A really enjoyable trip on the Helen Clare out in the Celtic Deep today, my 5th and last pelagic of 2024. The highlight was 4 Great Shearwaterswhich 1 by 1 passed our chumming spot (the 1st still had the opportunity to choose the same moment to pass the boat as my one and only visit to the on-board loo!). Some sightings of singles European Storm Petrels but no one stayed on the smooth.
As the water was calm and the smooth calm we had time to return via The Smalls and Grassholm, which was a good move. The highlight is a Osprey sitting on top of the lighthouse, and then we had a second bird WSW of Skokholm! Just east of The Smalls, we have 2 adults Roseate Terns and then a beautiful view of a dark phase adult Arctic Skua. Lots of Common Dolphins around including a number of females with small calves (all will be logged on WWBIC in due course), a Chiffchaff joined us for a while (perched on the shoes!) and some of us managed to pick out a Purple Sandpiper in Grassholm.
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Chiffchaff, on a wheel…(Chiffchaff on a shoe photo is also available) |
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See the Osprey |
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Not what we expected from the most remote lighthouse in the UK |
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Juvenile Common Tern |
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Dark side of the Arctic Skua |