SEA-WATCHING

An exceptional seawatching season even by West Cornwall standards started on the 1st August with five Wilson’s Petrels seen from a shark fishing boat 20 miles NNW of Padstow. Read more »

Porthgwarra - Cory’s Shearwater (2) past Gwennap Head. Also Sabines Gull, Balearic Shearwater (36), Sooty Shearwater (4), Manx Shearwater (36), Storm Petrel (3), Great Skua (13) and Arctic Skua (3)

Porthgwarra - Balearic Shearwater (18) past Gwennap Head in 11.5hrs. Also Sooty Shearwater (13), Manx Shearwater (1212), Storm Petrel (2), Great Skua (5), Arctic Skua (2) and Puffin (9).

Pendeen - Balearic Shearwater (15), Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skua (6), Great Skua and Ocean Sunfish.

St Ives - SABINES GULL (juv) past the island this morning, flew into bay then back out and west at 0955hrs. Also Pom Skua (ad), Balearic Shearwater (15), Grey Phalarope (11), Black Tern (5), Sooty Shearwater (2), Great-northern Diver, Arctic Skua (42) and Great Skua (15). Sandwich Tern (60+) in bay, Arctic Tern (20+) and Comic Tern (30+). Continuous stream of Manx Shearwaters throughout the day including a large feeding flock of 200+. Also Ocean Sunfish (3)

Pendeen - SABINES GULL (5), Balearic Shearwater (56), Manx Shearwater (7,700 by 1330hrs), Grey Phalarope (23), Little Tern and Arctic Tern (35), Sooty Shearwater (9), Great Skua (24) and Arctic Skua (31). Also Basking Shark and Ocean Sunfish

Porthgwarra - Balearic Shearwater (2), Grey Phalarope (2), Black-throated Diver, Manx Shearwater (162), Storm Petrel (4) and Great Skua.

Pendeen - *WILSON’S PETREL* reported past Pendeen Watch (0630-1315hrs) . Also Grey Phalarope (flock of 18 +5), Sabines Gull (2 ads) and Sooty Shearwater (38), Balearic Shearwater (21), Cory’s Shearwater (4), Storm Petrel (7), Bonxie (12), Arctic Tern (10), ‘Comic’ Tern (50+), Common Scoter (3), Whimbrel (4), Sandwich Tern (3), Dunlin (10), Turnstone (1) and Manx Shearwater (up to 4000 per hour for the first two hours then a steady, lower flow) (Thanks S.Rogers) Great Shearwater flew past at 21603hrs and possible **MADEIRAN PETREL** past at 19.08hrs.

 St Ives Island - (0655 - 0800hrs) Sabine’s Gull (ad), Sooty Shearwater (2), Balearic Shearwater (1), Arctic Tern (11), Arctic Skua (4), Bonxie (1), Manx Shearwater (2500+), Storm Petrel and ‘Comic’ Tern (17).

Newquay - Leach’s Petrel flew past Towan Head (0630-0830hrs). Also Balearic Shearwater (9), Sooty Shearwater (3), Great Skua and Arctic Skua (4)

Porthgwarra - Cory’s Shearwater past Gewnnap Head at 1015hrs.

The Lizard - Balearic Shearwater (9) and Sooty Shearwater (8) past Lizard Point this morning.

Porthgwarra - **FEA’S PETREL** again today past Gwennap Head at 1151hrs. Also Balearic Shearwater (31), Grey Phalarope, Pom Skua (2), Sooty Shearwater (109), Manx Shearwater (229), Storm Petrel (40), Great Skua (12), Arctic Skua (4) and Basking Shark.

Chynalls Point - Baleraic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater (3) and Storm Petrel by 0845hrs.

Pendeen - (0630-0845hrs) Balearic Shearwater (8), Sooty Shearwater (36), Arctic Skua (3), Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwater (2000+) and Basking Shark

Porthgwarra - Balearic Shearwater (6), Sooty Shearwater (32), Manx Shearwater (119), Storm Petrel (49), Arctic Tern, Puffin (5) and Bonxie (12) past Gwennap Head today

Pendeen - Leach’s Petrel past Pendeen Watch this evening

Sennen - Sooty Shearwater (2) and Bonxie past Sennen Cove

Newquay - Balearic Shearwater (3), Sooty Shearwater (22) and Bonxie past East Pentire Point this evening.

On Thursday evening, I was in a dilemma. I had driven from my home in Buckinghamshire to see a WRYNECK at Witley Reservoir (Gloucs) and a near-adult SABINE’S GULL at Upton Warren Flashes Pool (Worcs) and knew full well that a good seawatch was on the cards should the wind go round. Read more »

Porthgwarra - probable **FEA’S PETREL** past Gwennap Head at 1525hrs. Also Balearic Shearwater (9), Sooty Shearwater (54), Storm petrel (11), Great Skua (6), Arctic Skua (2) and Grey Phalarope (2)

Coverack - probable Cory’s Shearwater past Chynalls Point by 0845hrs. Also Balearic Shearwater (6),  Sooty Shearwater (5), Blue Fulmar, Manx Shearwater (20) and Arctic Skua (4).

The Lizard - Sabine’s Gull (2 juvs) east past Bass Point  in wake of fishing boat at 16:50. Also 4 Sooty Shearwater (4 west), Balearic Shearwater (west), Puffin (west), Bonxie (east) and 7 Storm Petrels (6E, 1W). (Thanks I.MaClean)

Porthgwarra - probable **FEA’S PETREL** past Gwennap Head at 11.27hrs. Also Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater (22), Storm Petrel (30), Arctic Skua, Great Skua (2) and Puffin.

