than forecast said) were too heavy for going beyond these islands. Skipper decided to stay off the E shore of Sálvora island, where 'chumming' was performed before going back to O Grove harbour around 12:30 h.

It was a sad back trip, as we wanted to visit three points offshore (8-12 nm from Sálvora). Perhaps in another trip...

List of recorded species, including birds attending chum and seen travelling along the S shore of the ría. Highlights in bold:

- Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus): 3 (chum) + 1 (travelling)
- Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea): 6 (chum) + 4 (travelling)
- Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus): 10 (chum) + 10 (travelling)
- Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus): 1 (chum)
- Storm-petrel (Hydrobatidae): 1 (travelling)
- Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus): 3 (chum) + 30 (travelling)
- European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis): 150 (travelling)
- Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus): 2 (travelling)
- Sanderling (Calidris alba): 1 (travelling)
- Dunlin (Calidris alpina): 3 (travelling)
- Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): 1 (travelling)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus): 50 (chum) + 30 (travelling)
- Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis): 100 (chum) + 250 (travelling)
- Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus): 10 (travelling)
- Common Tern (Sterna hirundo): 6 (chum) + 3 (travelling)
- Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis): 2 (travelling)

Some photos:

Puffinus griseus (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Puffinus griseus (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Puffinus mauretanicus (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Puffinus mauretanicus (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Calonectris diomedea (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Calonectris diomedea (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Morus bassanus (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Morus bassanus (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Phalacrocorax aristotelis (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Phalacrocorax aristotelis (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Arenaria interpres (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Calidris alba (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero

Calidris alpina (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

Larus fuscus (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez

10.09.2011 - first pelagic trip

The 'Chasula' (retrieved from chasulapesca.blogspot.com)

With this post, we present our first pelagic trip from O Grove (SW Galicia). It is scheduled for the 10th September 2011, and will be done aboard of the 'Chasula' boat (14 m LOA, 3.5 m beam). This is the first birdwatching trip of the 'Chasula', and we will try to observe interesting pelagic birds W and SW of the islands of Sálvora and Ons, reaching up to 12 nm offshore.

Provisional route of the 'Chasula' (10 Sep 2011) (Google Maps)

Target species will be Sabine's Gull (Larus sabini), Wilson's Storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) and Great Shearwater (Puffinus gravis). It is very likely that Balearic (P. mauretanicus), Cory's (Calonectris diomedea) and Manx Shearwaters (P. puffinus) will be showy during most of the trip. Dolphins and even whales can be sight as well.


'Chumming' will be performed to attact birds near the boat.


This trip is almost full ('Chasula' has a maximum capacity of 12 people plus crew). We are planning another pelagic before mid-October.

More information:

Good birding!