2005 CETACEAN SIGHTINGS
14 - 17 September 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
13 Fin Whales, 26 Large Rorquals, 1 unidentified beaked Whale, 8 Pilot Whales, 123 Common Dolphins, 17 Striped Dolphins, 8 Bottlenose Dolphins, 11 unidentified dolphins and 3 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 500 Great Shearwaters, 460 Cory's Shearwaters, 4 Little Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 43 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters. 3 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua and 23 Bonxies. Migrants recorded onboard the ship included a Reed Warbler and a Turtle Dove. In Spain we recorded a good selection of migrants including Firecrests, Whinchats, Pied Flycatchers and Wheatears.
8 - 11 September 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Heavy swells made viewing difficult in the Bay, although a period of calm weather in between fronts in the Southwest Approaches gave us a record Harbour Porpoise count! 2 Fin Whales, 20 Large Rorquals, 1 Minke Whale, 1 probable Cuvier's beaked Whale, 6 Pilot Whales, 560 Common Dolphins, 50 Striped Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 5 unidentified dolphins, a staggering total of 115 Harbour Porpoise, 2 Ocean Sunfish and a Blue Shark. Seabirds included 277 Great Shearwaters, 109 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Little Shearwater, 5 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 41 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Sabine's Gulls, 45 Storm Petrels, 6 Arctic Skuas and 4 Bonxies. In Spain we recorded 50 Griffon Vultures, 2 Short-toed Eagles, Booted Eagle, Hobby, 3 Red-backed Shrikes, Melodious and Sardinian Warblers and 40+ Pied Flycatchers.
5 - 8 September 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
35 Fin Whales, 93 Large Rorquals, 2 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 4 unidentified Mesoplodons (Sowerby's types), 41 Pilot Whales, 1100 Common Dolphins, 40 Striped Dolphins, 45 Bottlenose Dolphins, 3 Risso's Dolphins, 70 unidentified dolphins, 6 Harbour Porpoise and 1 Atlantic Flying Fish. Seabirds included 423 Great Shearwaters, 738 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Little Shearwater, 15 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwater, 15 Sooty Shearwaters, 6 Sabine's Gulls, 16 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas and 5 Grey Phalaropes. Migrants recorded on the ship included Blackcap, Wheatear, 5 Tree Pipits and a Willow Warbler. Once again we recorded a good selection of migrant and resident birds during our morning in Spain. Highlights were a Goshawk, 55 Griffon Vultures, Wryneck, 3 Red-backed Shrikes, 5 Whinchats, 20 Tree Pipits and 40+ Pied Flycatchers. Butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Adonis Blue, Geranium Bronze and Tree Grayling.
2 - 5 September 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
22 Fin Whales, 35 Large Rorquals, 1 Sei Whale, 4 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 12 Pilot Whales, 500 Common Dolphins, 400 Striped Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Ocean Sunfish and 1 Basking Shark. Seabirds included 200 Great Shearwaters, 180+ Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Sabine's Gull, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Storm Petrels, 6 Bonxies and 2 Arctic Skuas. Migrants recorded on the ship included Reed, Garden and Willow Warbler plus a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. In Spain we recorded a good selection of migrant and resident birds, the highlights being Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle, 6 Red-backed Shrikes, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 20+ Pied Flycatchers and 12 Spotted Flycatchers. Butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Adonis Blue, Brown Argus, Geranium Bronze and Tree Grayling.
30 August - 2 September 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
26 Fin Whales, 22 Large Rorquals, 2 Minke Whales, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 237 Common Dolphins, 90 Striped Dolphins, 3 unidentified whales, 82 unidentified dolphins and 3 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 1920 Great Shearwaters, 750 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Little Shearwater, 102 Sooty Shearwaters, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 16 Storm Petrels and 1 Grey Phalarope. In Spain we recorded a good selection of migrant and resident birds, the highlights being Booted Eagle, 2 Honey Buzzards, Nightingale, 20+ Pied Flycatchers, Whinchat and 8 Red-backed Shrikes. Butterflies included Cleopatra, Large Skipper, Brown Argus, Long-tailed Blue, Tree Grayling and Bath White.
27 - 30 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
The undoubted highlight of this trip was an encounter with 3 Sowerby's beaked Whales in the Southern Bay - a first for The Company of Whales! The animals surfaced very close to us and were photographed by our guides and guests. This exciting encounter represents one of only a handful in which the animals have been observed and photographed alive at sea.
Sowerby's is a small, slim whale, reminiscent in shape to an elongated dolphin. The dorsal fin is small, falcate and situated two-thirds of the way between the head and the tail. The upper surface is uniformly brown to grey, becoming paler towards the belly, and the eyes are often encircled by a dark patch. As with all beaked whales, identification at sea based on current knowledge, is dependent upon observation of the head. The rounded forehead tapers to a slender beak, the length of which, although variable, is longer than the other beaked whales. The beak often breaks the water at a steep angle on surfacing and the observer must concentrate on this feature in an attempt to clinch identification. The only known diagnostic feature for this species at sea is the two flattened teeth that protrude mid-way along the lower jaw in adult males. The animals were observed over the shelf edge of the Bay of Biscay in water depths of around 800m. This is a region which is known to be of great importance for several beaked whale species. Sowerby's Beaked Whale is restricted to the northern North Atlantic, with the majority of sightings being at latitudes between the Canary Islands and the Arctic Circle. The Bay of Biscay is considered to be towards the southernmost limit of the species' range. The status of Sowerby's Beaked Whale in the European Atlantic remains poorly known, but these few records suggest that it is the most frequently occurring Mesoplodon species in the region Interestingly, this record mirrors two possible Sowerby's which were recorded by our team on the 12 - 15 August 2005 trip.
