Sunday
30th October Light SW Low cloud, mild 10C
After
yesterday's number of passing pomarine skuas and sooty shearwaters, I
am up early to go seawatching off the northern end of the island.
Porridge
and banana chips for breakfast, Sam Perfect suddenly pokes his head
around the kitchen door and we are off. Five whooper swans are flying south west, leaving the island.
Immediately seen as we cycle down the dirt track, the male Northern
Harrier
is in front of us flying around Gretchen. Bird
number 311 BOU
(British Ornithological Union) but only 308 on the AERC. Northern
harrier is not a separate species to the Europeans. One day it will
be I am sure.
Eight
bean geese are in a field to the right by the World War memorial.
Pink feets are to the left and then a large flock of greylags by the
Ancum willows. Here we stop to look over Ancum Loch and see 54
whooper swans, and singles of goldeneye and greater scaup.
To
the seawatching hide,we start to properly seawatch at 8:30AM.
Almost
immediately the first sooty shearwaters fly past mid-range to
distant; all are heading north west coming from the east. Sam gets on
a great northern diver and I have a little
auk
quite close. Bird
number 312 BOU.
More
sooties, usually singly but occasionally in threes and fours pass and
then a flurry of pomarine
skuas.
Bird
number 313, three
year ticks already today and after only thirty minutes or so of
sewatching.
9:10AM
Me
: Manx going left, close.
Me
: no it isn't!
Me
: Sam you need to get on this!!!!!
The
bird is joined by a sooty shearwater, both going left, that is to the
north west.
Sam
: it's a ****ing FEA'S PETREL!!!!
The
bird takes maybe three minutes or so before it is gone, heading north
west. Screaming, laughing and general disbelief, a legendary Fea's
petrel has just passed us, more than an ambition bird, a pure dream
of a bird.
More
screaming, more expletives, hugs and high fives and a complete lack
of any further serious sea bird counting due to shaking, laughing,
cheering, all accompanied by a few tears.
Phone
calls made, texts sent and chaotic celebrations interspersed with
bouts of goosebumps, nervous laughing and a slow realisation over
what had just happened.
Sam
is drawing sketches of what we have seen. Plumage and jizz details
are discussed and notes made.
We
settle down at last to carry on birding. Vegan Dutch fruit cake is
shared and clinked together as one would with champagne. Cheers Sam!
At
Noon we total up.
sooty
shearwaters 114
manx
shearwaters 2
pomarine
skuas 10
bonxies
(great skua) 9
little
auk 3
great
northern diver 7
red-throated
diver 3
Long-tailed
duck 12
wigeon
6
lapwing
4
We
have also seen a few cetaceans; 2 or 3 minke whales and single
Risso's dolphin and harbour porpoise.
One
o'clock we start to make our happy way back towards the North
Ronaldsay Bird Observatory. A ring-tail hen harrier passes. It's
happy banter all the way.
A
text comes from Paul Higson.
Interestingly,
a fea's petrel petrel flew north past the north east of Shetland –
Lamba Ness, Unst at about Noon.
So
it seems that it took over two hours for our bird to get there. How
fast can a petrel fly? Google doesn't seem to have the answer.
In
2014 a Fea's went along the East coast. It was reported from headland
to observatory, birding spot to pier, promenade to cliff top. I
wonder if anyone has worked out that bird's speed? I remember seeing
a chart in the superb seawatching hide at Whitburn last year that
showed times. It would be interesting to see the times and work out
speed accordingly.
A
quick look over Ancum,
a few more whooper swans are on there
compared
to this morning. Birds are moving.
A
look around Holland and down towards the Observatory. Sam receives a
phone call from Larissa. We turn around and cycle fast towards
Hooking. Larissa has found a glossy ibis.
Half
an hour later we all have the bird in view. It flies from Hooking
Loch to the beach and back again before disappearing to the north.
Our
evening is spent celebrating birds and friendship.
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