Double dessert for breakfast (metaphorically, as in good birds)

Today, we had no ringing due to strong winds and periodic downpour. Because of this, Johan was lucky enough to get my company for morning obs, where he was already joined by another guy not affiliated with the station. Together, the three of us settled in for a rather boring one and a half hour, although a congregating flock of Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) gave us some entertainment with practicing ageing the birds. 

About one and a half hour in, I spotted something that at first glance looked like a gull, but it flew with very stiff wings in the typical storm-bird swoops up and down along the reef. This is exactly the giss I have been told to look out for in Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), but as I had never actually seen one before, I wanted someone else to confirm the sighting. Just after I had said "That's not a gull, is it?", Johan spotted it and confirmed my suspicions, loudly exclaiming "Fulmar!!!" The three of us all managed to get very good looks at this amazing bird, as it flew very close by. 

Just after we lost the Fulmar, we were all still very excited and discussing the experience amongst each other, and while I was recounting the storm-bird flight pattern and how it was similar to for example Shearwaters move, Johan suddenly shouted at us to shut up as he had just spotted a Shearwater just at the reef. After a few seconds, I was also able to locate the bird, and quite quickly we were able to determine it to be a Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea). This was another individual that came incredibly close, closer than any of the other Shearwaters any of us had seen thus far, and close enough that we could even see the light underwings. In less than a minute, it had passed by us. 

For the last hour, Strummer joined us as well, and we had a nice and relaxing time

Today's observations

At the station: Strummer, Alba, Johan