September and October 2012 pelagics - provisional

The following pelagics are already scheduled for September and October, although they will depend on sea condition and weather:

- Saturday 22nd September (COMPLETE). Seabirds Galicia celebrates its 1st aniversary and good numbers of storm-petrels, skuas, terns, shearwaters and marine mammals will be the best present.

- Saturday 13th October (9 avaliable 'seats'). If conditions and passage are similar to those of 2011 (check report), good numbers of Wilson's storm-petrel and great shearwater could be detected.

Oceanodroma castro in October 2011 (c) Xoán Diéguez.

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).

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: