Another trip to Porth Ysgaden on Tuesday. Other observers were Dave Lamacraft, Rhys Jones and an unnamed visitor from Kent.
Wind was force WSW 7, dry and mild with broken cloud and sunshine. Visibility was excellent.
Birds logged between 0645-1245 were:
Shelduck 1
Common Scoter 2
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Red-throated Diver 4
Fulmar 33
Sooty Shearwater 5
Manx Shearwater 833
Leach's Petrel 2
Gannet 68
Shag 42 (presumed local movements)
Arctic Skua 4 pale phase adults
Great Skua 7
Mediterranean Gull 1w
Sabine's Gull 1w flew past over the shore at 10:34 hrs
Black-headed Gull 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
Herring Gull 3
Kittiwake 134
Sandwich Tern 212
Arctic Tern 4
Arctic/Common Tern 1
Guillemot 2
Razorbill 5
Guillemot/Razorbill 118 (vast majority were Razors)
Black Guillemot 2
Bar-tailed Godwit 3
Curlew 3 NE
Whimbrel 1
Dunlin 7
Redshank 1
Also present:
Wheatear2
Rock Pipit 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Linnet 12
It was "not quite Ireland" in terms of the species and numbers but highly rewarding - special thanks to the visitor for calling the Sabine's at point blank range as we scoped the horizon!
Can you park at the end of the track to the headland; if not where's the best place? I'm hoping to be down there some time soon? I usually watch from Porthdinllaen headland.
ReplyDeleteYes there's plenty of parking however the track down to the very end is potholed so drive carefully. At leat there is no big walk involved like at Porth Dinllaen.
ReplyDeleteBear in mind that the best site for seawatching is at the remaining gable end of the derelict house but this is only sheltered when the wind is between SW and WSW. It's hopeless in a due westerly and you then have an uncomfortable time hunkering down against the fishermen's huts etc.
Best conditions seem to be a few days of big SW veering NW next day then easing off a little and swinging SW again the following morning e.g. good numbers of Leach's pass in these conditions but it is a very underwatched site - like the whole of the peninsula - and anything could turn up.