Survey Route: Heysham – Dublin

Another exceptional Irish Sea survey with numerous encounters with Common Dolphin and Harbour Porpoise, together with many migrating Manx Shearwater and a several Storm Petrel, much to the astonishment of James Nock on his first survey with MARINElife!

A windy crossing produced some spectacular flying skills from a pair of Manx Shearwater, while Dublin held good numbers of seabirds sheltering from the winds.

Several exciting encounters with Common Dolphin pods throughout the survey, and an unexpected record of two very rare Roseate Terns in Dublin Port, marked this out as an exceptional Irish Sea survey.

June can be quiet for seabird sightings when nesting is in action, but Puffin sightings and a playful pod of Common Dolphins provided some excitement for the survey team!

Good numbers of Manx Shearwater, Guillemot, Razorbill, and Kittiwake made this a notable survey, with the added thrill of excellent encounters with Bottlenose Dolphin and Common Dolphin, as well as a remarkable view of a Great Northern Diver!

Although the weather forecast for this crossing did not reflect the eventual rough conditions experienced by the vessel, the MARINElife survey team stuck out the trying times and recorded some exciting encounters with Common Dolphin!

A quiet crossing with extended periods of rain, but encouraging movements of auks through the Irish Sea gave a hint of Spring!

Dull weather conditions made observation difficult, but the survey had a satisfying end with some Common Dolphins performing agile leaps!

With seabird numbers beginning to drop as the autumn progresses, it was very good to record Great Skua and Arctic Skua as these birds moved to more southern waters.

Late summer movements of Manx Shearwater, massed gull sightings in Dublin, and plenty of Guillemot adult-and-juvenile encounters typified this productive survey.