Chynalls Point - Sooty Shearwater (4) past Chynalls Point prior to 0830hrs. Also Manx Shearwater (7) and a Common Sandpiper. (Thanks D.Wood)

St Ives - probable Long-tailed Skua past St Ives Island 0630-1030hrs, tho distant. Also Arctic Skua (14), Great Skua (15), Balearic Shearwater (5), Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Tern (6), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern (35+), Common Scoter, Redshank (3), Whimbrel (27), Manx Shearwater (1000+).

Porthgwarra - Balearic Shearwater (9), Grey Phalarope, Sooty Shearwater (7), Storm Petrel (15), Manx Shearwater (750) and Great Skua (2)

Sennen - possible **LITTLE SHEARWATER** flew south past Sennen Cove at 08.40hrs tho distant.

Pendeen -**LITTLE SHEARWATER** past Pendeen this morning. Also 2 *WILSON’S STORM-PETREL*, possible YELKOUAN SHEARWATER, 8 European storm petrels, 5 Great shearwaters, 2 Cory’s Shearwater, 6 Sabine’s gulls, 3 Grey phalaropes, 1 Red-necked Phalarope, 1 Pomarine skua, 30+ Arctic skua. 20+ Bonxies, 400+ Sooty shearwaters, 50+ Balearic shearwaters, 1 Black tern, 20+ Arctic terns, 50+ Commic terns, 3 Kittiwakes, 4 Common scoter, 8 Whimbrel and 1000s of Manx shearwaters. Between 745am and 7pm at Pendeen today. (Thanks S.Votier, S.Bearhop and S.Rogers)

St Ives Island - Sooty Shearwater (100+), Grey Phalarope, Black Tern, Arctic Tern (3), Balearic Shearwater (40+), Manx Shearwater (60 per minute), Pom Skua, Arctic Skua (5), Bonxie (5)

Rumps Point - Balearic Shearwater, Bonxie (2) and Arctic Skua (10) past today.

Pendeen - Pom Skua (2) past Pendeen Watch 09.00-12.00hrs. Also Balearic Shearwater (14), European Storm-petrel (10), Manx Shearwater (1600) and Great Skua (2).

Porthgwarra - Great Shearwater (3), Balearic Shearwater (12), Sooty Shearwater (4), Manx Shearwater (200+), Black-throated Diver, Great Skua, Storm Petrel and Chough (2) reported past Gwennap Head today

Rame - Balearic Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater (3) and Manx Shearwater (15) past Rame Head this morning.

Porthgwarra - Balearic Shearwater (7), Pom Skua, Sooty Shearwater (4), Great Skua (5), Arctic Skua (4), Manx Shearwater (300) and European Storm-petrel past Gwennap Head today.

Pendeen - *WILSON’S PETREL* (2) past Pendeen watch 07.30 - 15.30hrs. Also Great Shearwater (5). Sooty Shearwater (26), Balearic Shearwater (30), Pom Skua (2), European Storm-petrel (70+), Arctic Skua (16), Great Skua (18), Arctic Tern (12), Puffin, Whimbrel (60) and Med Gull (6). (Thanks S.Votier et al)

Pendeen - possible **MADEIRAN PETREL** past Pendeen at 18.03hrs. Also *WILSON’S STORM PETREL* past early morning. Other species included Great Shearwater (4), Cory’s Shearwater, Grey Phalarope, Balearic Shearwater (12), Sooty Shearwater (20+), European Storm Petrel (430), Little Tern (14), Arctic Skua (4), Great Skua (15) and Arctic Tern.

Porthgwarra - Cory’s Shearwater (4), Balearic Shearwater (4), Great Skua (8). European Storm Petrel (7) and Puffin (2) past Gwennap Head today.

The Lizard - Cory’s Shearwater past Lizard Point at 08.30hrs

Newquay - Sooty Shearwater flew past Towan Head and European Storm-petrel (4).

Pendeen - Cory’s Shearwater (3) from Pendeen watch 07.30 - 11.30hrs. Also Great Shearwater (2), Sabine’s Gull (ad), Balearic Shearwater (9), Sooty Shearwater (5), Great Skua (6), Arctic Skua (4) and Whimbrel (9).

Porthgwarra - Cory’s Shearwater (2) in 12hrs off Gwennap Head today. Also Sooty Shearwater (3), Arctic Skua (2), Puffin (2), Great Skua (7), Balearic Shearwater (5), Storm Petrel (3), Med Gull (juv), Common Dolphin (200), Risso’s Dolphin (2) and Ocean Sunfish (2).

Cape Cornwall - Great Shearwater flew north 14.00 - 16.00hrs. Also Sooty Shearwater (3), Storm Petrel, Great Skua (2), Arctic Skua, Manx Shearwater (270), Basking Shark and Ocean Sunfish.

Porthgwarra - Great Shearwater past Gwennap Head. Also Balearic Shearwater (6), Sooty Shearwater (3), Great Skua (3), Manx Shearwater (104) and Common Dolphin (140+).

Cornwall Birding Pelagic - *WILSON’S PETREL* (2) 7 miles and 3 miles NNW of St Ives this morning. Also Storm Petrel (30+) and Manx Shearwater (3).

Porthgwarra - Cory’s Shearwater distantly off Gwennap Head this afternoon. Also Balearic Shearwater (2), Manx Shearwater (30), Great Skua (2), Storm-petrel (3) and Puffin. Cetaceans included two Harbour Porpoise and two Dolphin Sp. Also Ocean Sunfish.