I travelled down to Bideford from the Midlands to help carry out this month’s survey aboard the MS Oldenburg, wondering if the trip would go ahead: the forecast was for a brisk south westerly breeze and maybe some rain later. The Oldenburg is made of stern stuff however, and in fact the conditions were moderate, with good visibility throughout the outward survey period. Groups of Manx Shearwater drifted across the ship’s bow, swooping in and out of the swell, a few Gannet of different ages and a juvenile Kittiwake were seen too.
With a minimum of fuss, we were alongside the landing stage and then off up the hill for a few hours of walking and birdwatching – it’s a couple of years since I’ve been to Lundy, so I was excited to stroll along the familiar east side paths (out of the wind!) and enjoy the fabulous views. There was talk of a Wryneck having been seen earlier in the day, but it didn’t seem to be around when we were there. Instead, we had good views of a Pied Flycatcher, hopping between an old tree and the rock face. Then, as we sat on a rock eating our sandwiches, we followed a distant altercation between a family of Raven and a Peregrine Falcon. The dispute seemed to be over the prime seaward perch at the top of the cliff, and this time the Peregrine claimed it back.
The conditions for the return leg of the survey were slightly quieter but with poorer visibility, and the threat of rain followed us all the way back to Bideford. Rather surprisingly, sightings were better than in the morning, with the highlight being a Great Skua seen resting on the water, then flying around the bow and away. Several groups of Guillemot in their winter plumage were resting on the water, and a number of Gannet, again of different ages, were seen. A solitary dolphin was glimpsed about halfway through the survey period, but unfortunately, we couldn’t be sure of the species. We heard reports of three Common Dolphin being seen by others on the ship and were sorry not to see them too.
As we slowed to go over the Bideford Bar, we saw a fairly distant group of around 15 Common Scoter flying offshore, and a little later a flock of some 100 Oystercatcher doing the same. Then we were into the river once again – this time the Little Egret were back in their usual tree (they were elsewhere this morning), a few Redshank were spotted on the far bank, and soon the Oldenburg was back on her berth. A parade of massed pipes and drums was marching up the street, but they may have been there for the Bideford Carnival and not for us! We thanked Captain Jason and his crew for their hospitality and made our way ashore to join the throng along the Quay.
Judith Tatem and Jenny Ball, Research Surveyors for MARINElife Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367
Weather
Outward: good visibility but overcast conditions, wind SW 5
Inward: low cloud, some light rain, wind SW 5
Species recorded
Marine mammals
- Dolphin sp. 1
Seabirds
- Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 2
- Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 15
- Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2
- Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 1
- Gannet Morus bassanus 11
- Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
- Guillemot Uria aalge 34
- Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2
- Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 3
- Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1
- Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 99
- Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 100
- Shag Gulosus aristotelis 1