26/9/2015: Pelágic of the great list

The Saturday 26 the time did not paint well, the fog was dense, humid. Our hope was in that it raised advanced the morning.

We go out dawning, by the estuary only the sound of the engine of the ship broke the monotonía grey, still like this did not lose the illusion.

¿What would occur once past Sálvora?

Left backwards the archipelago that only intuíamos because it hid it the dense fog, this dissipated  a bit and did apparition  the Larus michahellis and fuscus that were the avanzadilla of the other birds, followed him the Morus bassanus, the Puffinus gravis that us deleitaron with his elegant flight, Stercorarius skua, Puffinus griseus and the first Hidrobates pelagicus. Also Puffinus mauretanicus, Puffinus puffinus, Sterna hirundo and Sterna sandvicensis.

Once thrown by embroiders it the “chum” they began  to gather quite a lot of seagulls, especially shady, that with his frenesí attracted to the Stercorarius skua, parasiticus and pomarinus, but also to the Morus bassanus, Larus Sabine, three Oceanites oceanicus, sternidae, procelaridae, Phalaropus fulicarius,  etc.

Like curious appointments, to quite a lot of miles naúticas of the coast, a Motacilla alba exhausted by the trip tried to pose in the ship to rest and a Calidris alpina and two Ardea cinerea in migration.

Besides a grupito of twelve Mola mola with curious behaviour, as  ladeaban while the seagulls them picoteaban the body for desparasitar.

The dolphins were the common dolphins in small groupings those that observe, except a pack of some twenty copies.

And already near of the port in the bateas of mussel, Phalacrocorax aristotelis and carbo, Larus marinus and scolopacidae varied put the full stop to a travesía between a sea of fog but full of animals that animals that encouraged the landscape.

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

An some pictures of the trip, (c) Saúl de la Peña and José Antonio Acuña.

Delphinus delphis (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

 Larus marinus (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

Sterna sandvicensis (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

 Mola mola (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

 Mola mola (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

 Puffinus gravis, griseus (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) S. de la Peña.

Oceanites oceanicus, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

           Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

          Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

 Stercorarius skua, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

Stercorarius skua, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

                    Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

                         Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

                       Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  26/9/2015, (c) J. A. Acuña.

18/9/2015: Pelagic of the Sabine`s

It did cold when we split but the day seemed to go out sunny.

After advancing by the estuary there was a technical problem that forced us to return to the port.

Once repaired the ship, went back to go out and now with more win that before.

Although we do not observe the quantity of birds of the day 12  septiempre, if there was variety of species, as in the distance by the estuary did not be missing the Phalacrocorax aristotelis or carbo, neither the Larus michahellis, Larus ridibundus, Larus fuscus, Larus melanocephalus and Larus marinus, some Charadriformes and Ardea cinerea resting in the bateas.

lready advanced several miles appeared the Morus bassanus, the Calonectris diomedea, Puffinus mauretanicus, Puffinus griseus, Puffinus gravis and Puffinus puffinus, the Stercorarius them all less the Stercorarius longicaudus and although this time did not see  Hidrobatidae, were substituted by the delicate Phalaropus fulicarius. In addition to observing 6 Xema Sabini, Sterna hirundo and Sterna sandvicensis…

Regarding dolphins: Delphinus delphis, Tursiups truncatus and beautiful group of Granpus griseus did his presence.

Stand out also 1 Hippolais políglotta that stopped to rest in the rail of the ship during a while.

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

An some pictures of the trip, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Phalacrocorax aristotelis, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Phalacrocorax aristotelis, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Phalacrocorax aristotelis, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

Grampus griseus, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

 Grampus griseus, (SW Galicia), 18/9/2015, (c) X. V. Pumariño.

18/09/2015: New exit pelagic.

Due to the fact that the last exit pelagic corresponding to the Saturday 12 September was cancelled by the conditions of the sea desfavorables, have programmed another route for next Friday 18 of this month.

Like  the period in that we are is one of the best of the year to observe marine birds in migration, ¡encourage you to participate!.

It is you.

Photos of the last exit of Xan Diéguez.

 Delphinus delphis (SW Galicia), 6/9/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 06/09/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Oceanites oceanicus, (SW Galicia), 6/9/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia), 6/9/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Stercorarius skua, (SW Galicia), 6/9/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia), 6/9/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

29/08/2015: Another big list!

After several days of wind and rain, that day dawned with dense, wet fog, but calm. We left the harbour at 8:00 a.m. as usual, short after sunrise.

In the begining, still with mist, we managed to see some Sandwich Terns, Grey Herons, Ruddy Turnstones, Common Sandpipers, Great Black-backed, Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls, European Shags, Great Cormorants, Northern Gannets, Whimbrel, Dunlins, Carrion Crows... and Bottlenosed Dolphins.

Reaching the southern tip of Sálvora island, and already without fog, we enjoyed the first Balearic and Cory's Shearwaters, the first Grey Phalaropes and European Storm-petrels, Sanderlings, a Sunfish and a big group of bow-riding Common Dolphins.
  

Further offshore, we saw good numbers of Great, Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters, Common Terns, Wilson's and European Storm-petrels, all four skua species (Great, Arctic, Pomarine and a juveniles Long-tailed), Eurasian Oystercatchers, a juvenile Black Tern, dozens of Grey Phalaropes and a stunning total of 193 Sabine's Gulls. In addition, a group of Common Dolphins traveled with the bow of the 'Chasula' for a couple of miles.

Once in the 'ría', we saw some Mediterranean Gulls, Common Ringed Plovers, Little Egrets, more Sandwich Terns and a single Common Tern and a nice raft of 49 Grey Phalaropes, an inusual species inside the 'ría'.

The day was memorable, both in numbers and in species, and one of the participants stated that would satisfy any birder.

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

An some pictures of the trip, (c) Xan Diéguez and Rubén Blanco.

 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

 

Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Oceanites oceanicus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Stercorarius longicaudus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Stercorarius pomarinus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Stercorarius pomarinus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Sterna hirundo, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Haematopus ostralegus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Phalaropus fulicarius, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Chlidonias niger, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Phalaropus fulicarius, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Sterna sandvicensis, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Ardea cinerea, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

 Puffinus Mauretanicus (SW Galicia),  29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

 Sterna hirundo, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Puffinus Mauretanicus (SW Galicia),  29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Phalaropus fulicarius, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Sterna hirundo, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Delphinus delphis, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Delphinus delphis, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

 Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Stercorarius pomarinus, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Xema sabini, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

Phalaropus fulicarius, (SW Galicia), 29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.

A Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  29/8/2015, (c) R. Blanco.