2003 CETACEAN SIGHTINGS

16 - 19 September 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

Autumn is always an exciting time to be out in the Bay of Biscay, with birds, insects and cetaceans migrating through the region. Some of our guests had already travelled considerable distances themselves, coming from as far afield as Holland and Norway, so we were anxious to make sure that a good trip was had by all.

Sailing west of the Brittany Peninsula, we began with a dawn scout around the ship in search of migrant birds. Having located a solitary Yellow Wagtail and a Turtle Dove, we turned our attention to the spectacular dawn and a flat calm sea. Before long we sighted a Minke Whale rolling at the surface, a Pomarine Skua flew overhead and, to our surprise, we had two excellent encounters with Long-finned Pilot Whales, their blows silhouetted by the emerging sun.

Following our customary illustrated talk, we headed up to Monkey Island for the afternoon watch. Sightings were nicely spaced throughout the day and included another Minke Whale, two pods of Common Dolphins, several groups of Pilot Whales, and Bottlenose Dolphins, some of which raced into the bow. Hummingbird Hawk Moths buzzed around the deck and a Kestrel appeared from nowhere to roost on the bridge roof. Other birds included a smattering of Sooty Shearwaters and Great Skuas, 2 Little Gulls, a Grey Phalarope and a Sanderling.

Thursday dawned clear and sunny as we disembarked and headed for the foothills. The bushes and trees were teaming with migrant birds. There was a significant fall of Whinchats and Pied Flycatchers and, amongst them, we found Redstart, Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike, 2 Firecrests, Whitethroat, Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap and Black Redstart. Birds of prey included a superb juvenile Hobby, Buzzard, Kestrel, and the first Sparrowhawk and 16th species of raptor recorded by The Company of Whales! Wandering across the grassland we found lots of brilliant Adonis Blues, and closer inspection of the vegetation revealed a carpet of pretty Autumn Lady's Tresses.

Returning to the ship we headed out on to deck to check out the harbour. Winter plumaged Turnstones were sitting on the rocks and we found two Kingfishers. Distant flight views of a strange black and white bird caused much debate amongst the keener birders. Was it just an Avocet?

Back on Monkey Island and heading north we didn't have to wait long for our first sighting as a mixed pod of Bottlenose Dolphins and Pilot Whales swam in front of the bow. From that point onwards we encountered regular pods of Striped Dolphins, varying in group size from 10 to 50. Four Cuvier's Beaked Whales appeared on the port side shortly before we spotted two Sperm Whales logging to starboard. Finally, one lifted its enormous flukes high into the air before embarking on a deep dive.

The best sighting for most though, was a spectacular encounter with a Fin Whale swimming in front of the bow and turning on it's side so that we could see it looking up at us through the clear water. Other highlights included three leaping Sunfish, very close views of Risso's Dolphin, a lone Sabine's Gull and a Balearic Shearwater.

The final morning in the English Channel provided a fitting end to an excellent trip with three Minke Whales and a pod of 10 Long-finned Pilot Whales. There were also some excellent seabirds, including 70 Great Skuas, 60 Storm Petrels and a Balearic Shearwater.

With 47 encounters involving nine species of cetacean, leaping tuna and Sunfish and some first class birding, this was a great way to end another outstanding season in the Bay of Biscay.

Cetacean totals: 20 Common Dolphin, 264 Striped Dolphin, 41 Bottlenose Dolphin, 6 Risso's Dolphin, 5 Minke Whale, 55 Long-finned Pilot Whale, 1 Fin Whale, 2 Sperm Whale, 4 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 63 unidentified dolphin, 2 unidentified whale, 2 unidentified cetaceans.

Birds from the ship: 1 Fulmar, 60 Storm Petrel, 70 Great Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Balearic Shearwater, 5 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Little Gull, 1 Sabine's Gull, 1 Sanderling, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Kestrel, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Thanks to everybody who travelled with us onboard the Pride of Bilbao during 2003. It really has been an incredible year with so many amazing sightings. We hope that you enjoyed the trips as much as we enjoyed your company, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2004!

