Plymouth-Roscoff

Richard Price, Steve Hughes, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather:

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 47

Gannet Morus bassanus 40+
Common Gull Larus canus 4
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 3
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 7
Little Gull Larus minutus 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 5
Unidentified Gull sp 7
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 11+
Unidentified Auk sp 9
Lesser Black-Backed Gull Larus fuscus 20+
Greater Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus 20+

Feral Pigeon 1

Our overnight crossing southbound was very smooth and at this time of year in the morning, there was not quite enough daylight to set about our formal observations. Departure was prompt, and after leaving the harbour we were welcomed by the very helpful crew to the 'passerelle' or 'timonerie' - I am never sure which is the correct word for the bridge.

Within minutes of us being on the bridge (barely enough time to get the clip boards out), a pair of Common Dolphins were racing into bow ride, giving us brief but superb views of them. This was a good sign of things to come, since this species spends the winter in the Channel. 

Soon after the Common Dolphin, we started to encounter seabirds, predominantly Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes, with highlights being a Little Gull and a handful of impressive Great Skuas. Thereafter the trip was punctuated with views of auks and Back-Backed Gulls in pursuit of fishing vessels.

The cetacean watching was a little frustrating, as despite good light conditions the wind ruffled the water causing tiny whitecaps which made viewing of Harbour Porpoises challenging.  We know Harbour Porpoises can frequently be seen on this route, but their tiny size and undemonstrative behaviour make them difficult to spot unless the sea is mirror calm.

However as we approached the South coast of England we were rewarded with more views of a large pod of Common dolphins. This species is slightly larger than the porpoises and more demonstrative, making them easier to observe. With the crew also keeping a keen eye out, group after group started to come into the bows of the ship, energetically leaping and turning to bow ride.  It is always exciting to see these charismatic animals so close to the ship and we were privileged to encounter 47 animals during this survey.

Once again our thanks go to the staff and crew of the Armorique who made this a very enjoyable crossing.

Richard Price and Steve Hughes, Research Surveyors for MARINElife

Martin Gillingham, Rachael Stilgoe, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather: NNW-WNW 3-4

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 15
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 4

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus  1
Gannet Morus bassanus 150
European Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 10
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 6
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 7
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 7
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 5
Razorbill Alca torda 72
Unidentified Auk species 32
Commic Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 1

Unidentified Pipit Sp 26

After a long drive through the Friday rush hour it was great to see the Port of Plymouth at around 20:30.  Following a smooth check in, we dropped our gear off in our cabins and went up on deck to watch the lights of Plymouth as we were departing. Soon after, we were asleep in our cabins as we were in for an early start in the morning.

The ship had a quick turnaround for this trip so there was no time to go into Roscoff, so we had an extra hour in bed.  We were welcomed onto the Bridge at 07:00 and prepared ourselves for a prompt 07:30 departure.

We recorded a good variety of birds on the crossing with Gannets and Razorbills being the most numerous.  Highlights were a Sooty Shearwater across the bow and several Strom Petrels.  These dainty little birds are always a delight to see.  We also managed to record an Arctic and 6 Great Skua.

The sea state of NW 3-4 was making cetacean spotting tricky but mid-channel we picked up some Gannets feeding in the distance.  This can be a good indicator that cetaceans are present and sure enough as we got closer we could pick out Common Dolphin feeding below them and leaping out of the water.  Very exciting, the spectacle passed down the starboard side.  The group contained several youngsters, apparent by their smaller size.

As we carried on north we continued to log a steady stream of seabirds and a southerly passage of migrating Pipits.  Then a few miles from the Plymouth breakwater, out of nowhere some backs broke the water close to the bow of the ship.  These turned out to be porpoise, which surfaced several times and then as quickly as they appeared they were gone.  A great way to finish the survey.

Once again our thanks go to the staff and crew of L'Armorique who made this a very enjoyable crossing.

Martin Gillingham and Rachael Stilgoe, Research Surveyors for MARINElife

Steve Hughes and Abby Bruce, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather: SW 4-10; Poor visibility

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 1
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 2
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 67
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 3
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 8
Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 3
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 1
Unidentified Shearwater Sp 2
Unidentified Auk Sp 1
Unidentified Gull Sp. 60

We set sail on the Armorique from a blustery Plymouth at 8am and got straight up on the bridge to set up for the survey. 

I had been on this route once before and seen Common Dolphin so had high hopes for this trip.  The friendly crew onboard the Armorique enjoyed sharing their past marine sightings with us.  They gave us information about where they normally see dolphin, approximately 20miles off Plymouth and the Roscoff shores.   We also discussed basking sharks which are sometimes seen more coastally.  The French crew described them as whale-like sharks with big mouths.  In French they are called 'Reqin Pelerin' which translates to pilgrim shark named for the vast amount of travelling they undertake to find food.  Unfortunately viewing conditions proved difficult and no cetaceans or sharks were seen on either leg of this trip.