We also recorded 15 Fin Whales, 25+ Large Rorquals, 3 Minke Whales, 4 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 322 Common Dolphins, 110 Striped Dolphins, 80 Bottlenose Dolphins, 30 Harbour Porpoise, 3 Ocean Sunfish and several hundred tuna. Seabirds included 851 Great Shearwaters, 768 Cory's Shearwaters, 2 Little Shearwaters, 15 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Storm Petrels, 7 Black Terns, 3 Bonxies and 1 Arctic Skua. In Spain we recorded a good selection of migrant and resident birds, the highlights being Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Hen Harrier, 10 Little Egrets, 12 Red-backed Shrikes, Hoopoe, Tawny Pipit, 4 Sardinian Warblers and 20+ Pied Flycatchers. Butterflies included Swallowtail, Brown Argus, Mallow Skipper and Tree Grayling.
24 - 27 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
1 Sperm Whale (our first since June 2005), 10 Fin Whales, 9 Large Rorquals, 1 Minke Whale, 15 Pilot Whales, 36 Common Dolphins, 26 Striped Dolphins, 15 Bottlenose Dolphins and 8 Harbour Porpoise. Seabirds included 44 Great Shearwaters, 144 Cory's Shearwaters, 2 Little Shearwaters, 13 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 25 Storm Petrels and 1 Sabine's Gull.. Migrants seen on or from the ship included a Turtle Dove and a Wheatear. In Spain we recorded a good selection of migrant and resident birds, the highlights being 6 Red-backed Shrikes, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and a Cirl Bunting.
21 - 24 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
17 Fin Whales, 20 Large Rorquals, 1 Minke Whale, 670 Common Dolphins, 4 Striped Dolphins, 120 Bottlenose Dolphins, 3 unidentified dolphins and 4 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds were superb and included 1194 Great Shearwaters (including a flock of one thousand birds), 789 Cory's Shearwaters, 3 Little Shearwaters, 7 Sooty Shearwaters, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 1 Grey Phalarope, 34 Storm Petrels, 5 Sabine's Gulls, 15 Black Terns and 7 Arctic Terns. In Spain we recorded a Wryneck, 11 Red-backed Shrikes, Spotted Flycatchers, Melodious Warblers, Whinchat, Wheatear, Fan-tailed Warblers, Serin and Black Redstart.
18 - 21 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
The trip was adversely affected by our late departure from Portsmouth and poor weather. 3 Fin Whales 13 Large Rorquals, 3 Minke Whales, 1 probable Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 35 Common Dolphins, 12 Striped Dolphins, 3 Bottlenose Dolphins, 19 Harbour Porpoise and 20 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 350 Cory's, 35 Great and 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Sabine's Gull, 7 Black Terns, 1 Arctic Tern and 25 Storm Petrels. The highlight onboard the ship was a freshly emerged Migrant Hawker dragonfly. In Spain, there were several migrants on the 'hill' including 3 Pied Flycatchers, 5 Willow Warblers, 1 Wryneck, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and 1 Whitethroat.
15 - 18 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
1 Fin Whale, 4 Minke Whales, 1 large rorqual, 96 Harbour Porpoise, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins, 504 Common Dolphins including a large number of mothers with young calves, 21 Ocean Sunfish, 2 Basking Sharks and 2 probable Tope Sharks. Seabirds included 54 Cory's Shearwaters, 4 Great Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 adult Sabine's Gull, 1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 2 Little Egrets and 1 Greenshank. On board ship were a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and a Turtle Dove. In Spain highlights included juvenile Woodchat Shrike, adult and juvenile Tawny Pipits, lots of Red-backed Shrikes and 7 Griffon Vultures. 23 species of butterfly were spotted including Cleopatra, Mallow Skipper, Swallowtail and lots of Geranium Bronze. We also recorded 2 Praying Mantis
12 - 15 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
8 Fin Whales, 9 Minke Whales, 17 large rorquals, 4 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 2 possible Sowerby's beaked Whales, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins, 140 Common Dolphins, 20 Striped Dolphins, 24 Harbour Porpoise. Other marine life included a staggering total of 25 Basking Sharks - our highest count so far in 2005, 4 Tope and 3 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 38 Cory's Shearwaters, 7 Great Shearwaters, 1 Little Shearwater, 5 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 1 Sabine's Gull, 25 Storm Petrels, 7 Common Scoter and 5 Black Terns. In Spain, highlights on the hill included 7 Griffon Vultures and a Wryneck. Butterflies included Lang's Short-tailed Blue, Swallowtails and Geranium Bronze.
9 - 12 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
2 Fin Whales, 19 unidentified large rorquals, 2 Minke Whales, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 525 Common Dolphins, 1030 Striped Dolphins, 35 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 37 Harbour Porpoise, 6 Ocean Sunfish and 2 Yellow-finned Tuna. Birds included 51 Cory's Shearwaters, 23 Great Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 15 Storm Petrels, 3 Griffon Vultures, 1 Grey Phalarope, 7 Great Skuas, 1 juvenile Long Tailed Skua and 7 Red-backed Shrikes.
6 - 9 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
26 Fin Whales, 17 unidentified large rorquals, 4 Minke Whales, 3 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 4 unidentified Beaked Whales, 13 Bottlenose Dolphins, 777 Common Dolphins, 95 Striped Dolphins, 111 unidentified dolphins, 5 Risso's Dolphins, 112 Harbour Porpoise. Seabirds seen from the ship included good totals of 120 Cory's and 306 Great as well as 8 Manx, 1 Balearic and 5 Sooty Shearwater and 100+ Storm Petrels. The walk in Spain produced some interesting birds including Hoopoe, Montagu's Harrier and Tawny Pipit plus 16 species of butterfly including Berger's Clouded Yellow, Long-tailed Blue and Brown Argus.
3 - 6 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
10 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 10 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 1 Pilot Whale, 20 unidentified large rorquals, 143 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 344 Common Dolphins, 321 Striped Dolphins, 28 Harbour Porpoise, 2 unidentified dolphin sp., 1 unidentified beaked whale, 24 Ocean Sunfish, 1 Basking Shark and 1 Tope Shark. Seabirds included 27 Great Shearwaters, 5 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 10 Storm Petrels. In Spain the bird highlights were 2 Tawny Pipits. Butterflies included Tree Grayling, Red-underwing Skipper, Swallowtail, Adonis Blue and Short-tailed Blue.