6 - 9 September 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

With near gale force winds hampering our observations for most of the trip we were rewarded with some very exciting encounters. The most interesting observation was that of two unidentified Mesoplodon which breached close to ship in the southern portion of the northern Bay. Although we were unable to identify the animals to species level they were not Sowerby's Beaked Whales and could well have been either True's or Gervais Beaked Whales! Also recorded were 2 Fin Whales, 3 Minke Whales, 1 Sperm Whale, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 179 Common Dolphins, 12 Striped Dolphins, 24 Pilot Whales, 1 large rorqual sp and 1 Ocean Sunfish. Birds included 20+ Great Shearwaters (welcome back!), 1 Cory's Shearwater, 9 Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 50+ Storm Petrels, 2 Leach's Petrels, 20+ Bonxies, 4 Arctic Skuas, 19 Sabine's Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns and 1 Black Tern. Highlights in Spain included 60+ Griffon Vultures, the usual assortment of warblers including Sardinian, Fan-tailed, Cetti's and Melodious, several Red-backed Shrikes and 20+ Pied Flycatchers.

2 - 5 September 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

Another trip we will not forget in a hurry! Having recorded the second-ever True's Beaked Whale at sea on our previous trip, Hugh Harrop was on bit of a roll but little did we know that on this voyage, Hugh would identify Europe's third-ever Masked Booby! The bird gave absolutely stunning views in flight as it flew ahead of the ship and then surprised all onboard by landing on the bridge wing where it allowed close observation. The bird stayed with us from 1715 on Wednesday and departed Pride of Bilbao as we arrived in to Santurtzi at 0630 on Thursday morning.

4 Killer Whales which gave us all excellent views were the undoubted cetacean highlight along with 5 Fin Whales, 5 Minke Whales, 2 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 335 Common Dolphins, 65 Striped Dolphins, 7 Risso's Dolphins, 7 Harbour Porpoise, 10 Dolphin. sp and 2 large rorquals. Seabirds were relatively very thin on the ground but a showy Little Shearwater gave prolonged views as it flew ahead of us off the bow and we also recorded 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 85 Storm Petrels, 2 Grey Phalaropes, 10+ Bonxies, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 5 Sabine's Gulls and 15+ Common Terns. Visible migration from the ship was incredible and we recorded a wide variety of species including a Honey Buzzard, an Osprey, Ortolan Bunting, Serin, Yellow Wagtail and a Grasshopper Warbler. Moths onboard included an absolutely stunning Deaths Head Hawk Moth and a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. Highlights in Spain included a Tawny Pipit, a Booted Eagle, Osprey, 12 Griffon Vultures, Hoopoe, Wryneck, Nightingale, very showy Melodious Warblers and 50+ Pied Flycatchers.

 

 

30 August - 2 September 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

The undoubted highlight of this trip was a male True's Beaked Whale which breached several times alongside us. We captured the animal on film and this individual comprises only the second ever record of a live True's Beaked Whale, at sea, following the first animal also recorded by the Company of Whales in 2001.Other cetaceans included 7 Fin Whales, 15 large rorquals sp., 2 Minke Whale, 4 Sperm Whales, 5 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 11 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 135 Common Dolphins, 197 Striped Dolphins, 12 Pilot Whales and 8 Harbour Porpoise.

The Bay is still extremely quiet for seabirds but we managed 1 Storm Petrel, 8 Great Skua, 6 Sabine's Gulls, 6 Sandwich Terns, 20 Common Terns, 3 Arctic Terns and 1 Black Tern. Migrants on or near the ship include 1 Turnstone, 1 Sanderling, 1 Robin and 1 Reed Warbler.

In Spain we recorded a good assortment of birds including Little Egret, 15 Spoonbills, 17 Griffon Vulture, a Peregrine, a Hoopoe, a Wryneck, several Red-backed Shrikes and a good assortment of resident warblers. We also witnessed a fall of at least 100 Pied Flycatchers.

 

 

26 - 29 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

8 Fin Whales, 7 Sperm Whales, 3 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 18 Pilot Whales, 1 probable False Killer Whale, 23 unidentified large whales, 4 unidentified beaked whales, 111 Common Dolphins, 84 Striped Dolphins, 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 7 unidentified dolphins, 2 Ocean Sunfish and 50+ Tuna. Seabirds included 1 Cory's Shearwater, 40 Storm Petrels, 6 Sabine's Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 20+ Common Terns, 1 Sandwich Tern, 15 Black Terns, 3 Bonxies and 2 Arctic Skuas. Migrants seen from or landing aboard the ship included 4 Turnstones, Greenshank, 9 Curlew, Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler.

Insects recorded onboard included a Hummingbird Hawk Moth and a Convolvulus Hawk Moth. Thunderstorms in Spain prevented us from seeing a good assortment of butterflies but on the bird front we recorded 7 Griffon Vultures, Melodious, Fan-tailed and Sardinian Warblers, Red-backed Shrikes and a good fall of Pied Flycatchers and Whitethroats.

