17/08/2013: fog, Sabine's and a minke whale!

On Saturday 17th August we left O Grove harbour early in the morning (8:00 h), with calm sea and partially clear day in the 'ría'. It seems to be a calm pelagic! The first bottle-nosed dolphins appeared in the area of mussel beds in front of Rons, with sights of great black-backed gull and Mediterrean gull as well. Being in the mouth of the 'ría', dozens of European shags were seen at Pombeiro islets, and in the nearby channel Balearic shearwaters and Northern gannets showed up. A group of common dolphins were located when sailing near Sálvora, and a majestic figure emerged just 100 m from us: a minke whale! This animal, of about 6-7 m length, was moving SSE, just when common dolphins began to swim around the boat. A great time indeed!

Following the route westwards, we found some Cory's shearwaters and dozens of yellow-legged and lesser black-backed gulls. Fog appeared 9 miles offshore, and made unsuccessful the 'chumming' 12 miles off Ons islands: birds didn't appeared! After a while, the skipped decided to move further north, towards a point 12 miles W of Corrubedo cape, in an area with less fog. And 'chum' worked: three Sabine's gulls and two Arctic skuas popped up, amongst other birds.

The way back was also conditioned by fog and the shortage of birds, although at 7 miles off Sálvora island, with almost no fog, 'chumming' deserved a Manx shearwater, a sooty shearwater, some great skuas and Balearic and Cory's shearwaters.

After sailing the norther channel of Sálvora, the only European storm-petrel of the day was seen, together with some Balearic shearwarters already in the 'ría'.

The table with complete results will be published soon.

And some pictures (c) Juan Gómez Escariz, José Antonio Acuña "Luma" and Cosme D. Romay:

Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. A. Acuña "Luma".

Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c)  J. Gómez Escariz.

Northern gannet (Morus bassanus), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Great skua (Stercorarius skua), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. A. Acuña "Luma".

Great skua (Stercorarius skua), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Great skua (Stercorarius skua), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Great skua (Stercorarius skua), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Yellow-legged (Larus michahellis), 7 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c)  J. A. Acuña "Luma".

Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), O Grove harbour, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. A. Acuña "Luma".

Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), O Grove harbour, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Sabine's gull (Xema sabini), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Sabine's gull (Xema sabini), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Sabine's gull (Xema sabini), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Sabine's gull (Xema sabini), 12 miles W of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Bottle-nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), 'ría' of Arousa, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.

Bottle-nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), 'ría' of Arousa, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), 3 miles SW of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), 3 miles SW of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), 3 miles SW of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) J. Gómez Escariz.

Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), 3 miles SW of Sálvora island, 17/08/2013. Photo (c) C. D. Romay Cousido.