31 July - 3 August 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
20 Fin Whales, 3 Minke Whales, 4 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 1 probable Sei Whale, 20 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 3,000 Common Dolphins, 300 Striped Dolphins, 2 Harbour Porpoise, 6 Ocean Sunfish and 1 Turtle sp. Seabirds included Cory's Shearwaters, Manx Shearwaters, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Black Tern and Turnstone. Other wildlife on the ship included a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. In Spain we recorded Griffon Vulture, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Red-backed Shrike, Sardinian Warbler and Melodious Warbler.
28 - 31 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
5 Fin Whales, 13 large rorquals, 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 195 Common Dolphins, 10 Striped Dolphins, 5 Pilot Whales, 1 Harbour Porpoise, 6 unidentified dolphins, 14 Ocean Sunfish and 1 unidentified beaked whale.. Seabirds included 30 Fulmar, 100 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Great Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 35 Storm Petrels, 3 Great Skua, 2 Kittiwake, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern, 1 Commic Tern and 1 Guillemot. Birds seen on or from the ship included 1 Ringed Plover and 1 Whimbrel.
25 - 28 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
6 Fin Whales, 5 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 64 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 45 Common Dolphins, 110 Striped Dolphins, 2 Pilot Whales, 3 Harbour Porpoise, 4 probable Risso's Dolphins, 4 large rorquals, 60+ Tuna sp. and 1 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 8 Fulmar, 8 Cory's Shearwaters, 31 Great Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 10 Storm Petrels, 4 Common Scoter, 2 Great Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Common Terns and 1 Arctic Tern. Birds seen on or from the ship included 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Dunlin, 6 Swifts, 5 Swallows and 1 Wheatear. In addition 1 unidentified bumble bee landed on the ship
22 - 25 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
The undoubted highlight of the trip was an adult Blue Whale in the Southern Bay which surfaced seven times allowing good views. 5 Fin Whale, 12 large rorquals, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 2 unidentified beaked whales, 20 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 103 Common Dolphins, 2 Pilot Dolphins, 15 unidentified dolphins, 1 Yellow-fin Tuna and 17 Ocean Sunfish. Birds seen from the ship included 30 Fulmar, 11 Cory's Shearwaters, 3 Great Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Manx Shearwater, 7 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 25 Storm Petrels, 1 probable Wilson's Storm Petrel, 14 Whimbrel, 1 Great Skua, 4 Kittiwakes and 1 Common Tern. In Spain we recorded a good assortment of birds including a Tawny Pipit, a juvenile Woodchat Shrike, a Sardinian Warbler, a Melodious Warbler and 4 Griffon Vulture. We also saw 18 species of butterfly including Swallowtail, Long-tailed Blue, Grayling and large numbers of Clouded Yellow. We also recorded a Praying Mantis.
16 - 19 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
1 Fin Whale, 2 large rorquals, 1 Minke Whale, 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 125 Common Dolphins, 5 Striped Dolphins, 20 unidentified dolphins, 2 Basking Sharks. Seabirds seen from the ship included 11 Cory's Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 10 Storm Petrels, 30 Common Scoter, 2 Mallard and 2 Swifts. In Spain the birding highlight was a Tawny Pipit. Butterflies included a Bath White, hundreds of Marbled Whites and hundreds of Clouded Yellows.
13 - 16 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
3 Fin Whales, 2 large rorquals, 7 Minke Whales, 66 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 60 Common Dolphins, 109 Striped Dolphins, 38 Harbour Porpoise, 5 probable Risso's Dolphins, 4 unidentified dolphins, 2 Basking Sharks and 3 Ocean Sunfish. An excellent assortment of butterflies in Spain included hundreds of Marbled Whites, Large Chequered Skippers and Swallowtails.
10 - 13 July 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
11 Fin Whales, 7 large rorquals, 3 Minke Whales, 8 Pilot Whales, 37 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 278 Common Dolphins, 180 Striped Dolphins, 262 unidentified dolphins, 4 Basking Sharks and 3 Ocean Sunfish. Migrant birds seen on or from the ship included 4 Crossbills and a Sanderling. Crossbills are currently 'irrupting' westwards so hopefully we'll witness more! In Spain we recorded Melodious Warblers, Black Kite and Cirl Bunting. An excellent assortment of butterflies included Large Chequered Skipper, Cleopatra, Marbled White and Swallowtail.
25 - 28 June 2005 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
41 Bottlenose Dolphins, 207 Common Dolphins, 665 Striped Dolphins, 7 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 2 Basking Sharks and 71 unidentified dolphin. Seabirds included 90 Cory's Shearwaters. In Spain we recorded 5 Griffon Vultures, 3 Honey Buzzards, 1 Red Kite, 1 Black Kite, 2 Wryneck, 1 Red-backed Shrike and 17 species of butterfly.
7 - 13 June 2005 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa
Leaders Dylan Walker and Trevor Codlin
Our first full day began with beautiful clear skies and high pressure, so once we had finished our welcome talk we all headed eagerly out to our whale-watching platform to begin the day's viewing. Unfortunately a stiff north-easterly breeze was soon upon us, making viewing very difficult and whipping the sea up to a state of five or six. Gannets hung in the wind, whilst Fulmars drifted effortlessly among the waves then a lone Cory's Shearwater appeared keeping just ahead of the boat for a while before heading off. The afternoon was fairly slow, with the same few Gannets following the boat and the odd Fulmar passing, suddenly a group of six Bottle-nosed Dolphins appeared, leaping joyfully out of the water, or jumping in a circular formation. The day ended with a small group of Common Dolphins racing excitedly in towards the bow, allowing those who had stayed up brief but close views.
The following morning we disembarked the ship and headed off towards the Picos de Europa. We stopped at the Salmon viewpoint for a brief rest and were rewarded with excellent views of a number of bird and butterfly species. Two Egyptian Vultures soared gracefully overhead, contrasting with the perfectly blue sky and offering an excellent opportunity to compare them with the mass of Griffon Vultures. Alpine Choughs, Blackcaps and Crag Martins were all present and the jangling call of the Serin was highly prominent as the males displayed with distinctive parachute flight.
