Tony and I arrived at Heysham nice and early and were very helpfully and speedily guided through the new port access system and driven onto Performance by the CLdN staff, where we enjoyed a welcome breakfast.

As the vessel left the port we were escorted up to the bridge, where we were greeted with a flypast of Oystercatcher and a pair of Eider.  We were delighted to see the first of many Manx Shearwater, making a welcome return from overwintering in the South Atlantic, and more were counted south of the Isle of Man, accompanied by the occasional Gannet.
Manx Shearwater Irish Sea   Photo: Tony Marshall
The wind was consistently over 20 knots and 30-40 knots during rain squalls, but sunshine painted the Calf of Man in rich shades of brown, and brighter skies lay ahead.  A tight V-formation of eleven Guillemot and four Razorbill flew across Performance’s bow, later followed by a further flight of sixteen Guillemot, and as we approached Carlingford Lough we were treated to our first sightings of Black Guillemot by the South Cardinal Buoy.
Razorbill Irish Sea   Photo: Tony Marshall
After dinner in the Passenger Lounge as the Performance berthed at Warrenpoint, we walked along to the Whistledown Hotel where we were to stay the night.  An evening coastal walk was spent enjoying the antics of Black Guillemot which were nesting in the sea wall by the main road to Belfast, and enjoying views of Light-Bellied Brent Geese, gulls, and wading birds on the shore.

Black Guillemot Warrenpoint   Photo: Tony Marshall
Carlingford Lough was very still in the morning as the Progress sailed away from Warrenpoint, with good sightings of Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver.  Approaching the Haulbowline Lighthouse and the start of the survey, we watched the several Grey Seal that were hauled out on the skerries on the south side of the channel, together with large numbers of Shag and Cormorant.

More Great Northern Diver were seen as we sailed out into the Irish Sea, both on the sea and flying, and Gannet and Kittiwake were frequent.  We enjoyed two sightings of Common Dolphin, one a group of four heading to the bow and one solitary animal, which was close to a flock of 34 Manx Shearwater and adult and juvenile Kittiwake on the water, possibly all feeding on a shoal of fish.

After our most welcome fish and chip dinner, we returned to the bridge for a short time to be rewarded with sightings of Sandwich Tern roosting on one of the starboard channel buoys as the Progress sailed toward Heysham Port.

Common Dolphin Irish Sea   Photo: Tony Marshall
A very enjoyable and productive survey, made all the better for the warm welcome by the captains and crew of Performance and Progress and all the other CLdN staff, and our thanks to all.

Tony Marshall & Chris Lumb, Research Surveyors for MARINElife (Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367)

Weather

Outward – Overcast early, broken cloud later, good visibility reducing in rain squalls, sea state 4 rising to 6-7 south of the Isle of Man

Return – Sunny intervals, good visibility: sea state 3 rising to 4-5 south of the Isle of Man