Big Seabird Movement Point Lynas 29/10/17

There was a large movement of seabirds past Point Lynas yesterday morning. I arrived at dawn, and began watching the sea at 6.45am. The wind was NNW 6/7. The previous day had had a strong westerly wind which continued through the night. This had undoubtedly driven some birds into Liverpool Bay. The first bird I saw was a Manx Shearwater at very close range, so it had a good feeling. Over the next four and a half hours the numbers and variety of species were very high, particularly in the first two hours. At one point I couldn't lift my eyes from my binoculars for at least five minutes! This was one of my most memorable watches at Lynas over the past 30ish years, for the sheer numbers and closeness of the birds. The Grey Phalarope at about 600m off the rocks was, I think, my first here on a seawatch. I also think the cumulative effect of Storm Ophelia and Storm Brian in the past two weeks may have certainly moved a lot of seabirds into the Irish Sea.

Species Recorded 06.45 to 11.15 am. (all birds moving west)

Shelduck 5
Eider 1 (fem/imm)
Common Scoter 16
Red-Throated Diver 3
Fulmar 1
Manx Shearwater 5
Storm Petrel 1
Leach's Petrel 2 (petrels appeared later and further out)
Gannet 249 (25 fishing)
Shag 6
Grey Heron 1
Curlew 1
Oystercatcher 5
Grey Phalarope 1 (following a group of auks very close)
Great Skua 20
Pomarine Skua 4 (2 ads with 'spoons', two juvs)
Arctic Skua 11
Black-headed Gull 104
Common Gull 41
Mediterranean Gull 3 (2 ads, 1 Ist w.)
Herring Gull 70
Great Black-backed Gull 6
Lesser Black-backed Gull 5
Little Gull 1 (ad.)
Kittiwake 2600
Arctic Tern 1 (juv)
Black Tern 1 (surprisingly late)
'Auk sp' 4230 (about 80% Razorbills, but more Guillemots than previous watches)

Also 3 to 5 Bottle-nosed Dolphins for five minutes moving east, leaping and feeding.

Hopefully this is of interest, and will encourage more people to watch from Point Lynas. Please contact me if you want any help or advice on access or the best times to watch.

New book out on the "Scarce and Rare Birds in North Wales".  All historic records up to and including 2016. 320 pages, 100+ Images, finder's accounts of the rarest, full colour and more. Limited print run.

Contact me on robinsandham@hotmail.co.uk. to order a copy. £16:99 local pick up from Conwy RSPB. Or £19:99 p+p UK.

Thanks 

Robin

Yoav Perlman comes to Bangor Birdgroup on Thursday this Week

Yoav Perlman will be talking to us about "Birding in Israel, where migration is defined!"
It's one not to miss!
It's on Thursday, not wednesday, doors open at 7 for a 7.30 start. It's in the usual Brambell building, but in the upstairs lecture theatre. Numbers are limited to 50 seats so get there early to avoid disappointment.See you on Thursday!
Yoav says this about himself 
"I have been birding since the age of 9, and from the age of 15 I started working professionally in birding. I have been working for the Israeli Ornithological Center since 1998. I was a member of the Israeli rarities committee between 2001 - 2007. I have an MSc in Ecology from the Ben Gurion University. I did my research on the ecology of Nubian Nightjars in Israel, and spent hundreds of nights with these fascinating birds. I lead tours in Israel, and especially focus on Nubian Nightjars obviously. I traveled and birded Asia extensively, and also Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and North America. I am married to my lovely wife Adva and father to two sons - Uri and Noam, and one daughter - Libby. Currently I live in Norwich, where I am starting a PhD project at UEA."

Spain comes to Bangor

I will be doing a presentation tonight along with Richard Bird and Bill Slade. I will be doing a 30 minute presentation on the Birds I saw over two trips to the region to look for the Birds of the Pyrenees and Dupont's Lark. Richard will be doing a 15 minute film on a similar subject and Bill will be showing us some of the photo's he got from the photographic hide including the Bearded Vulture!

This Weekend

This Dotterel was at the Range by South Stack over the weekend and was still there yesterday at the Southern end by some small pools by the coastal footpath on the heath. The Red necked grebe was in Beddmanarch bay as scoped from Coffee cups cafe. No Slavs are back yet. A Great White Egret was visible from the Anchorage pub ob on Sunday. Also the American Golden Plover was still at Caernarfon Airport on Sunday. I had 3 Swallows at Llanfaethllu and a Wheatear on the Range on the 10th and Ken had Redwings on the 9th.