This
is where I spent most of the first half of my working life and saw a
lot more birds offshore than I do now. This is partly due to to the
fact that surveyors used to have less equipment and were often situated
on the bridge - and thus commanding a rather better view of the outside
world than from deep in the bowels of the ship.
Citine
Wagtail off NE Scotland, 07 September 2011
The proportion of rarities to common migrants is much higher on
offshore installations compared to the mainland - just like the famous
rarity islands.
Migrating
Blackbird on the back deck of a vessel working near Sleipner B, March
2009
The photographs
below
illustrate some of the difficulties encountered trying to see birds
offshore; there is almost invariably plenty of equipment to hide
amongst - and the observer is often limited in the choice of
observation point.
Skylark
by night
Song
Thrush
Woodpigeon
A Brambling resting briefly on a lifeboat, Brent Field,
April 2007
Note the ring on its left leg.
