Blue
Fulmar - a regular species in the north Atlantic
Birding
the North
Atlantic
This page deals with the area of sea between north of the Shetlands and
Iceland; it may be useful to those taking a ferry or cruise ship to
Iceland or the Faroes. A number of good records have come
from various vessels operating in this area over the years - including
Gyr Falcon !
Ringed Plover -
this bird
spent most of the day onboard (23 May 2008)
The following book is essential reading for seabird identification in
the North Atlantic - in my opinion it is the best book available.
These observations come from short periods on deck after shift - no
doubt much more would be seen if more time was spent actually
looking....
Species seen 15 May - 26
May 2008 from N of Shetland to NW of Faroes:
Northern Fulmar - up tp 200 seen daily, usually a few "Blue" Fulmars
with them
Northern Gannet - several daily
Great Skua - a few seen most days
Pomarine Skua - ones and twos seen on several occasions
Arctic Skua - 1-4 regular
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 20 to 60 noted most days, many immature
birds
among them
Iceland Gull - one second year bird followed the vessel 25-26 May
Black-legged Kittiwake - 20 to 100 seen daily
Oystercatcher - One migrating bird on 25 May
Eurasian Golden Plover - one onboard 17 May
Ringed Plover - one onboard 24 May
Black-tailed Godwit - one migrating 17 May
Turnstone - two were onboard briefly on 25 May
Guillemot - surprisingly uncommon with 1-3 seen on only a few occasions
Atlantic Puffin - only seen near the Faroe Islands where the species
was abundant
Tree Pipit - One onboard briefly on 21 May
Northern Wheatear - one seen 22 May
Pomarine
Skua - this species migrates through the area during May
Record
shot of Great Shearwater off SE Iceland, 21 June 2008
Species seen 10 June - 24
June 2008, largely SE of Iceland: Once again, these sightings are largely incidental -
little time spent actively birding.
Northern Fulmar - up tp 2000 seen daily, no "Blue" Fulmars
with them
Great Shearwater - one seen 21 June - quite an early record
Sooty Shearwater - one seen 13 June - very early?
Manx Shearwater - one on 13 June, but much commoner within sight of
land 23-24 June
Leach's Storm-Petrel - one seen 14 June
Northern Gannet - common
Great Skua - several seen most days
Arctic Skua - 1-4 regular
Lesser Black-backed Gull - very common
Great Black-backed Gull - much less numerous than above species offshore
Herring Gull - as above
Black-legged Kittiwake - 20 to 100 seen daily
Arctic Tern - common within sight of land
Guillemot - common nearer land, very few offshore
Atlantic Puffin - thousands seen nearer land, few further offshore
Yellow Wagtail - One
"flavissima" onboard briefly on 18 June
Immature Lesser Black-backed Gull
Blue Fulmar, May 2008
Oiled Gannet - small oil spills happen all the time but never reach the
news....
Great Skua (otherwise
known as Bonxie) are a common sight during the spring and summer
Second year Iceland Gull,
NW of Faroe Islands, May 2008
Puffins were very numerous close to the Faroes and Iceland
A couple of
shots of the Faroese coastline on a dull
morning