 

 

23 - 26 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

17 Fin Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 13 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 182 Common Dolphins, 150 Striped Dolphins, 47 Pilot Whales, 20 dolphins sp., 13 large rorquals sp., 1 small whale sp., 1 Ocean Sunfish and 3 Basking Sharks. Seabirds from the ship included 1 Manx Shearwater, 20+ Storm Petrels, 6 Great Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Sabines Gulls, 1 Sandwich Tern, 8 Common Terns, 7 Arctic Terns and 11 Black Terns. Migrants viewed from the ship included Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, Redstart, Common Sandpiper, 9 Knot and 8 Turnstones.

In Spain we recorded the usual assortment of resident birds and migrants as well as a good selection of butterflies including Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Adonis Blue and Geranium Bronze.

 

 

19 - 22 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

34 Fin Whales, 10 Sperm Whales, 6 Pilot Whales, 12 unidentified large whales, 20 Common Dolphins, 185 Striped Dolphins, 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 30 unidentified dolphins, 1 Ocean Sunfish and 100+ Tuna - including animals in excess of 6 feet! A superb Little Shearwater which flew just off the bow and allowed prolonged views for those of us on Monkey Island was the ornithological highlight by far! Other seabirds included 10 Fulmar, 15 Storm Petrels, 6 Sabine's Gulls, 3 Great Skuas and 20 Arctic Terns. Insects recorded onboard included 20+ Silver Y's, a Rush Veneer and a Dark Sword Grass.

In Spain we recorded a good assortment of birds including 20+ Griffon Vultures, a Hoopoe, a Nightingale, Melodious Warbler, 10 Tree Pipits, Serins and lots of Red-backed Shrikes. Butterflies included Clouded Yellows, Painted Lady, Meadow Brown, Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Adonis Blues, Long-tailed Blues, Geranium Bronze, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Brown Argus and Mallow Skipper. We also had stunning views of a Jersey Tiger Moth, Sickle-bearing Bush Cricket and several Wall Lizards.

 

 

16 - 19 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

15 Fin Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 1 Sperm Whale, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins, 350 Common Dolphins, 35 Striped Dolphins, 32 Pilot Whales, 16 Harbour Porpoise, 13 unidentified dolphins, 4 unidentified large rorquals, 3 unidentified beaked whales and 2 Ocean Sunfish. Seabirds included 25 Fulmar, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater, 150 Storm Petrel, 2 Grey Phalarope, 25 Great Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Sabines Gull, 30 Common Terns and an Arctic Tern. Migrants recorded from the ship included 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers and a stunning Icterine Warbler, a very rare bird for the Bay of Biscay and indeed a first for The Company of Whales.

In Spain birds included Griffon Vulture, Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Osprey, the usual assortment of resident warblers and several Red-backed Shrikes. An unprecedented 20 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Coulded Yellow, Cleopatra, Grayling, Wall Brown, Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Adonis Blue, Geranium Bronze and Large Skipper. Also recorded were two Hummingbird Hawkmoths.

Click Here for some superb pictures, taken by Company of Whales guest Jonathan Mist.

 

 

12 - 15 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

10 Fin Whales, 3 Sperm Whales, 26 Pilot Whales, 2 large rorquals sp., 1375 Common Dolphins, 95 Striped Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins and 2 Ocean Sunfish. An exceptional trip for Common Dolphin numbers with over 1000 animals logged in just 30 minutes - most of which offered superb views as they rode the bow beneath us! Birds included 3 Fulmar, 12 Storm Petrels, 3+ Sabine's Gulls, 22 Common Terns, 3 Great Skuas and 1 Arctic Skua.

In Spain we recorded Red-backed Shrike (including one bird eating a Slow Worm!), Wryneck, Melodious Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and good numbers of Serins. Butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Wall and Holly Blue. Insect migration observed from the ship included a superb Hummingbird Hawkmoth and several Silver Ys.

 

 

 

9 - 12 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

12 Fin Whale, 2 Sperm Whale, 26 Pilot Whale, 6 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 285 Striped Dolphin, 7 Bottlenose Dolphin, 60 Common Dolphin, 22 unidentified dolphin, 6 unidentified beaked whales, 3 Ocean Sunfish and 2 Basking Shark. Birds included 2 Corys Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 20 Storm Petrel, 14 Whimbrel, 12 Bonxie, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Black Terns and a Puffin.

In Spain we recorded Booted Eagle, Wryneck, Nightingale, Melodius Warblers and Red-backed Shrikes whilst 16 species of butterfly included Long-tailed Blue, Adonis Blue and Clouded Yellow. Migratory insects which landed on-board the Pride of Bilbao included Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Silver Y and a stunning Convolvulus Hawk Moth.