On arriving at the Parador we were greeted with a late lunch, after which we headed out for a stroll in the meadow at the rear of the hotel. The superabundant wildlife in this fantastic site makes it impossible to walk for more than 10 minutes over a couple of hours. The wildflowers here are nothing less than spectacular, with the headline grabbers inevitably going to the orchids, which included Burnt, Man, Early Purple and Sawfly. With a string of nectar restaurants on tap, we were talking insect heaven, with Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Small Blue, Adonis Blue, Black-veined White, Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy Fritillary all on-tap. As we listened to the subtle differences between Garden Warbler and Blackcap songs as they blasted away in nearby bushes, we noticed an extremely close Chamois just above the tree line. Although it was moulting, the zorro-style black facemask and prominent horns were clear to see. Finally, we watched Buzzards, Griffon Vultures and Kestrels soaring over the cauldron-like cliffs above the hotel, before retiring for dinner.
This was a day for high expectations on the high tops. We took the first cable car to the high mountainous plateau and into the alpine zone of the Urrieles range. Our primary target was the enigmatic Wallcreeper. Our first glimpse came as we stared up at a steep escarpment. A Wallcreeper fluttered high above us like an enormous butterfly, its red tinged wings translucent in the sun. What a start! Continuing towards our lunch spot, we encountered Snow Finches, Water Pipits, Wheatears and Alpine Choughs. We stopped for lunch at an area where we had last seen some Wallcreeper activity and were immediately rewarded with close but brief views, as one flitted from rock to rock before heading back up the cliff face. We continued to watch it cling effortlessly to the rock surface, continually flicking its crimson wings to the delight of us all, before returning to a tiny hole. After a fulfilling lunch, in more ways than one, we headed back towards the cable car, stopping briefly to look at the assembled masses of Alpine Newts, and were afforded stunning views of a group of Alpine Accentors. Griffon Vultures and Alpine Choughs came close to as if to say a fond farewell as we climbed aboard the cable car for the gentle ride down.
Day four began at first light with a look at the lights outside the hotel for moths, Orange Footman, Pale Tussock and Scarce Silver Lines were all present with Campion, Dew Moth and Buff Tip amongst the others making up the numbers. We then headed up the track for a leisurely early morning stroll. The woods were fairly quiet bird-wise, but the highlight was a group five Red Squirrels feeding on the path. This European race has a more chocolate brown coloured coat than our British one. As we watched them going about their feeding they seemed impervious to our presence and continued to search the leaf litter for tasty morsels.
After breakfast we headed to the old church at Santa Maria. We arrived just as the air was warm enough for the resident Griffon Vultures to launch themselves into the warm thermals. Before long a lone Booted Eagle eased itself higher and higher followed by a pair of Short-toed eagles. They soared together with their talons hanging down, grappled with each other briefly before drifting off. A Red-backed Shrike casually watched us from a distant field while Alpine and Common Swifts performed aerial manoeuvres overhead. Suddenly a Wryneck with a beakful of food, landed on a post no more than twenty feet away providing us all with excellent views before flying off to its nest hole nearby.
After a relaxing time wandering around the meadows looking at butterflies, plants and insects, we climbed back on board our chariots, just as a bolt of lightening hit the peaks opposite. We stopped at a roadside lay-by for lunch and were immediately greeted by the song of Western Bonelli's warbler and Cirl Bunting. Sloe Hairstreaks, Marbled Whites and a single scarce Swallowtail fluttered from flower to flower feeding on the abundant of nectar.
Our next destination was the Mirador de san Glorio, an excellent site providing a stunningly panoramic view back down the valley towards Potes, as we stood enjoying the dramatic scenery another flash of lightening struck the hillside opposite. It was a strange feeling to be stood in glorious sunshine on one side of the valley watching the awesome power of nature as one bolt after another struck the hillsides. Chapman's Ringlet, a rare and local species of Butterfly provided the entertainment for many. We had seen brief views when we first stopped at the viewpoint, but a mating pair allowed close views and an ideal opportunity to photograph this localised species. A brief stop in Potes for a much needed ice cream and some retail therapy for those who wanted it, and then back to the hotel for a freshen up before dinner.
After an early morning start, we said our fond farewells and departed the Parador to begin our journey back to Bilbao. Once back on board the Pride of Bilbao, we assumed our position on our whale-watching platform ready for a full day's watching. It was not long before we were heading out of port, towards the open sea and the deep-water canyons where our quarry lurked. Dolphins were the first with large groups feeding in association with Northern Gannets, ignoring us as we passed close by. A young Fin Whale appeared just in front providing incredibly close views before turning sharply and powering off into the distance. Suddenly a flurry of activity in front caught our eye, a group of at least eight Cuvier's beaked Whales were circling repeatedly, their blows visible as they worked hard keeping a tight pack. A single white-headed male lifted his beak and suddenly they dived. As we headed on north they surfaced again, keeping the same formation, tightly circling almost as if protecting something in the middle. More dolphins appeared keeping the interest levels high; Common Dolphins racing in to ride the bow and Striped Dolphins energetically playing in the wake as we passed. A Sperm Whale blow was picked up briefly, but as the day drew on our weary clients steadily made their way downstairs for some much-needed nourishment and a warm drink.
For those of us remaining, we watched the sun slowly sinking, but kept an eye on the sea. Suddenly a rorqual blow was seen, its size accentuated by the low sun. As we studied intently a Fin Whale came into view, then another, then two more blows this time further back, one larger than the other and more bushy than the Fin Whales. Our suspicions were of a mother and calf Sperm Whale but I guess we will have to wonder about that one. A final encounter with some close Common Dolphins rounded off what had been an exciting and action packed day.
Our final day was spent in the English Channel, so we rose early. Almost immediately a single Harbour Porpoise appeared in front of the boat before heading off. A feeding flock of Northern Gannets again attracted our attention, the large splashes underneath indicated dolphin activity. As we drew closer we were rewarded with excellent views of a group of at least sixty animals, of which at least ten were calves. Our cetacean encounters dried up as we headed further and further up the channel, Northern Gannets drifted overhead while Fulmars flew effortlessly close to the waves. A group of Manx Shearwaters briefly flew in front of the boat, but it was soon time to head down below and say a sad farewell to our guests and our whale-watching platform.
