The first flocks of Razorbills Were watched today during the evening. The total number of them was 32 birds, far from the passage watched from cabo Ajo (Cantabria) at the same time. Many species were seen, but all of them in little numbers. Only 2 Cory’s in 4 hs (it's quite scarce this month!). Regarding skuas, 46 Bonxies, 1 juv. Long-tailed and 4 Arctic. A Common Gull (not a common species in Spain) was a nice sight, as well as a late Black Tern. Only 29 Scoters were counted, and the Sooties passage was bellow 70/h.



Observer: Antonio Sandoval

The late evening count was good for Sooty Shearwater (184/h) and Common Scoter (157/h), even though the wind blowed with force from NE. Only a few skuas were watched, but a couple of Sabine Gulls were a nice sight.

Observer: Antonio Sandoval

Several short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) stranded during the last hours at Porto de Bares, just 2 km far from the headland. The group was watched at distance from the bird observatory on sunday. Some photos and videos and in this LINK. Most of the whales died.

Nice passage today with NE winds. These are the results for the 7,45 hs. count:
 
Common Scoter: 1,329
Bonxie: 27
Arctic Skua: 27
Pomarine: 12
Long-Tailed Skua: 2
Gannet: 3,900
Manxie: 13
Balearic: 86
Sootie 286
Cory’s: 1
Sandwich Tern: 523
“Commic” Tern: 155
Black Tern: 7
Grey Phalarope: 3
Little Gull: 1
Mediterranean Gull: 7

And also Great Cormorant (47) and a few Grey Plovers, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Oystercatcher, Teal, Shoveler…
 
Ten Risso’s Dolphins not too far from the cliffs offered very nice sightings for more than 1 hour.
 
Observers: quite a lot of us. And still several friends from Sociedade Galega de Ornitoloxia.

Although at the start of the day there was one single observer at the cape…

Razorbill: 1 – the first of the autumn
Bonxie: 97
Arctic Skua: 153
Pomarine: 63
Gannet 5,085
Common Scoter: 483
Manxie: 42
Balearic 240
Sootie: 913
Cory’s: 30
Sandwich Tern: 1,742
“Commic” Tern: 343
Little Tern: 2
Black Tern 2
Grey Phalarope: 2
Little Gull: 2
Mediterranean Gull: 2

And also a few Great Cormorants, Black-Tailed Godwits, Wigeons, Pintails… And a Great White Heron, a scarce bird in Galicia.

Observers: quite a lot of friends (we counted all the birds but forgot to count the people!!)

Today’s late evening 2 hs count was great for Pomarines: 132 birds. The biggest group was of 13 individuals. Arctic Skua numbers were also nice: 61. We also counted 4 Long Tailed Skuas (in one single group) and 15 Bonxies. Other species seen were Sooty Shearwater (207), Sandwich Tern (83) and «Commic» Tern (65), as well as a few Balearics, Manxies and Oystercatchers. Meanwhile the Northern Gannet passage was over 680 / hour.

Observer: Antonio Sandoval, Ana Torres

This afternoon there was a Stock Dove close to the light House. There is only one previous observation of this species here, as it is quite rare in the NW Spain coastal areas. Most of the migrants were still present: Wryneck, Whitethroat, Whinchat, Common Redstart, etc.

Regarding the bird passage, this nice group of Grey Herons made us a brief visit while looking for passerines:

Over the sea and during the 2 hours count, these were the species watched: 726 gannets, 225 Sandwich terns and 20 "Commic", 132 Common Scoters, 1 Shoveler, 10 Arctic Skuas, 5 Bonxies, 3 Manxies, 12 Sooties, 18 Cory's, 66 Balearics.

Observers: Ricardo Hevia and Antonio Martínez Pernas