Natural Selection

The CLdN Performance leaving Heysham as we returned in the evening

I was on the Marinelife Heysham-Dublin survey again this month. It was a very long day, but so very worth it.

Late Monday night I drove up from Blackpool, met my surveying colleague Jon and we were swiftly escorted onto the CLdN Pace. The stewards said we could survey from 7, obviously at this time of year it’s light earlier than that but in all honesty I was glad of the rest.

When we went onto the bridge things were very quiet, gradually a few Guillemots and Manx Shearwaters were seen. Then it all got a little manic. A group of Bottlenose Dolphins passed us close to the boat going in the opposite direction. Some Common Dolphins were then seen before the absolute highlight of three Minke Whales actively feeding ahead of us. I had particularly good views of one breaching, it was a joy to experience.

Whilst this was going on the crew brought our attention to something in the bridge. It turned out to be a Willow Warbler that had presumably been disoriented in the early morning mist, and there was a second bird too. Our advice on safely extricating them was sought, soon after this picture was taken we coaxed them to the door and freedom.

Surveying on the outward leg was curtailed as we had to leave the bridge because pilot boat training for a crew member was planned. In the attached photograph the pilot boat is coming alongside prior to somebody coming on board our ship.

We were allowed to remain on the helicopter landing area behind the bridge, and were still able to watch seabirds passing. This Silver Y moth had presumably like the Willow Warblers been put down by poor visibility, or maybe just simple fatigue migrating over the sea. Silver Ys like Painted Lady butterflies often migrate long distances in large numbers.

Whilst the boat was docked we were able to enjoy the harbour birds. These included plenty of dapper Black Guillemots that weren’t seen at sea, a couple of Great Crested Grebes and plenty of Common Terns feeding and returning to the special nest sites created for them.

The return journey was also graced with a Minke Whale sighting, and better Common Dolphin views as a dozen came in to bow ride. Among the Gannets and Kittiwakes we finally managed a Fulmar, that proved to be the only one of the trip. We never saw any Puffins or skuas, but we’d seen plenty and weren’t complaining.

One of the features of this survey is views of my home town I don’t normally get. The light was going a bit by this stage but there’s no mistaking Blackpool Tower.

There were spells of staring at empty seas, but today was everything Irish Sea surveying is about. A (long) day trip from home where you can watch whales feeding, dolphins careering past the boat and an array of seabirds is not to be sniffed at. And CLdN are great hosts, treating us really well. All in all it’s a privilege to be allowed to do this.