Last trip of Seabirds Galicia and future

Fulfilling the timetable for Seabirds Galicia this year, a trip by A Lanzada bay and 'ría' of Arousa is scheduled for Saturday 5th December 2015, focused on seabirds and marine mammals. In case of rough sea conditions, the alternative date will be on 6th December.

This will be, unless last minute changes, the last trip managed through Seabirds Galicia platform. Since September 2011, Seabirds Galicia offered boat trips focused on seabirds and marine mammals, all throughout the year, and with reasonable prices. Seabirds Galicia was a new, much celebrated iniciative both by naturists and photographers.

After several changes in the management of Seabirds Galicia throughout 2015, and with the intention of broadcast this pelagic trips, the company Intramar, S.L. decided to create a new platform, to be called Chasula Aves / Chasula Birds, which is associated to a blog and a Facebook page. The managers of this brand will be Isidro Mariño (Intramar, SL) and Xabier Vázquez Pumariño (Habitaq Estratexias). Chasula Birds / Birds Chasula, along with Chasula Pesca, are services of Intramar, SL.

Cosme Damian Romay was responsible for the idea and strategy of Seabirds Galicia, and along with Martín Rodriguez Otero and Gustavo Ferreiro, managed the blog until 31.12.2015. David Leiro, Iago, Martín and, remarkably, the skipper Isidro Mariño, managed the 'chum', the food and the 'Chasula', owing the success of the pelagics.

Up to 31.12.2015 Seabirds Galicia and seabirdsgalicia mail (at) gmail.com will be active, while from 01.01.2016 the blog will just remain as a file depository.

From 1.1.2016 onwards Chasula Aves / Chasula Birds with its new team, will manage the pelagics via email: chasulabirds (at) gmail.com

Greetings and thanks for your trust in Seabirds Galicia.

14/11/2015: first November pelagic!

We left O Grove harbour early, at 8:15 h, with clear sky and light northerlies. After ticking the first Mediterranen Gulls and European Shags, we faced Aguiño (in the NW corner of the 'ría' of Arousa) as the wind increased in strenght. Some waders, Greater Black-backed Gulls and herons were spotted at the mussel rafts, and two Northern Gannets popped up near Aguiño. The sea became rough off Sagres islets, but Isidro the skipper decided to go SSW to avoid the facing waves and take benefit of the swell and wind. From that point onwards, trip was quite confortable. The first Great and Balearic Shearwaters appeared as close as 3 nm off Sálvora island and a weak southward migration of Atlantic Gannets was also noted. A Sunfish was also observed.

The first chum was freed 6 nm off Sálvora island, and dozens of Great Shearwaters and gulls came to it. First Kittiwakes (an adult and a juvenile) were detected, and a beautiful adult Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger) was also seen.

As we faced the second chum, the wave height increased and Isidro decided not to go further on, so we stopped 8 nm off Sálvora island for chumming. Many of the Great Shearwaters and gulls followed the 'Chasula' from the first chum to the second, and 'settled' in the latter. Good chance to photography and even to hear the calls of these nice shearwaters, with a 'bonus' of three Sooty Shearwaters, Great Skuas, Kittiwakes and many Mediterranean Gulls. Moreover, two Razorbills on migration were seen.

The way back to the 'ria' was confortable and quite, with few birds and another Sunfish. Fresh mussels and, remarkably, tasty spider-crabs were enjoyed by the participants and crew, and, once inside the 'ría', three Atlantic Bottlenosed Dolphins were seen at close distance.

This was our first pelagic in November, since the beggining of 'Seabirds Galicia' in 2011. Here below is the list of recorded species, with highlights in bold and approximate numbers in italics:

And some pictures, (c) José Luis Lorenzo "Colón"  and (c) Cosme Damián Romay:

Sunrise. 14/11/2015. O Grove, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

European Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). 14/11/2015. 'Ría' of Arousa, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

European Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). 14/11/2015. Sagres Is., Ribeira, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay

Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis), 14/11/2015, 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Three Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis). 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis), 14/11/2015, 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Resting flock of Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis) and José Luis Fernández Carnero. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Great Shearwater (Ardenna gravis), 14/11/2015, 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis), 14/11/2015, 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis), 14/11/2015, 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Great Skua (Catharacta skua). 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), adult. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile and adult, plus a Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus) first winter. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), adult. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

 

 

 

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), adult. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), juvenile. 14/11/2015. 6nm off Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

 

Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus), adult. 14/11/2015. 'Ría' of Arousa, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Atlantic Bottlenosed Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 14/11/2015. 'Ría' of Arousa, SW Galicia (c) C. D. Romay.

Iago and Isidro at the 'Chasula', 14/11/2015, near Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

Spider crab and Sálvora Island, 14/11/2015, near Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón"

Lunch at the 'Chasula', 14/11/2015, near Sálvora island, SW Galicia (c) J. L. Lorenzo "Colón".

18/10/2015:Pelagic of the whales.

Still the lights of the port of the sailor villa followed lit when we ship in  the ancient and beautiful wooden ship.

Encouraged by the coffee commented that it could offer us the day. We did not know it, but we trusted the generosity of the sea of Arousa.

While we sailed by the estuary esquivando the cuadriculadas bateas in direction to the piélago, already began  to divisar the distinct seagulls, standing out the Larus melanocephalus, Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Sterna sandvicensis, the first Morus bassanus of the day and some Ardea cinerea.

A few miles further of the archipelago of Sálvora, did apparition the Puffinus mauretanicus, Puffinus puffinus  and a Oceanites oceanicus, in addition to shady seagulls, Larus michahellis, Larus ridibundus, Larus melanocephalus and  groups of Morus bassanus.

More sea inside, arrived of the horizon the Hidrobares pelagicus, the Puffinus gravis, Puffinus griseus, Calonectris diomedea, Sterna hirundo, Sterna sandvicensis, Stercorarius skua and Stercorarius parasiticus; and more Puffinus gravis, Puffinus mauretanicus and Morus bassanus, a lot of Morus bassanus. The common dolphins saw them delivered in several packs.

Of return observe five Ardea cinerea, Arenaria interpres and  Falco peregrinus near of the port.

Before disembarking, the mussels of the estuary and a good albariño put the brooch of gold to a route pelágica a bit moved in which Hidrobates pelagicus and Morus bassanus of all the ages were the protagonists of the ocean.

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.

Stercorarius parasiticus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Morus bassanus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Hidrobates pelagicus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

 Hidrobates pelagicus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Oceanites oceanicus, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Puffinus gravis, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

Sterna hirundo, (SW Galicia),  18/10/2015, (c) X. Diéguez.

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.