Survey recording started at 10:25 and shortly after we recorded our first Herring Gull resting on the water, followed a few minutes later by another Larus gull that we were unable to identify.
Other species spotted on the outward journey were Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake and a personal favourite, Gannet. On approach to Calais, we spotted a group of Sandwich Tern in flight and then the outbound data collection was stopped at 11:25 as we entered Calais harbour.
During the return voyage to Dover, the bird species we encountered were more or less the same as on the outward leg of the survey. Many of the birds identified were adults in their breeding plumage but a number of first summer Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull were also seen.
Herring Gull was the most numerous bird species recorded during the survey with a good number of Kittiwake also seen, along with a single Common Gull.
Our thanks to Captain Guilbaud, his officers and crew for their warm welcome and for allowing us to carry out our survey.
Pat Hatch and Vicki Payne, Research Surveyors for MARINElife (Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367)
Weather
Outbound – Good visibility, wind NNE, sea state 3
Return – Good visibility, wind NNE, sea state 3
Species recorded
Seabirds
- Common Gull Larus canus 1
- Gannet Morus bassanus 12
- Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 11
- Herring Gull Larus argentatus 54
- Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 29
- Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 2
- Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 19
- Larus sp. 29
- Gull sp. 3
- Tern sp. 15
- Auk sp. 6