It's a Cory's!

Distant but distinctive: Farnes 13th Cory's Shearwater (by Joe Cockram)

Cory's Shearwater heads north, Farne Islands

Saturday 5th September comments:

It’s not been a great start to the month for those wishing to visit the islands, following two open days, Saturday proved to be the third consecutive day we were closed, as the beefy North-westerly winds had whipped up enough swell to prevent boats from sailing. However we should be back open for business tomorrow (Sunday) but with rain forecast, it'll probably be grim (as they say).

It was another interesting day for sightings, as eyes were trained on seabird movement as the majority of migrants including yesterdays Icterine Warbler, had departed. The morning produced the biggest surge of records as a few hundred Manx Shearwaters were recorded, alongside the occasional Sooty Shearwater, but then news broke of a Cory’s Shearwater off Newbiggin-by-the-sea, flying north at 09:40 (Newbiggin lies about 20 miles south of the Farnes). Within the hour, the team were celebrating the successful sighting of the Farnes 13th Cory's Shearwater, as it skirted north around the islands, close to Inner Farne and then Brownsman (and was seen by the majority of wardens).

Even Joe managed to grab a few snap shots of the bird, certainly the first time we've ever had a photographed Cory's off the Farnes and probably Northumberland!! Interestingly the bird was seen soon after at nearby St.Abb's Head at 11:30 and was then possibly the same bird recorded off Fife Ness late in the afternoon.

Seawatching: Cory’s Shearwater north at 11:00 (second this season), Manx Shearwater 297, Sooty Shearwater 5N, Velvet Scoter 3N, Common Scoter 9N, Teal 50N, Great Skua 5N and Arctic Skua 2.

Highlights: Common Sandpiper 2, Greenshank, Snipe 2W, Meadow Pipits 35, Robin, Wheatear 18, Willow Warbler 10, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler 2 and Whitethroat.