23 - 29 May 2005 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa
Leaders Matt Hobbs and Mike Weedon
May 23, 2005
For the third time in 2005, Matt and Mike greeted a new group of Company of Whales travelers, for our next great adventure. Things did not start perfectly with a slight delay to the departure, but we soon settled into some eating, drinking and getting-to-knowing on-board the Pride of Bilbao.
May 24, 2005
After Matt had whet our appetites with his introductory talk and slides, showing the animals and plant of the Picos de Europa and sealife of the Bay, we hit the decks with expectation. However, rather 'fresh' conditions, combined with minor problems with the mighty ferry's stabilizers (which prevent rolling!), meant we did not get up to the famed Monkey Island area until early afternoon.
It is always best, when watching wildlife, not to get all the good stuff first, so it was just as well that the only cetaceans that this leg of the journey south produced were a single Harbour Porpoise and about five unidentified dolphins. Luckily, this was no indication as to what we would see on the return journey... We also logged three Ocean Sunfish, but the best birds were just a couple of Manx Shearwaters and half-a-dozen Fulmars.
May 25, 2005
In Spain, the weather followed a single theme all week: sunny and warm to hot. The first day was no exception, and we were picking up fritillaries (plus a singing Fan-tailed Warbler) at our first 'comfort stop' on the journey to the Picos de Europa National Park.
Our next stop was a viewpoint within the mighty Hermida Gorge, where we got accustomed to Crag Martins, the odd Griffon Vulture and the song of Western Bonelli's Warbler. We also got a taste of the midday sun, almost too warm for ideal raptor-watching, as thermals were ten-a-penny and any bird of prey had the freedom of the air.
After our arrival at the wonderful Parador at Fuente De and a moment or two to take in the exceptional setting, we had a light lunch and were ready for some wildlife holiday action. Our first destination was the sun-drenched village of Brez. The way up is always a struggle, and this day was no exception as we were forced to take frequent stops to pile out of the buses to enjoy Short-toed Eagles passing overhead, a male Red-backed Shrike posing on its favourite perch, and a field jammed with Pink Butterfly Orchids and attendant insects.
The latter included obliging Heath Fritillaries and various burnet moths, and, as we watched them, a pair of Black Kites laid on a fine display of stick-passing for our pure pleasure! Eventually, though, we reached the village and took in the glorious view, enhanced by a flock of 50-odd Choughs, a displaying pale-morph Booted Eagle and at least four Honey Buzzards passing through the valley. In the village, a pair of Redstarts were wonderfully 'showy', as we passed through on our way to the flower-rich meadows on the lower slopes. Down there, it is hard to list all the butterflies we saw, but they included Adonis Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Green-underside Blue, Small BlueHeath Fritillary, Knapweed Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Glanville Fritillary, Provençal Fritillary, Large Wall Brown, Marbled White (I could go on...).
Other insects included the crazy-looking, yellow-and-black ascalaphid Libelloides coccajus (a relative of the lacewings), which also patrolled the fields, occasionally doing battle with the butterflies. Also down there were nesting Red-backed Shrikes and Stonechats, all gathering bugs to the accompaniment of jangling Corn Bunting song. Reward for the climb up again was a brief pause at a muddy puddle to enjoy the mix of fritillaries and blues coming for minerals and fluid. Double reward there came as a Middle Spotted Woodpecker casually flew into the tree right next to us. It was never easy to see, but, having flown into the next tree up the hill, gave good views to those patient enough to wait for it to emerge.
A curiosity which lit up our return through Brez was a Glow-worm larva crossing the path. Back at Fuente De, those with energy left to burn went to the meadows around the Parador and tracked down the miserably-named Dull Orchid plus Early Purple Orchids and a few Man Orchids. Two of us watched an Egyptian Vulture lazily passing on its way to roost.
May 26, 2005
Needless to say, the weather was clear and fine and the first priority on such a day is to hit the heights of Fuente De. After a brief scoping of Chamois (as viewed from the Parador car-park), the first cable-car of the morning was duly boarded and we sped up the 1,000m or so to be transported to the amazing scenery of the high tops.
The 'W word' was on people's minds, if not spoken out loud, and the paths being clear of the snow that had dogged earlier trips, we made our way to the places where Wallcreepers (yes that's the 'W') had been seen on previous years, enjoying Water Pipit, Wheatear and Black Redstart on the way.
When you get there, you just have to wait, and wait we did. Frustration was starting to be apparent when an Alpine Accentor broke the tension with a song (perched long enough for all to watch through the scopes). To celebrate, some bread was sacrificed to the Alpine Choughs. But you can only wait so long, so we passed into another area, more sheltered from the breeze, and soon picked up a group of Snowfinches, a couple of which seemed intent on bashing each other's brains out disputing a hole in the rock face.
While we were watching these and scanning for other birds, a single piping snatch of song from the cliff could only mean one thing: Wallcreeper. We once more waited, but to no avail.
Our packed lunch was taken near another potential Wallcreeper cliff, and as Matt leaned back on a rock to scan, most of the rest of us watched a very close, singing Alpine Accentor.
Then Matt shouted that he'd heard a Wallcreeper and soon Matt's leaning rock was full of birdwatchers all scanning together. Within five minutes, we saw one of the prized birds, and it seemed to disappear into a small hole. As it went off, foraged and returned, we soon confirmed that this was a nest-site - so, all we needed to do was set up scopes trained on the hole, and all of us were able to get views of a pair of Wallcreepers at the nest - perfect!
The lunchtime thrills over, we made our way back past the battling Snowfinches, via more Alpine Accentors and down to one of the clear ponds which bubble with amphibian life. Common Toads dominated the water, but Alpine Newts took a very good second in numbers.
