On the 28th July:
1980
An overnight drive to Porthgwarra to be there by first light, looking down from the cliff top there was a light sea mist which cleared later, we saw our first Cory's Shearwater passing fairly close to the headland as soon as we arrived at about 6.30am, a new bird for us. During the day we saw 54 Cory's Shearwaters, masses of Manx Shearwaters - 60 in the first hour, lots of Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes, 4 Balearic Shearwaters, a Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Terns, a Greenshank, a Sooty Shearwater, a Puffin and on the headland an immature Cuckoo being fed by a pair of Rock Pipits.
On the way home we called in at the Hayle Estuary seeing a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver, 13 Common Sandpipers, 60+ Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, a Ruff and a Whimbrel.
1986
1995
A two day sound recording trip to Skomer, to record Manx Shearwaters for a BBC radio programme.
Landing on the island in the morning I had the day to look around seeing a Porpoise, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, gulls, Fulmars, a Skomer Vole and a Short-eared Owl.
Later, in the evening I set up to record the arrival of Manx Shearwaters, of which there were 160,000 pairs.
Manx Shearwaters arriving on Skomer,
after dusk.
Manx Shearwater calling outside the entrance to its burrow.
Adult Manx Shearwater calling to chick in burrow,
chick calls, calls from adjacent burrows and birds outside.
Photos:
Right & below right: Puffin.
Below: Manx Shearwater.
1997
On a sound recording trip to Italy, to Stelvio National Park in the Alps.
Lammergeier.
2012
A female Montagu's Harrier was seen flying over the garden in Portishead.