The SeaWatch SW website has recently been updated, as preparations begin for the start of the 2009 survey phase in southwest UK. (See: http://www.seawatch-sw.org) News items are as follows:
1) Send us your Balearic Shearwater sightings now! Have you seen a Balearic Shearwater in the UK or Ireland this year? if so, we’d love to hear from you!
2) Balearic Shearwater reports for January to June 2009. Get the latest summary of UK and Irish sightings of this Critically Endangered seabird.
3) SeaWatch SW survey phase starts on 15 July. Find out who is doing what and when off southwest headlands this summer and autumn.
4) Cornwall Wildlife Trust survey picks up Basking Shark influx! Hear about what has been seen off Porthgwarra by our CWT colleagues during June.
5) Studies on Basking Shark foraging behaviour scheduled for summer 2009. Every wondered why Basking Sharks appear in certain areas at certain times? We’re hoping to find out!
6) SeaWatch SW observers head north to find spring skuas. Follow Mark Darlaston and Russell Wynn as they head to the Northern Isles in search of rare seabirds.
7) Colleagues in NW Spain produce 2008 sea-watching report. Essential reading if you want to find out what happens to ‘our’ seabirds as they head down south.
8) Do you want your local patch to become a SeaWatch SW sister site? If you’re an avid sea-watcher then please think about contributing data as a SeaWatch SW ‘sister site’.
Note that daily sightings updates from the SeaWatch SW watchpoint at Gwennap Head (SW Cornwall) will be available on the project website from 15 July onwards. The first Cory’s Shearwaters were seen off there yesterday, and good numbers of Basking Sharks and Ocean Sunfish have been recorded in recent weeks. The ‘autumn’ sea-watching season is underway!
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