Strong winds from the WNW continued today in the aftermath of Storm Floris. There were blustery showers in the morning that gave way to brighter, sunny conditions later.
After Clive McK's successful seawatch yesterday, I tried my luck at Frenchman's Rocks from 0815 for 3 hours until 1115, joined by Alistair Hart for the last hour. Conditions in the first half weren't great, with stormy showers blowing in at times, But it was the first hour that held any interest - c.1,000-1,200 Manx Shearwaters zooming by, and 6 European Storm Petrels and 3 Arctic Skuas seen. After that the Manxies tailed off, and left a steady, small trickle of Kittiwakes (c.75), Fulmars (c.20) and auks (just c.15) passing through along with 3 Arctic Terns, and a few small flocks of waders - 20 Redshank, a couple of flocks of Sanderling totalling c.30 birds and the same for Oystercatchers.
Meanwhile, the possibility of a few seabirds inspired Jim Dickson to do a seawatch from the Kennacraig to Port Askaig ferry and back, He noted c.70 Manxies, 12 Kittiwakrs, 1 Fulmar, 2 Puffins, 2 Sandwich Terns plenty of Guillemots and Razorbills, with star attractions being 5 Storm Petrels, and singles of Great, Arctic and Pomarine Skua.
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