However the birds kept us entertained and we enjoyed watching vast numbers of Gannets dive bombing the water hunting fish with their dagger like beaks.  It was a good opportunity to learn how to age this species, from the pure white adults with distinct black wing tips to the dark speckled juveniles.  The occasional Shearwater and Fulmar graced us with their presence skimming over the waves with ease.  A couple of Great Skua's passed us too, highlighting the difference between these heavier more powerful birds compared to the slender nimble shearwaters.  A solitary Shag was also recorded as we entered Roscoff harbour.  We surveyed all the way back until the light faded at approximately 8pm and at this point we thanked the crew and left the bridge.

Perhaps not the most successful survey, in terms of cetacean seen, but a good learning curve for a trainee surveyor.

Steve Hughes and Abby Bruce, Research Surveyors for MARINElife

Michael Bamford and Maggie Gamble, MARINElife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 2

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 294+
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 19
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 176
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 1
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus 1 (juvenile)
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1 (juvenile)
Skua sp. 1 (juvenile)
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 51
Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 22
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 80
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 6
Tern Sp. 3
Large Gull Sp. 200+

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 1

MARINElife Surveyors' blog: Brittany Ferries 'Armorique' Plymouth to Roscoff survey 9th August 2011

It is the height of the holiday season, with a ship full of families and their cars, and an extra rapid turnaround in Roscoff allowing a survey on both legs of the trip.

We set off on time at 08.00, and were on the bridge before departure. The visibility was excellent, on a bright but seemingly just too windy day - the water was slightly choppy with whitecaps and as we got out into the channel a swell left over from the previous day's higher winds made viewing less than ideal.

We started with good expectations of possible sightings at this time of year - cetaceans, basking sharks, sunfish and migrating seabirds, were well on the cards. We had glimpses of 2 Harbour Porpoise. The seabirds were more obliging with several Storm Petrel and Manx Shearwater, and some larger concentrations of Fulmars some in an interesting stage of moult. One of these groups was a flock of over 200, settled on the water in the wake of a trawler, but getting up in a tight flock as we approached. Juvenile skuas gave us an interesting challenge. A well seen Arctic skua had the narrow wings and characteristic buoyant twisting flight. Another brown skua with a deeper body and more direct flight, seemed much more likely to be a juvenile Pomarine Skua , and another on the water was indeterminate, but more probably again an Arctic Skua. A solitary Great Skua (Bonxie) also put in an appearance. Some larger gulls were on the move, with a large concentration of Great Black Backed Gulls outside Plymouth harbour.

Light was fading at 8.30 pm, as we approached Plymouth, and we therefore had to leave the bridge.

Once again we were very well looked after by the crew and staff of the Armorique, and though we tried some of our rudimentary spoken French, English remains very well spoken here!

Michael Bamford and Maggie Gamble, Research Surveyors for MARINElife

Maggie Gamble and Sharon Morris, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather: Wind NE 2-3, Good visibility.

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1
Unidentified dolphin species 25 (distant group)

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 3
Gannet Morus bassanus 189
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 2
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 12
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 288
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 13
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 6
Great Skua Catharacta skua 1
Unidentified gull species 15

Swallow Hirundo rustica 1

MARINElife Surveyors' blog: Brittany Ferries 'Armorique'
Plymouth to Roscoff survey 2^nd to 3^rd July 2011

The historic harbour of Plymouth looked superb in the summer sunshine during our mid-afternoon departure for Roscoff as we commenced this month's MARINElife survey.

We were welcomed to the Bridge just prior to departure so straight away we could begin surveying the birds of the harbour and its island. Clearing the breakwater we looked hopefully for Basking Shark where they had been seen on a previous survey but apparently they have moved along the coast to Cornish waters.

Thereafter the trip was punctuated with a succession of seabirds: many Gannets; Herring Gulls; Black-backed Gulls; Fulmars and a single piratical Great Skua, which makes a living by pursuing other seabirds for their catch. Seabirds like the Gannet can cover large distances as they patrol the oceans looking for food and it's always a thrill to watch these large beautiful birds diving after fish.

About two hours out from the French coast we saw the distinctive white water splashes of a fast moving school of a small dolphin species. Unfortunately on this occasion they seemed very intent on going somewhere very fast and didn't come close enough for positive identification but they were probably Common Dolphin. This is a species that loves to bow-ride ferries and other boats when it has some leisure time for such fun activities.

Approaching Roscoff we had a glimpse of a Harbour Porpoise; these small shy cetaceans with a tendency to avoid boats are often challenging to survey. It requires good light and calm conditions to see them at all and then it's a brief view of a small back and fin as they take a quick breath. I guess that is why, as MARINElife surveyors, we enjoy seeing them so much!

