Birds News from Nial Moores
On land, today was a day of “spring greens” in continuing mild conditions (though with a steadily increasing and chilly westerly wind), with excellent views of feeding Grey-capped Greenfinch and Grey-headed Woodpecker and a briefer encounter with four of the over-wintering Light-vented Bulbul. The main interest was on the sea, however, with large numbers of gulls (>4000), loons (>500) and alcids (>250). Numbers were very hard to estimate well. Most of the gulls were following fishing boats far offshore and seemed to be mostly Black-legged Kittiwake and / or Black-headed Gull. Closer in, flocks of loons (with one raft of 330 birds) and alcids seemed to be constantly on the move, initially south then north, sometimes to escape disturbance and at other times appearing to move more purposefully northward. From 1140 to 1540, a minimum 250+ Pacific, 20 Red-throated, five Arctic and four Yellow-billed Loons were identified, and probably 100+ Ancient Murrelet and >150 Rhinoceros Auklet were seen (the first multiple count of the latter species here). In addition, one or perhaps two Long-billed Murrelet and what also looked to be a guillemot sp. were also seen (though into the light), as were a pod of c.10 Finless Porpoise.
Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata © Nial Moores
Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus © Nial Moores
Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica © Nial Moores