Pelagic boat trips out of Falmouth Sept-Oct 23.

Northern Gannet

 I was pleased to be asked by Naturetrek to lead a series of pelagic trips out of Falmouth with AK Wildlife Cruises.

They took place on 23rd & 24th September, 30th Sept & 1st October & 7th & 8th October. All 7-8 hour trips. A couple got called off due to stormy weather but the majority went ahead and were very successful.

Many of the larger Shearwaters that had been so prolific this summer had already passed through but we still managed to catch up with a few Greats, Sootys, Balearics & Manx.

Great Shearwater

Sooty Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

Great Shearwater

 

Common Dolphins were prolific as were Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna and all our guests had amazing views of these especially from the bows of AK's new catamaran which give unrestricted views of the dolphins "bow-riding".

Watching the Common Dolphins at the bows

 

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphins

 

 

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

 

 

Atlantic Blue-fin Tuna

 Here is a short video clip of the Common Dolphins bow-riding.

 

Harbour Porpoise also put on good shows which if you are familiar with them is unusual as they'll often dive never to be seen again!

 

Harbour Porpoise

Harbour Porpoise with calves

Grey Seals

A few Auks were off the south coast and we saw Razorbills, Guillemots and a couple of Puffins all in winter plumage.

 

Winter plumage Guillemot

Winter plumage Puffin

Winter plumage Razorbills

Winter plumage Razorbill

Winter plumage Puffin

Mediterranean Gulls & Sandwich terns graced to coastal strip and Turnstones, Oystercatchers & a lone Purple Sandpiper were on the rocky shorelines. A few Kittiwakes and some marauding Skuas clashed farther out off the Manacles as we motored down off the Lizard.

Purple Sandpiper

Mediterranean Gull

Kittiwake

Arctic Skua

 

Probably the most exciting bird for most of us was a Grey Phalarope that we spotted between 2 fishing boats followed by a second bird that posed nicely on the water near the boat as Captain Keith allowed us to drift in on it for guests to get great views of this tiny wader bobbing about in a huge ocean.

 

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

 

 

Grey Phalarope and a Kittiwake

Northern Gannet

Northern Gannet

 

 

The middle and last weekends saw a big rise in the numbers of Portuguese Man O' War jelly fish with water surface temperatures at 18 degrees Celsius. On the final day, the 8th October we recorded 14 of them along with an Oceanic Sunfish, one of the largest I've seen in Cornish waters. All our guests had great views and the skipper drifted in to let it be seen on both sides of the vessel.

Apologies for the number of Man o' War photos but they were so fantastic to watch!

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Portuguese Man O' War

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

Oceanic Sunfish

 

Naturetrek have booked a lot more day trips out of Falmouth for 2024 so please go on their website for details...... https://www.naturetrek.co.uk/tours/falmouth-pelagic-day-trip