Finishing the survey it was time for a quick snack and then retire to our cabins for the overnight return trip.

As ever our thanks go to the staff and crew of the Armorique who make us welcome and enable us to continue these vital data-gathering surveys.

Maggie Gamble and Sharon Morris, Research Surveyors for MARINElife

Rick Morris, Doug Herdson, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather: NE 1-3, Good visibility

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 4
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1
Unidentified Dolphin species 2

Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 1

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 8
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 4
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 5
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 20
Gannet Morus bassanus 105
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 4
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 58
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 12
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 2
Unidentified Gull species 10
Unidentified Auk species 1

Maggie Gamble, MARINElife Research Surveyor
Weather: N 4-6, Moderate visibility with occasional rain

Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus 1 (just outside the Plymouth breakwater and reportedly present for several days)

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 8
Gannet Morus bassanus 235
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 5
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 34
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 4
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2
'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 5
Black Tern Chlidonias niger 1
Puffin Fratercula arctica 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 3
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 5
Unidentified Shearwater species 1
Unidentified Auk species 3

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 16

Steve Hughes and Rick Morris, MARINElife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 6
Gannet Morus bassanus 54
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 2
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 3
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 3
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
Auk Sp. 2
Gull Sp. 9

Michael Bamford, Richard Price, MARINElife Research Surveyors
Weather: NE-NNE 4-5

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 6 Bow-riding

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 42
Gannet Morus bassanus 191
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 2
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 7
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 17
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1
Little Gull Larus minutus 3
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 11
Puffin Fratercula arctica 5
Guillemot Uria aalge 4
Unidentified Large Gull species 250+
Unidentified Auk species 9

Turnstone Arenaria interpres 1
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 1

Heather Fowle, Graham Oliver, MARINElife Research Surveyors

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 3
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 37

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 151
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 2
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 10
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 7
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 37
Guillemot Uria aalge 12
Unidentified Auk Species 20
Unidentified Skua Species 1

Carol Greig, Kathryn Driscoll, MARINElife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 11
Unidentified Dolphin species 1 (dead)

European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 322
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 9
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 5
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 2
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 5
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 7

Michael Bamford, Graham Oliver, MARINElife Research Surveyors

Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 4
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 86

Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 5
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 7
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 5
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 8
Gannet Morus bassanus 322
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 4
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 7
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 13
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 12
'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 1
Unidentified Large Gull Sp. 13

Heather Fowle, Sean Minns, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 4
Unidentified Whale species 1

Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 8
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 27
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 384
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 4
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 8
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
Unidentified Gull species 1

Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1
Feral Pigeon Columba livia 1
Unidentified Egret species 7

Darren Fanner, Kevin Flanagan, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 1
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 27
Gannet Morus bassanus 232
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 12
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 15
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 3
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 2
Unidentified Tern species 2
Unidentified Auk species 1
Unidentified Gull species 32

Heather Fowle, David Foot, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 16
Unidentified Dolphin species 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 14
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 46
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 2
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 427
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 2
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 69
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 18
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 24
Razorbill Alca torda 1
Feral Pigeon Columba livia 2
Unidentified Tern species 1

Michael Bamford, Vincent Green, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 22
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 193
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 7
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 9
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 9
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 4
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 10
'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 6
Guillemot Uria aalge 10
Unidentified Tern species 4

John Down, Sharon Morris, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 3

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 92
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 49
Gannet Morus bassanus 141
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 9
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 5
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 12
Guillemot Uria aalge 6
Merlin Falco columbarius 1
Unidentified Auk species 10

Martin Gillingham, Rick Morris, Marinelife Research Surveyors
Weather: NE-NW 1-3

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 13
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 24
Gannet Morus bassanus 128
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 5
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 80
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 22
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 23
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 35
Puffin Fratercula arctica 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 19
Razorbill Alca torda 7
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata 1
Unidentified Auk species 8

Hugh Venables, Steve Hughes, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 3
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 3
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 2
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 9
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 5
Gannet Morus bassanus 304
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 12
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1

Heather Fowle, David Foot, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 8 (probable)
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 11
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 12
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 9
Gannet Morus bassanus 138
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 10
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 50
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 3
'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 3

Darren Fanner, Ian Paynter, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 1
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 3 (Possible)
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 2

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 7
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 15
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 3
Gannet Morus bassanus 149
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 3
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 3
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 3
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 39
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 17
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 15
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 4
Guillemot Uria aalge 3
Unidentified Gull species 11

Hugh Venables, Marinelife Research Surveyor

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 8

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 8
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 51
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 294
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 5
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 679
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 6
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 7
'Commic' Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 1