After leaving the high ground, we once more took the buses out for a bit of afternoon wildlife-watching, this time to the road to Cabañes, via a trip to the church of Santa Maria at Lebeña. Raptors were up in force, there, and it was a struggle to count Griffon Vultures before more rose up to join them, plus the odd Egyptian Vulture, plus half-a-dozen Alpine Swifts, and a few passing Short-toed Eagles for good measure.
Heading uphill to Cabañes, a beautiful male Cirl Bunting posed brilliantly for us by the side of the road, just down from a few enormous Lizard Orchids. In the background, Honey Buzzards circled up with the odd Buzzard joining them for an ID workshop. Higher up, we went to another flower-filled meadow (with a Peregrine and the odd Short-toed Eagle patrolling above), brimming with butterflies and featuring Pink Butterfly and Tongue Orchids. A Quail called briefly, as we watched Sooty Copper, several fritillaries and different blues darting from flower to flower.
May 27, 2005
In a bit of a change from the earlier Picos trips this year, the bulk of the morning till early afternoon was spent walking up a valley near Cosgaya. As the season progresses, this site becomes alive with unending, brilliant butterflies. The fine weather provided the perfect conditions and the insects duly obliged. Highlights included Duke of Burgundy, Olive Skipper, Black-veined White, De Prunner's Ringlet, Pearl-bordered and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, a single Queen of Spain Fritillary and Pearly Heath.
Holly Blues filled the damp and muddy areas and a Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly dominated a small puddle waiting for an occasional lightning-speed romp with a visiting female.
Nesting Ravens, the odd passing Short-toed Eagle, Buzzard and Honey Buzzard lifted our head every now and then from the butterfly swarm.
After lunch by a welcome shady stream, we casually strolled down the higher road, finding a Bird's Nest Orchid and a real Nuthatch nest along the way, and enjoying the distant echoing of Cuckoos through the lovely valley.
A spell catching up on shopping in the pleasant town of Potes, was followed by a drive along and up the winding road to Puerto San Glorio. A stop along the way brought our closest views yet of a passing Honey Buzzard - a dazzling, pale individual drifting effortlessly above us.
The high land at San Glorio is very different from the surrounding area - more like a moor or acid heath. Here, to the accompaniment of Sky Larks and Yellowhammers, we picked up a scarce bird for the Picos at this time (though seemingly just right for the habitat at home): a spectacularly pale male Hen Harrier, quartering the heather. The nearby meadows on the road near the viewpoint had us drooling over Black Vanilla Orchids as well as a single Pale-flowered Orchid.
May 28, 2005
An early start brought our buses through drizzle and real rain to the ferry port. Things did not look great. "Localised weather!" Matt and Mike promised... And, as it turned out, they were right. The conditions were pretty clear, with good visibility for the journey back. We were up on Monkey Island and watching soon after lunch. After the first day's sea-watching, hopes were not that high.
However, the first group of 30 dolphins appeared on the port side at about 2.30pm. Less than an hour later, 100 Striped Dolphins appeared, and half an hour later, a shout of "Blow!" was followed by the first two (distant) Fin Whales. By 5.20pm, another group of 20 Striped Dolphins were soon followed by 50 animals, including several calves. An hour later, the first group of 15 Common Dolphins appeared soon followed by another 50-odd.
Then, at around 7pm, as we neared the shelf slope, the action went into overdrive. In 40 minutes, we logged more than 400 Striped Dolphins and more than 400 Common Dolphins, many coming to bow ride. As we tried to keep up with these, we entered Fin Whale waters, with at least six animals coming in quick succession, including three rising together close by the starboard side. Pure cetacean elation!
May 29, 2005
On this day, birds included about 20 Manx Shearwaters, 30 Fulmars and three Kittiwakes. Our one landbird was a visiting Collared Dove. This last day in the English Channel is typically quiet, and this day followed the pattern, apart from a brief spell when a shout of "Whale! A real one!" was followed by the simultaneous passing of three Minke Whales, in the same starboard area where we had watched the Fins the evening before. A wonderful end to another wonderful trip. Thanks to everyone for a fantastic holiday!
26 April - 2 May 2005 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa
Leaders: Matt Hobbs and Mike Weedon
Part two of our 2005 Biscay adventure started this evening and we all met up in plenty of time for the prompt departure of Pride of Bilbao. We kicked off our holiday by enjoying a meal together and talking about the trip in earnest.
Matt started Wednesday morning with a talk about the sorts of cetaceans, birds and other wildlife we may be encountering during the week-long holiday. As lunchtime neared, we were up on deck for our first session on the brilliant Monkey Island viewing platform. We soon got into the swing of watching for seabirds and had particularly high counts of Little Gulls (more than 100 in one flock) associating with more than 100 Manx Shearwaters half a dozen Arctic Terns and a few Kittiwakes. Also on the journey south, we saw four Great Skuas and a few Guillemots - and three Swallows represented the landbirds-at-sea contingent. We also found a couple of Ocean Sunfish drifting close to the bows.
One notable phenomenon on the journey was the 'veil of cirrostratus' a thin, high, cloud structure, which caused an amazing halo effect resembling a perfectly-circular rainbow around the sun for several hours. As with our previous trip, whale and dolphin encounters were not abundant, but we did see 20 Common Dolphins and best of all, had brilliant views of a group of eight Pilot Whales (including a tiny juvenile) - a breakaway part of a larger pod of between 60 and 100 animals! Wow!
The scheduled early arrival at Santurtzi, the port of Bilbao, saw us bundling into the minibuses on Thursday morning and heading west. The weather was remarkably clear, without the usual low cloud which normally greets the ferry at Bilbao on most mornings! Our first destination was the Santoña marshes where we got used to the different birds of the northern Spanish coastal wetlands - Spanish Wagtail (the Spanish race of our Yellow Wagtail, with a dark blue head and white throat), Yellow-legged Gulls, Whimbrels and Black Kites. There were 11 typically sleepy Spoonbills, a few attendant Little and Cattle Egrets, singing Fan-tailed Warblers and a few bursts of Cetti's Warbler song. A quick stop at the nearby garage produced good views of Serin and fly-by Raven and a few white butterflies as a taster for things to come.
