Raft of large shears today

Still plenty of large shearwaters in Scillonian waters today, including this Scopoli’s Shearwater photographed by Richard Stonier.

I’m so privileged to be one of the 10. (Unedited photo Mike Edgecombe.)

This represents a truly momentous event in British ornithological history. I was left genuinely speechless as bird after bird passed by, in singles, doubles, trebles… At one time 9 birds swooped over the slick off the stern while 2 more birds joined them via the bow.

However, on the last evening we witnessed an unprecedented movement of 84 birds passing close by the yacht with the movement still in full flow as dusk became night.

We set off by yacht in 5 meter seas and had our butts kicked for the first two days. Last year we found a few Madeirans taking the national tally to 6 birds. This year they were quite easily found with up to 3 at a time.

The past week I was one of an adventurous group of 10 seabirders participating in the Challenger expedition to the British Continental shelf, 160 km SW of Scilly, in search of the Madeiran Storm-petrel, conceived and meticulously organised by Scott Reid.

A good selection of seabirds on this evening’s sharking trip included this Pom Skua - photo Joe Pender. Also numerous foraging groups of Cory’s and Greats over Bluefin Tuna and SB Common Dolphin. Other notables were a Wilson’s Stormy, Arctic Skua, Sabs Gull, Sooty Shear,

Totals for this evening- photos Joe Pender:
• Wilson’s Storm Petrel – 1
• European Storm Petrel – ~50
• Scopoli’s Shearwater – 1 (plus)
• Cory’s Shearwater – 80
• Great Shearwater – 40
• Sooty Shearwater – 4
• Grey Phalarope – 10
• Long-tailed Skua – 2

Two unbelievably confiding Long-tailed Skuas gave a prolonged performance -adult and first-summer.

The season’s Birder Special Pelagics culminated excitedly this evening with at least 1 Scopoli’s Shearwater in this feeding frenzy over Bluefin Tuna (BoC Paul French). VAR pending on several others suggesting a mini influx. But there was much more…

Pelagic birding at its best! Cory’s - 350 and Great - 250 Shears on view start to finish. Six Sabine’s Gull, 2 close for 30 mins in slick, 2 following boat. Superb ad Long-tailed Skua for 10 mins. Six Grey Phal, 2 being confiding. 3 Wilson’s & 100+ Euro Stormy. Photos Joe Pender

Sensational views of Sabine’s Gull during today’s Scilly Birder Special Pelagic.

Exhilarating being among 1000s of shearwaters wheeling about in strong wind: at least 300 Great, 200 Cory’s, 4 Sooty, many Manx. Skuas were a brutish 1S Pomarine & juv Long-tailed & Great. C200 European Stormy & 3 Wilson’s at point blank range. A Grey Phalarope, too. Sensational!

1st trip of final weekend of Birder Special Pelagics barely passed by Eastern Isles when 2 Grey Phalaropes were found, 1 very confiding. At sea, large shears abounded with 150+ Great, 100+ Cory’s, 3 Sooties. Five Wilson’s & 40+ European Stormies showed well. Photo Joe Pender

Large shearwaters were all around us this evening with 200+ Cory’s, 150+ Great and 3 Sooty, plus a good showing of European Storm-petrel. Photos Isaac Ogden

24 gram European Storm-petrels in Beaufort 7 off Scilly this evening.

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Winds turned W & strengthened. Mon & Tue eve very productive with 5 & 9 Wilson’s respectively. Cory’s & Great Shear increased. Arctic & Great Skuas were seen. Isaac Ogden took this dramatic photo of Wilson’s on a big sea.

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Sat & Sun Birder Special Pelagics produced excellent sightings with my star bird this adult Sabine’s Gull (photo Joe Pender). Sat birds: 5 Wilson’s & 25 Euro Stormies; 60 Great, 4 Cory’s, 10 Sooty, 2 Balearic Shears; 3 Sabs Gull. Sun birds similar but more Cory’s (25), 1 Wilson’s

4th Scilly Birder Special Pelagic weekend featured cetaceans: Fin & Humpback Whales, Risso’s & Common Dolphins. An ad Sabs Gull gave a stellar performance, a Wilson’s Stormy raised a cheer. Also 8 Great and a Sooty Shear. Very enjoyable evening. Video Bob Flood, photos Mark Baker

Strong E persisted into Monday but we dug out 2 Wilson’s and a showy Great Shear. This eve E dropped off and birds picked up a bit with Black Tern, Arctic Skua, 2 Wilson’s and a few Great, Cory’s and Sooty Shears. Bluefin Tuna made welcome return. Photos Joe Pender & Isaac Ogden

Wind from the east strengthened again for today’s pelagic and sea state averaged 2.5 m. Three days of easterlies blew away our shearwaters but we managed tremendous views of 12 Wilson’s and 150 European Stormy.

The easterly wind strengthened further to F6 gusting F7. Despite this we found 9 Wilson’s with ex Ellen’s views in our oily slick. This is the 35th consecutive trip for Wilson’s! Also c80 Europeans. A Cory’s showed well over the slick, 3 more flew by along with a Sooty. Photo Joe Pender

The wind turned east and picked up to F4. Not ideal but we did OK. Five kms SW Bishop Rock we found 8 Wilson’s Stormy, c50 European, a couple of Cory’s (one with features better suiting Scopoli’s) and a Sooty. Photo Joe Pender