Darren Fanner, Marinelife Research Surveyor

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 13
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 111
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 3
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 4
Guillemot Uria aalge 3
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 3
Unidentified Auk species 1
Unidentified Gull species 6

Duncan Fyfe, David Chilcott, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 12

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 109
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 19
Gannet Morus bassanus 374
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 3
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 1
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 11
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 6
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 28
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 6
Guillemot Uria aalge 56
Razorbill Alca torda 11
Unidentified Shearwater species 1
Unidentified Tern species 2
Unidentified Auk species 26
Unidentified Gull species 111

Darren Fanner, Kathryn Driscoll, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 7
Unidentified Dolphin species 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 635
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2
Unidentified Shearwater species 2
Unidentified Gull species 30

Heather Fowle, Kathryn Driscoll, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 33
Gannet Morus bassanus 122
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 2
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 5
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 4
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 2
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 5
Unidentified Tern species 2
Unidentified Gull species 1

Martin Gillingham, John Down, Marinelife Research Surveyors
Seastate 3-4

Ocean Sunfish Mola mola 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 5
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 1
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 2
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 15
Gannet Morus bassanus 60
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 4
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 8
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 1

Fiona McNie, Marinelife Research Surveyor

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 3

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 4
Unidentified Shearwater species 4
Gannet Morus bassanus 37
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 1

Heather Fowle, Carley Elson, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 7
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 5
Gannet Morus bassanus 144
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 4
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 1
Common Gull Larus canus 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 4

Peter Howlett, Claudia Strauss, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 81
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 206 (over 160 of them were in 2 loose groups 20 miles south of Plymouth)
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 74
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 8
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 1
Little Gull Larus minutus 5
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 5
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 22
Razorbill Alca torda 3
Unidentified Auk species 16

Casual record in Roscoff harbour
Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus 1

Darren Fanner, Karen Anderson, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 2
Unidentified Dolphin species 3

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 1
Gannet Morus bassanus 45
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 10
Unidentified Auk species 2
Unidentified Gull species 8

Fraser Paterson, Dave Chilcott, Marinelife Research Surveyors

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 13

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 6
Gannet Morus bassanus 60
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 4
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 14
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 12
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 13
Sabine's Gull Larus sabini 1 (probable)
Guillemot Uria aalge 158
Unidentified Gull species 4
Unidentified Auk species 3
Unidentified Shearwater species 1

Gayle Wootton, David Chilcott, BDRP Research Surveyors

Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 1

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 14
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 9
Gannet Morus bassanus 141
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 5
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 28
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 4
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 9
Sabine's Gull Larus sabini 1
Unidentified Skua species 2
Unidentified Tern species 1
Unidentified Gull species 2

Hugh Venables, David Chilcott, BDRP Research Surveyors

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 5
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 8

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 10
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 2
Gannet Morus bassanus 509
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 3
Great Skua Stercorarius skua 8
Parasitic (Arctic) Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 1
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 2
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 6
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 259
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 32
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 1
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 11
Unidentified Tern species 4

Jenny Haley, Fiona McNie, BDRP Research Surveyors

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 5

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 11
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 5
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 5
Gannet Morus bassanus 99
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 3
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 58
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 6
Unidentified Tern species 3

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1

Clive Martin, Rachael Portnall, Doug Herdson, BDRP Research Surveyors

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 2
Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena 5

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 3
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 6
Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 12
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus 211
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 13
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 8
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 3
European Shag Phalocrocorax carbo 4
Unidentified Auk species 1
Unidentified Gull species 3

Hugh Venables, John Gregory, BDRP Research Surveyors

Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata 2

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 26
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 3
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 1
Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 13
Gannet Morus bassanus 382
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 11
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 2
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 440
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 32
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 16
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 8
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 1
Guillemot Uria aalge 1

Common Swift Apus apus 3
Swallow Hirundo rustica 1
House Martin Delichon urbica 1
Unidentified Butterfly species 1

Darren Fanner, Ann-Marie Barnard, BDRP Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 11
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 7
Gannet Morus bassanus 79
Common Gull Larus canus 1
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 4
Feral Pigeon Columba livia 1
Unidentified Gull species 5

Darren Fanner, Heather Fowle, BDRP Research Surveyors

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 29
Gannet Morus bassanus 143
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 35
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 1
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 3
Guillemot Uria aalge 45
Razorbill Alca torda 1
Unidentified Gull species 8
Unidentified Tern species 3
Unidentified Auk species 21

Amanda Hyam, Andrea Contina, BDRP Research Surveyors

Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 5

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 2
Gannet Morus bassanus 3
Herring Gull Larus argentatus 3
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 9
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 3
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 4
Guillemot Uria aalge 24
Unidentified Gull species 23