And so to the Parador at Fuente De, via a short stop in the Hermida Gorge to get our eyes and ears in tune. Crag Martins darted all round, a Firecrest sang and we saw our first good views of Griffon Vultures soaring by and perched on the rocky crags. A Golden Eagle passing through the gorge was frustratingly difficult to watch well. It was still sunny when we arrived at for lunch at the Parador - which was just slightly delayed by the fine performance of a Rock Bunting.
After lunch, we were back into action again with a drive up to the sun-basking village of Brez. The drive up had us breaking to watch a pale-morph Booted Eagle drift over, and then we all took turns to make admiring noises in the direction of a field full of Pink Butterfly Orchids. We saw Large Tortoiseshell, heard Middle Spotted Woodpeckers and a few Redstarts were calling and singing from the hedges around the village, interrupted by the calls of Chough and the mews of Buzzards. Matt led the more adventurous on a walk down the hill to find such butterflies as Sooty Cooper, Red-underwing Skipper and Green-underside Blue, while Mike led an alternative, chilled search for woodpeckers and general absorption of the wonderful day. Back at base, we wandered around looking for Water Pipits and Black Redstarts at the Parador and enjoyed the first full blooming of the Spring Gentians
With fine weather continuing to be the theme (and really not a cloud in the sky), we caught the first cable-car straight up to the high plateau on Friday morning, leaving the Parador as a tiny dot below! Though snow blocked for a prolonged walk, it didn't prevent us form seeing most of what the high plateau is famed for. It wasn't long before we had our first Alpine Accentors and a pair of Snow Finches. Water Pipits were singing all around and the strikingly-pale Wheatears were chasing each other off their strikingly-pale rocky territories. During our laid-back, sun-drenched picnic (shared inevitably with the Alpine Chough masses), Griffon Vultures, Ravens, a Short-toed Eagle and a Booted Eagle came by, soon followed by a Peregrine.
Suddenly a pair of Wallcreepers flew up, rounded and passed us and landed on to a distant rocky cliff. An expedition was launched to see if we could refind them. We had no luck with the relocation, but found about 15 Chamois enjoying the cool of the snow in the sun. The search-party also found a male Wheatear of the more usual northern, buffy-fringed, peachy-breasted variety - presumably a migrant - another pair of Snowfinches and two more Alpine Accentors, virtually feeding at our feet. We also watched a speedy Stoat or Weasel dashing through the rocky crevices. Back at picnic base-camp the sun-loungers reported point-blank views of Snowfinch and Water Pipit.
Our afternoon expedition took us to the montane hamlet of Cabañes, via frequent stops. These were necessary to take in the abundant Buzzards and Short-toed Eagles, brilliant butterflies including Sooty Copper and Mallow Skipper, as well as great views of Middle Spotted Woodpecker on territory, plus a pair of displaying Sparrowhawks. In the village, there were Redstarts and a pair of Swallows, including a male with crossed mandibles.
The continued sunny spell drew us to the lovely small village of Lebeña on Saturday morning, famed for its church of Santa Maria and, for us, its butterflies and birds. Butterflies here included Camberwell Beauty, Cleopatra, Black-eyed Blue, Adonis Blue, Wood White, Swallowtail and Scarce/Spanish Swallowtail and Green-underside Blue. Several Western Bonelli's Warblers sang (but refused to show), and other delights included Serins, Black Redstarts and the usual range of raptors, most notably including a dark-morph Booted Eagle and a displaying Short-toed Eagle very close above us on the hillside. Lunch at the church brought brief views of Cirl Bunting and more butterflies. After lunch we had a customary cooling-off session in the town of Potes, before taking the winding route to the magnificent views of the Mirador de San Glorio.
As always the route provided more thrills than the destination, and stops on the way up brought us great views of wonderful butterflies such as Provençal Fritillary and Violet Fritillary (including a mating pair), as well as probable Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper. Right at the top, we enjoyed a walk across the rather moor-like terrain and the anomalously homely sight and sounds of Skylarks. There were Water Pipits up there, too, as well as an abundance of tadpoles emerging from great masses of spawn in the boggy pools. Stops on the route back down into the valley brought even more butterfly delights and Tongue Orchid, as well as a rather distant view of the elusive Iberian race of Green Woodpecker. Much more satisfying was a Western Bonelli's Warbler, which sang right in the open above our heads.
Early is the only suitable word to describe our departure on Sunday from our home-base of the Parador at Fuente De for our journey back to the port. But we arrived in plenty of time and with conditions still looking great for a fine crossing. Sadly, despite the calm seas, sea mist rather hampered visibility. Still, we managed two Fin Whales, one rising unexpectedly close to the ship, some 55 Common Dolphins, 20 Striped Dolphins and five distant Pilot Whales. Birds included a few Great Skuas and several Manx Shearwaters, two breeding-plumaged Grey Plovers and a Turnstone.
Our final session on Monkey Island on Monday saw no further cetaceans, but the odd bird highlight, most notably a Collared Dove on the ship and two distant large divers flying by. All too soon we were once more summing-up the cetacean sightings of the southward and northward journeys and bidding each other warm goodbyes at the end of another brilliant Biscay/Picos de Europa holiday.
20 - 26 April 2005 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa
Leaders: Matt Hobbs and Mike Weedon
Company of Whales kicked off our first trip of our tenth year of Biscay trips with one of our renowned trips to the Picos de Europa, via Biscay. We all met nice and promptly at Portsmouth to find that the Pride of Bilbao had been delayed and was running a couple of hours late. Still, after a whistle stop tour of the ship's most important features (the food outlets and bars!), most of us gathered for a very welcome, slap-up first-night meal (and the odd glass of wine) in the carvery.
Our first full day at sea started with the usual introductory lecture, when Mike talked through some of the cetaceans and birds we may see on the two ferry crossings, as well as whetting everyone's appetite for some of the goodies that were awaiting us in the Picos. By mid-morning, we were chomping at the bit for whale and dolphin action, and mounted the steps to our privileged Monkey Island viewing area. It was certainly a wee bit choppy and a bit breezy out on deck, but nothing to upset the exceptionally-stable Pride of Bilbao.
