I go to visit Martin Cade at Portland Bird Observatory to discuss data they hold on Balearic Shearwaters.I get a phone call from the ship to say that the calibration work they are doing is going slowly. Beth Scott, who is in charge of collecting the fish data, and Clare Embling can't be enjoying this. The hopeful forecast for my transfer onto the ship are looking optimistic.
I take the hire car into Weymouth to drop it off at the depot, but not before I sneek a look at a Hooded Merganser that arrived at Radipole Lake in the town. It doesn't seem the best candidate for a wild vagrant from North America in this setting. The species was recently admitted to the British List, so unless someone comes along to reclaim his escaped Hooded Merganser, this one should be a kosher new species for me. I call a cab to take me back to the hotel - it turns out the driver is a keen birder.
I wait at the hotel in the afternoon for further news on the calibration work they are doing on the James Cook. I could see the ship off the Portland Harbour breakwaters. Mark phones to tell me that they have faced a number of technical difficulties, but that they will collect us at 8:30 pm whether they finish all the calibration or not. See Clare Emblings blog to learn more of their frustrations. I continue fiddling with the computer program for entering our seabird sightings data.
Eleanor and I are taken on a pilot's launch boat out to the waiting James Cook. The transfer goes smoothly, in spite of a choppy sea. I see a number of folks waiting on the ship's deck with cameras and I sense that one slip will be plastered across other blogs or appear on the Jeremy Beadle Show (that is if he weren't dead).
2 comments:
had 3 cory's off Galley last night so they is definately out there!! Have a good trip - i'll be looking in to see what you is seeing! Tell scholsey to clean his bins!
Well Col, we saw FOUR, and another two the day after.
FVOS can't think of anything abusive to say back to you.
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