Thank You, the Sea

A tediously regular feature of this blog is me moaning about the direness of our local seawatching. Once in a blue moon though, I have to eat my words...

But not this morning. This morning was typically rubbish. Despite a big sea and strong wind, very few birds. Low numbers of Gannets and Med Gulls, a couple each of auk sp and Kittiwake. I managed an hour.

Late morning there was heartening news though. Two (or possibly three) Leach's Petrels past West Bexington; the odd Leach's elsewhere around the Lyme Bay coast. The wind strengthened, and it was looking good for an afternoon effort. I wasn't free until half two, but within ten minutes of plonking down in the West Bay shelter a Leach's Petrel went slowly east. I could hardly believe my eyes. It is 17 years since my only previous Lyme Bay Leach's Petrels - two off Seaton seafront in November 2005. I cranked out about 30 seconds of video, and captured the bird in maybe 20-odd frames...

My aim was not good, but there it is bottom right: Leach's Petrel!

The forked tail is vaguely discernible in this one.

They may be pitiful record shots, but wow! I am chuffed to have got anything at all. And look at that sea! 

A few minutes later I had another sighting. Brief, and hard to tell whether it was travelling or lingering. Several minutes later, another, further out. All the same bird? I couldn't really say. Tom Brereton joined me after a while, and it soon became apparent that birds were definitely going through, heading east. In the end I called it 10 Leach's, but the count could easily have been as many as 14 or 15. Factor in 100+ Kittiwakes - many very close inshore, or even over the prom - plus a bonus 1st-winter Little Gull,  and it was very much a seawatch to remember, for all the right reasons. Two hours of genuine pleasure.

Also, the local WhatsApp group really came into its own today, with reports of various successes along the coast keeping us all encouraged and plugging away. Great stuff.

There was one mad moment. A close Leach's suddenly climbed rapidly, turned towards the shore and came in-off, heading over the prom and the seafront buildings and away inland!

Tomorrow might be interesting.

Or not...now that I've got all keyed up about it!