It’s always a good start to a cross-Channel survey when the sun shines bright, the winds are light and there is no significant swell, and that was the reality as Nick Tomalin and I as senior surveyor stepped aboard the DFDS Levante Jet for a trip to Jersey and back.
We were made very welcome in the Premium Lounge and supplied with coffee and snacks before being called up to the bridge once we had left Poole Harbour 20 minutes ahead of schedule. We were welcomed there by Captain Toby Abbot and his team, and we set up our survey station on the starboard bridge wing.
Poole Bay was quiet with just a few Shag on the channel marker buoys but no cetaceans to be seen. The crossing was very smooth with calm seas all the way and only occasional cloud cover. A lone Sandwich Tern flew by, probably enroute to its wintering grounds in warmer climes off the coast of west Africa. A lone Manx Shearwater was also seen after about two hours. Approaching the Cotentin peninsula, we started seeing many adult and juvenile Northern Gannets, almost certainly form the colonies on L’Etac and Ortac to the west of Alderney.
On this route we passed east of Alderney and sightings quietened down until we approached Guernsey where we started seeing Balearic Shearwaters in small rafts on the water but soon taking flight as we approached. These are critically endangered birds and have recently been “lumped” with the Yelkouan Shearwater under the species name Mediterranean Shearwater, but many birdwatchers still refer to them by their former name.
Breeding on the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean these birds fly north after breeding and moult and rest in northern Biscay and the western English Channel in late summer-early autumn. There are estimated to be only about 3000 breeding pairs so MARINElife has a particular interest in this species and has separate recording forms for them.
Several Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls appeared as we neared land and drew into St Helier Harbour. A lone Grey Seal swimming in the water was our only mammal seen on the outward leg.
Whilst the Levante Jet unloaded and loaded for the return trip we rested and replenished ourselves with snacks and drinks in the premium lounge and after a swift and efficient turnaround, we were on our way back shortly after 16:00, ahead of schedule again.
Some tidal races around Jersey seemed to stimulate activity on the water and we soon had several rafts of both Manx and Balearic Shearwater around the boat. A few Guillemot in winter plumage were also seen, diving under the waves as we neared them. Then approaching Alderney a flock of Gannets were seen diving in the water with multiple splashes underneath, a feeding frenzy, as both huge Blue-fin Tuna and a couple of Common Dolphin breached in the foaming seas.
Birds are always the best marker for cetaceans and tuna feeding as they drive the bait fish nearer the surface. As we passed through this spectacle we also then saw a couple of Common Dolphin on the port side of the bow and later a couple more unidentified dolphin from our starboard position, but these quickly passed out of sight.
Leaving Alderney to our behind and entering the main English Channel again, I was about to take a break when suddenly we saw two or three patches of splashes in the water ahead. A flock of 50 or so unidentified gulls marked another feeding frenzy from what we assume were Blue-fin Tuna. These huge fish are now a common sight in the English Channel having returned to our shores after an absence of sixty years, the exact reasons are unclear but not solely due to climate change. As the boat grew near activity died down and the birds flew away before we could get an accurate identification, but behaviour and colouration suggested immature Herring Gull and Lesser or Great Black-backed Gull. Several Gannets were also seen here.
As the sun set slowly in the west, we saw a few Guillemots, more Gannets and Manx Shearwater but no more cetaceans.
We slipped into Poole Harbour at 20:30 as darkness fell after an enjoyable and eventful trip. Many thanks to Captain Toby Abbot and his crew for making us so welcome
David Jenner and Nick Tomalin Research Surveyors for MARINElife (Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367
Weather
Bright and clear, wind W force 2-3, sea state 2-3
Species recorded
Marine animals
- Grey seal Halichoerus grypus 1
- Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 2
- Dolphin sp. 2
- Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus 50+
Seabirds
- Herring Gull Larus argentatus 11
- Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 4
- Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 7
- Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 3
- Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 34
- Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 52
- Northern Gannet Morus bassanus 70
- Common Guillemot Uria aalge 9
- Shag Gulosus aristotelis 2
- Shearwater sp. 30
- Gull sp. 30
- Tern sp. 86