Sub-surface Pacific temperatures are now warmer than ever recorded having exceeded 1997's peak by 0.36°C. Further warming is still likely before they peak, little doubt now that this will be the strongest El Nino event in recorded history.
Mark D
@seaskywatch.bsky.social
Interested in all #wildlife, but #seabirds, #raptors and #cetaceans are my favourites. Many hours spent #seawatching at home and abroad. (Header: Balearic and Manx Shearwaters 05/08/25)
Apparently 106 Bulwer’s Petrels past Estaca de Bares today, crazy!!
An early walk around Venford Res before the dogs, lots of hirundines gathering mostly House Martins & few Swallows, 2 Green Sandpipers (Oh yes, spooked off by the 1st out of control dogs, It's still Dartmoor keep em on a lead!!).
In our garden everyday at present 5+ Jersey Tigers, I don't know how many it involves but they seem to be everywhere!
‘Yelkouan Shearwater’ (Puffinus Yelkouan Yelkouan) phenotype, we saw 2.5nm off Dartmouth last Sunday 19/07/26 on a #SuperSeabirdSunday : in moult no white saddle bags', dark diagonal bar broad at base on underwing, flank line, foot projection, attenuated look, undertail good 👍 Photo by Tom Wallis.
Are things supposed to spill outside of bell curves? The temperature anomaly this summer across Europe is nothing short of exceptional. I still feel that we’ve seen a step change in our climate over the last decade.
Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull from yesterdays pelagic - usually one of the 1st juv larger gull to come to the boat mid-July Lyme Bay.
Pelagic out of Brixham: lots of Common Dolphins, 2 Porpoises. 5 + Med Gulls (3ads , 2juvs), 2 juv Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns, Common Tern, 6+ Manx and 18+ Balearic. Also a mid-sized shearwater quite contrasty in heavy wing moult, need a better look at photos!
The challenge of photographing the screaming parties of Swifts over Buckfastleigh last night . This one with bulging throat pouch, may be they have had a good summer!?
Dolphins don't just follow ships, they surf them. Bow riding uses the hull's hydrodynamic pressure to glide forward with zero effort, like catching a wave.
Nice Dragonflies at Beesands Ley on 05/07/26, 6+ Red-veined Darters, 3+ Norfolk Hawkers and lots of Black-tailed Skimmers
A baby rainbow tripod fish. Tripod fish live near the surface when young, and look a lot like colorful jellyfish. [📹 Frida Yolotzin, Cozumel, Mexico] Original post
Where are the Balearics? Certainly not our side of Lyme Bay! Today at Start 12:30-15:45: 1104 Manx, 2 Balearics, 4 Euro Storm-petrels, 3 Puffins, 50 Guillemots, 56 Kittiwakes, Fulmar
Several thousand people witnessed the fabulous Alanis Morissette at Powderham but probably only the two of us saw the Red Kite drifting over high up before she came on!
The Leaf Sheep is a 5mm sea slug that steals chloroplasts from algae and keeps them alive in its own tissue, photosynthesizing sunlight into food. Only a handful of animals on Earth can do this.
Start Pt 0830-1130: 4286 Manx, 4 Balearic, Puffin, 32 Guillemot, 10 Razorbill, c50 Kittiwakes, 2 1stS Med Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns
Berry Hd: this morning from top of headland 3 groups of c40 Risso’s Dolphins, two further out and closer one of c15 animals contained a few calves. Also Arctic Skua and 2s Med Gull through
Start Pt 1145-1615: Ad Sabine”s Gull (12:37), c120 Kittiwakes, 3s Arctic Skua, 24 E Storm-petrels, 6 Balearic, 11586 Manx, 16 PuffIns, 32 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills, 15 Fulmars , 4 Swifts, 10+ Risso’s dolphins, Harbour Porpoise
As a seawatcher I like strong on shore winds this time of year, as a raptor worker I don’t. This young Goshawk was blown off the nest probably on Saturday! Luckily its 3 siblings survived the gale. Another 7+ days and it would have flown. Bad timing!
Berry Hd 1500-1730: 10 Balearic Shearwaters, 617 Manx, Euro Storm-petrel, 2 Puffins, c5 Common Dolphins, 3 H Porpoise, Grey Seal
Berry Hd (0600)0800-1230: a further increase in Balearic Shearwaters with 21 today, also 3352 Manx, 12 Euro Storm-petrels, 2 Arctic Skuas, 5 Puffins, 4 Gadwall. But missed the Minke Whale and Sooty Shearwater @clennonvalley.bsky.social saw in the 1st 2hours 😉
Berry Hd 10:30-13:30: 11 Balearic Shearwaters (most in moult), 5237 Manx, Euro Storm-petrel, 2 Puffin, c40 Kittiwakes (many 1s), 2 1stS Med Gulls, 2 Gadwall!, 1 Rt Diver (bp N)
Got excited about seeing 2 Cory's Shearwaters out in the Porcupine Seabight yesterday, seen more than 70 today between 150-200 miles SSW of Ireland. Likely females from Portuguese colonies on pre-laying exodus #UKbirding #seabirds
A hot trip to Slapton Ley bridge at least 2 Norfolk Hawkers and an Emperor. Nice shoal of Perch up from the bridge too.
For a change on the last Spain trip we were lucky and saw a few cetaceans, Southern Biscay being flat calm on both 11th & 19 May. A couple of Curvier's Beaked Whales, 6 Risso's & big pods of both Common and Striped Dolphins. Here were some close Commons seeing us off, notice the darker immature.
The commonest Spanish raptor is Black Kite, seen throughout our May trip, the first from a few miles off the Santander ferry and the last were five we saw as the ferry was leaving a few miles out on 19/05/26. This is a bird I have on my Devon (close to home list), 2006 and 2010. May be another soon!
Another frequently seen and widespread Spainish raptor is Booted Eagle. More of a buzzard sized bird with distinct flat to slightly drooped soaring profile. There will be at last be an accepted (dark-phase) Devon (Lundy) record for last year, but the pale phase to me is smarter!
Now to the raptors, why I go to Spain! Montagu's Harrier is widespread in many areas, though sadly there has been a 25-30% decline, linked to productivity. I've certainly noticed less now than 20-30 years ago when we visited. This beautiful harrier (emblem of Devon Birds) last bred in Devon in 1976.
In the fantastic pseudosteppe around Villafáfila, Great Bustards are everywhere, back on 26/05/22 we got up early and counted 370! This trip we managed 120, a single Little Bustard and a few Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. But to me star of the area are the Rock Sparrows.
