SOLWAY: Last ditch skuas.

Tide rising at Seafield Bay near Annan, Dumfries & Galloway 27 May 2009.

Couldn't resist one last go at the skua passage on the Solway on 27th May. Having checked the weather charts all week and hearing that there were still a few Poms and Long-taileds trickling through (the chances of big flocks had long gone) I decided to give it my final shot and head up to Seafield Bay near Annan.

'Scope, tripod, flask, butties and the shelter of the old viaduct at Seafield near Annan, D&G.

The narrow crossing from the old viaduct on the Scottish shore of the Solway at Annan makes a great place to watch for skuas - as long as they come in. The other site on the Dumfries & Galloway side at Newbie was being watched by a couple of D&G birders and when I arrived at Seafield two hours prior to high tide they had already seen a Long-tailed and two Arctic Skuas! It was whilst receiving this news over the phone that the first skua came by - a handsome adult Pomarine with full set of "spoons". More than 25 Gannets were wheeling around just off the viaduct, finally making the "pass" and then coming back out again in ones and twos. A Cuckoo shooting past the viaduct chased by an irate Starling was a good "first" on a Solway seawatch for me too!
It wasn't long before I spotted 3 skuas coming towards me, one a bit smaller than the other two. Closer still I could see they were all pale phase birds - maybe they were the party the Newbie birders had seen (2 Arctics and a Long-tailed)? Nope, 2 Poms and an Arctic - the Arctic setting down on the sea just off the viaduct. Over the next 4 hours I experienced some great views of passing skuas, especially the couple of dark phase Arctics and a Pomarine overhead. Three Bonxies high and moving east were a big surprise. Leaving the viaduct at 16.30 hrs I'd accumulated quite a nice selection of passing seabirds:
3 Pomarine Skua
5 Bonxie
6 Arctic Skua
2 Common Scoter
6 Fulmar
25+ Gannet
2 Gt Cr Grebe

I was just about to pack up the gear back at the car when I noticed a skua "dipping" on the surface, eventually setting down. Lucky that my 'scope is always the last bit of kit packed in the car as a quick look revealed a smart adult Long-tailed Skua coming in and then drifting out on the tide!

Definitely it for the skua watching this spring. Roll on next year!

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