Wednesday 22 October 2014

A Brilliant Cap Gris Nez Sea Watch!

Pomarine Skua
08.30- 15.00:  A fabulous days sea watching in good company, despite a later than planned start due to P & O breakdowns and a senior moments by myself and AJG.
Observers: AJG, BM, MC on the cliff face and MH and CP braving the wind on top.
Pomarine Skua

Brent Goose: 1,745 + 2,730 from the boat past Calais harbour entrance early evening.
Shelduck: 28
Pintail: 2
Velvet Scoter: 3 on sea
Common Scoter: 1,658
Red-breasted Merganser: 1
Red-throated Diver: 32
Black-throated Diver: 2
Great-crested Grebe: 6
Manx Shearwater: 12
Sooty Shearwater: 16
Gannet: c1,300
Kestrel: 2
Oystercatcher: 4
Sanderling: 12
Dunlin: 780
Great Skua: 85
Pomarine Skua: 28
Arctic Skua: 84
Long-tailed Skua: 10
Mediterranean Gull: 100+
Little Gull: 4,744 This time last year we saw 2,400 there
Kittiwake: 500+
Sabine's Gull: 5
Sandwich Tern: 36
Common Tern: 8
Auk sp: 858
Siskin: c100
Chaffinch: c50
Grey Seal: 2
It's hard to believe that Cap Gris Nez is only c40 miles across the channel from Dungeness as the Skua flys!
Also a covey of 15 Grey Partridge flew across the road as we left.
 Pomarine Skua
 Pomarine Skuas
Pomarine Skua
Velvet Scoters

 Brent Geese
This picture of a few Little Gulls does not do the fantastic spectacle of today's amazing passage justice.

2 comments:

  1. Wow! Looks like you had a fantastic day. Your juv Arctic Skua appears to be a Pomarine, based on jizz, plumage, bill and particularly the square tail extension

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  2. Not so sure about the jizz Milke but definitely should have paid more attention to the tail pattern.

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