'Seabirds and marine mammals off SW Galicia, all year-round. Didactic, exciting experience at the best value!'

Monday, August 4, 2014

26/07/2014: Balearics and a Wilson's!

In this first pelagic of July, we left the harbour of O Grove early in the morning excited by the good weather forecast. There was a good visibility and high temperatures throughout the cruise, but we were somewhat worried about the NE wind. 

As we left the port we saw a flock of common swifts and while sailing through the 'ria' of Arousa towards its mouth we saw many yellow-legged and Mediterranean gulls, European shags and a peregrine falcon flying to the NW in the mussel rafts. 

Balearic shearwaters appeared soon and were able to enjoy their shallow dives near the boat. Off Sálvora island a group of common dolphins traveled also with us next to the bow, and a sooty shearwater and several Sandwich terns were spotted too. Once in the 'chumming' places (12 nm offshore), a Wilson's storm petrel, a single great skua, more Balearic shearwaters and sunfish approached to the boat. 

In the way back, once in the 'ria', there was also a lonely bottlenose dolphin. 

Here below is the detailed list of species, with highlights in bold and approximate numbers in italics:


SEABIRDS  GALICIA26/07/2014
Latin nameEnglish name
Puffinus mauretanicusBalearic shearwater56
Puffinus griseusSooty shearwater2
Oceanites oceanicusWilson's storm-petrel1
Phalacrocorax carboGreat cormorant6
Phalacrocorax aristotelisEuropean shag231
Morus bassanusNorthern gannet21
Stercorarius skuaGreat skua3
Larus melanocephalusMediterranean gull5
Chroicocephalus ridibundusBlack-headed gull2
Larus michahellisYellow-legged gull1062
Larus fuscusLesser black-backed gull9
Larus marinusGreat black-backed gull3
Sterna sandvicensisSandwich tern 2
Apus apusCommon swift10
Falco peregrinusPeregrine falcon1
Delphinus delphisCommon dolphin24
Tursiops truncatus Bottlenose dolphin1
Mola molaSunfish1


And some photos (c) Xoán Diéguez, Xosé Luis Fernández Carnero, Cosme Damián Romay, Atocha Ramos ans José Luis Lorenzo:

The pattern. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.
Some participants in the pelagic. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c)
 J. L. Lorenzo.

Some participants in the pelagic. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c)
 J. L. Lorenzo.
Some participants in the pelagic. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c)
 J. L. Lorenzo.
Northen gannet Morus bassanus and great skua  Stercorarius skua. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.
Northen gannet Morus bassanus .26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.

Wilson's storm-petrel  Oceanites oceanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.
Wilson's storm-petrel  Oceanites oceanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.
Balearic shearwater  Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.

Balearic shearwater  Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo.

Northern gannet Morus bassanus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero.
Northen gannet Morus bassanus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xosé L. Fernández Carnero.
European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) C.D. Romay.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) C.D. Romay.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia. (C) X. L. Fernández Carnero.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia. (C) X. L. Fernández Carnero.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Atocha Ramos.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Atocha Ramos.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus and yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Atocha Ramos.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.
Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia. (C) X. L. Fernández Carnero.


Wilson's storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) C.D. Romay.

Wilson's storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Great skua Stercorarius skua. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xosé Luis Fernández Carnero.
Great skua Stercorarius skua. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) C.D. Romay.
Great skua Stercorarius skua. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.
Common dolphin Delphinus delphis. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Xoán Diéguez.

Common dolphin Delphinus delphis. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Atocha Ramos.


Sunfish Mola mola. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) Atocha Ramos.
Sunfish Mola mola. 26/07/2014. SW Galicia (c) C.D. Romay.

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