Our first birds were a group of five adult Little Gulls across the bows. Soon, we celebrated our first cetaceans of the new season - a pod of Common Dolphins coming into the sunny water at the bow. Despite the season, we encountered no land-birds migrating through Biscay or coming to the ship. Instead, on a relatively quiet trip south, the best of the birds were a handful of Manx Shearwaters, three Great Skuas, several Gannets, a few Fulmars and Kittiwakes and a group of five Arctic Terns.
In the early morning of Friday we arrived at a rather-overcast Spain. Having loaded up our two minibuses and met up with Hugh & Michelle (the bosses, who were in Bilbao on 'official' business!), we were on our way to the Picos. We took a pretty direct route all the way to our destination - the Parador at Fuente De. On the way, the highlights were several Black Kites, a few Buzzards, a Booted Eagle and good numbers of Griffon Vultures soaring over the jagged peaks of the spectacular Hermida Gorge. Butterflies on the way included Orange-tip, Brimstone, Cleopatra, Clouded Yellow and a single Camberwell Beauty.
Sunshine welcomed us to Fuente De, and after a brief lunch, we were all set to head off birding when the heavens opened. Luckily, the downpour was reasonably short-lived and soon we were heading for the area outside the delightful hamlet of Brez. Hugh and Michelle had already scouted out Middle Spotted Woodpeckers in the small wood near the village, and we all had satisfying views of one of two calling birds.
There is no escaping raptors in the Picos, and as we were waiting for the woodpeckers to show, an adult Golden Eagle drifted over, while a Tree pipit offered a tuneful soundtrack. On the journey down again, a pair of Wrynecks showed brilliantly, as did a particularly obliging Firecrest. A pale-morph Booted Eagle drifted by.
Back at Fuente De, the damper margins of the meadows around the Parador offered great views of Water Pipit, a group of Red-billed Choughs came down to feed and we got to grips with the local Black Redstarts.
After breakfast on Saturday morning, the cable-car was calling, and, as usual we took advantage of the first trip up (after the competitors of a ski race - a subtle of hint of the amount of snow on the tops!), to get the best from the high peaks. While we waited, Firecrests sang and showed beautifully from the conifers.
Sadly, the recent snows were still pretty deep on the high plateau, so our route was rather restricted. However, a bit of wind and snow couldn't dampen our spirits and we were soon having superb close-up views of Alpine Accentors, Chamois, displaying Water Pipits and the typically-pale Wheatears of this area. It's hard to beat the sight of Ravens and Griffon Vultures drifting by nearly at head height, with every feather lit from beneath by reflections from the snow. But, as usual, the Alpine Choughs did their best to trump them, with the insatiable appetite for eating stale bread virtually from the hand, as we enjoyed our picnics from a sheltered spot!
Our return to the Parador was marked by exceptional views of a Rock Bunting mistaking a pile of builders' sand for its natural habitat! We spent the afternoon exploring valleys off the Hermida Gorge, the highlights being the Short-toed Eagles which lined up along the ridges to hover in search of reptile prey.
The village of Lebeña is at its best when the sun is shining, and we got a great helping of sunshine to welcome us there on Sunday morning. Sunshine means butterflies and thermalling raptors and both were soon putting on a great show. The former included wonderful Adonis Blues, a proliferation of pollen-loving Scarce/Spanish Swallowtails, tiny Black-eyed Blues, Large Tortoiseshell, Camberwell Beauty, Wood White and Green Hairstreak. Meanwhile, the raptor performance included dozens of Griffon Vultures, a couple of pairs of Egyptian Vultures, Short-toed Eagle, Buzzard and Peregrine. Other birds here included great views of Serin, Black Redstart and the briefest of glimpses of one of the dozen or so Western Bonelli's Warblers singing from the densely foliaged Holm Oaks. After lunch at the lovely church of Santa Maria (with a chance to gorge on more raptors overhead), we spent a peaceful hour exploring the town of Potes.
The afternoon brought a trip uphill to the hamlet of Cabañes. But, as with all great journeys, the destination is not as important as the way itself. And, thanks to a bit more pre-lunch exploration by Hugh and Michelle, we were soon all getting excellent views of Middle Spotted Woodpecker. At the hamlet itself, there were Cirl Buntings and a Short-toed Eagle which gave probably our best views of the whole trip as it hunted an area of burnt land and perched in tree-tops.
Persistent showers forced us back downhill into sunshine and a chance to check out some spectacular Early Purple Orchids, enjoy Chiffchaffs singing and once more be serenaded by Tree Pipit. But, as it looked to be clearing again, we took our cue from the raptors and again ascended. The new thermals brought an unexpected reward, with a Black Stork spiralling among the newly-risen Griffons - a very scarce bird in the Picos! Once more descending, we enjoyed a Spotless Starling before being seen off the hillside by a marvellous, valley-filling rainbow.
After an early breakfast on Monday, it was time for an early drive to the port. Following the Rio Deva in the Hermida Gorge, one of our group said "Last chance for Dipper," only for a Dipper to appear - immediately!
Conditions on the sea were much improved compared to the journey down, and they became steadily calmer and calmer as the day progressed. The southern part of the Bay has been generally more productive this spring, and today was no exception. We had several cetacean encounters, including at least two Fin Whales plus a few unidentified large rorqual blows, two Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 25 Common Dolphins, two groups of 15 and 20 Striped Dolphin, and two pods of Pilot Whales, including eight right across the bow which held a small youngster.
Reward for those of us who stayed to last light were two Basking Sharks very near the bow - the first of which must have been about 30 feet long, its great body clearly visible beneath the surface. Best birds of this leg of the trip were three Collared Doves which came and joined us for a rest on Monkey Island.
Despite the conditions being pretty reasonable on Tuesday morning we didn't encounter any further cetaceans in the Channel. Our best birds were a few Great Skuas and some obligingly close-up Gannets, enjoying the updrafts from the ship. So, after our lunchtime descent from Monkey Island, and debrief and summary of our ocean sightings by Matt and Mike, we said our farewells to our first great trip of 2005.