Killer, Killer (Biscay trips 27th August to 6th September 2009).
photos by Gillian Mackie and Glenn Overington and
the Autumn Ladies Tresses by me!
After nine days at sea guiding for the "Company of Whales" I arrived home in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The highlight of the trip was me finding the family group of 21 Killer Whales in front of the ship and of course a few expletives which the guests didn't mind due to the excitement of the moment!!
In over twelve years of doing the Biscay trips this was almost certainly the best Cetacean sighting I have ever had in the bay.
On the birding front we had an excellent count of seabirds during the three trips with in excess of 100+ Cory's and Great Shearwaters, at least seven Little Shearwaters, 38 Sabine's Gulls, numerous Sooty, Manx and Balearic Shearwaters and at least five Long-tailed Skuas.
Highlights in Bilbao (Mt Serantes area, Santurzi) included a few firsts on the hillside for me, these included Red-rumped Swallow, Savi's Warbler, Firecrest,good numbers of Cirl Buntings, 4 Iberian Rock Lizards, 2 Preying Mantis and at least 16 Autumn Ladies Tresses spikes in the surrounding foothills.
After nine days at sea guiding for the "Company of Whales" I arrived home in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The highlight of the trip was me finding the family group of 21 Killer Whales in front of the ship and of course a few expletives which the guests didn't mind due to the excitement of the moment!!
In over twelve years of doing the Biscay trips this was almost certainly the best Cetacean sighting I have ever had in the bay.
On the birding front we had an excellent count of seabirds during the three trips with in excess of 100+ Cory's and Great Shearwaters, at least seven Little Shearwaters, 38 Sabine's Gulls, numerous Sooty, Manx and Balearic Shearwaters and at least five Long-tailed Skuas.
Highlights in Bilbao (Mt Serantes area, Santurzi) included a few firsts on the hillside for me, these included Red-rumped Swallow, Savi's Warbler, Firecrest,good numbers of Cirl Buntings, 4 Iberian Rock Lizards, 2 Preying Mantis and at least 16 Autumn Ladies Tresses spikes in the surrounding foothills.
Also I would just like to say a big thank to all the guests of Company of Whales who I guided for and my fellow guides Glenn, Dave and Judd for such an enjoyable time on the high seas!!
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