5 - 8 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

With the Azores high spreading across Europe and unprecedented hot weather forecast for the trip we set out with high expectations. The outward leg proved fine and calm as expected and we were soon enjoying Bottlenose Dolphin sightings. As we approached the shelf edge we came across some excellent Common Dolphins racing into the bow and we encountered our first Long-finned Pilot Whales. As the Captain diverted to take us over the most productive areas for cetaceans, we soon started to see Fin Whales. The second largest animal on the planet moves into the Bay in late July to feed. Spectacular surface lunges are sometimes observed but at the moment, the whales appear to be feeding deeper, with brief periods spent at the surface, during which individuals regularly circle the same area before diving.

At first we saw only distant blows but gradually we obtained closer views until we saw a very close animal along the port side. Fin Whales are generally indifferent to the ship and, therefore, may pop up anywhere. The following morning we took to the foothills in glorious sunshine. The star bird of the walk was a brief Tawny Pipit, a first for The Company of Whales. Also present were Red-backed Shrikes, Fan-tailed Warblers and a sprinkling of migrants, mainly Willow Warblers. Butterflies were also out in force, including 3 beautiful Cleopatras, Marbled White, Grayling, Holly Blue and Clouded Yellows.

Soon after departing northwards we came across a pod of three Cuvier's Beaked Whales. Other squid eating cetaceans were also present in the area. We missed a breaching whale close in front of the bow. One leap and it was gone. Then we came across two pods of Risso's Dolphins totalling 9 animals (this is undoubtedly the best year that we have ever had for this species). As we crossed the middle of the Bay we watched two distant whales logging side by side. Their blows were angled and they were almost certainly Sperm Whales. However, they were just too distant to be sure.

The afternoon brought a string of Striped Dolphin sightings. Some were swimming in tight-packed groups, others leapt high into the air landing on their sides or backs. Little did they realise that they were about to be out competed in the Biscay circus by three amazing Blue-fin Tuna of at least 1.5 metres in length. All three were leaping high beside the ship and chasing small sprats, possibly pilchards which are a favoured prey. These large predators arrive in northern Europe during July and August, having migrated from warmer waters either off North Africa or the western North Atlantic. Fish of this size are at least six years old but Blue-fin Tuna can live to over 30 years and an incredible 4 metres in length. Sadly these beautiful fish rarely achieve maximum size these days due to fishing pressure.

Cetacean totals: 21 Fin Whales, 2 probable Sperm Whales, 3 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 95 Bottlenose Dolphins, 70 Common Dolphins, 293 Striped Dolphins, 28 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 9 Risso's Dolphins, 10 Harbour Porpoises, 2 unidentified whales.

Seabird totals: 3 Cory's Shearwaters, 20 Storm-petrels, 6 Ringed Plovers, 8 Cormorants, 4 Great Skuas, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Kittiwakes, 9 Common Terns, 1 Black Tern.

2 - 5 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

12 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 2 Sperm Whale, 7 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 36 Pilot Whale, 16 Risso's Dolphin, 61 Bottlenose Dolphin, 64 Common Dolphin, 327 Striped Dolphin and 3 Harbour Porpoise.

29 July - 1 August 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

The trip proved to be excellent for whales, dolphins and other marine life with exceptional numbers of Cuvier's Beaked Whales. Despite a cloudy day in northern Spain we were also treated to some excellent raptor sightings including a very close encounter with a Montagu's Harrier - the first Company of Whales record from Santurtzi!

Marine life: 2 Harbour Porpoise, 311 Common Dolphin, 320 Striped Dolphin, 62 Bottlenose Dolphin. 48 Long-finned Pilot Whale, 13 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 6 Fin Whale, 5 unidentified whales, 117 unidentified dolphins, 1 Ocean Sunfish, 100+ tuna (including one school travelling with Striped Dolphins). Seabirds included 1 Little Shearwater, 4 Black Tern, 3 Great Skua and 1 Arctic Skua.

Northern Spain: 1 Montagu's Harrier, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 2 Kestrel, 1 Hobby, 2 Buzzard, 10 Griffon Vulture, 1 Wryneck, 10 Red-backed Shrike and 13 species of butterfly.

26 - 29 July 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

2 Harbour Porpoise, 151 Bottlenose Dolphins, 617 Common Dolphins, 66 Striped Dolphins, 5 Risso's Dolphins, 78 Pilot Whales, 7 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 3 Sperm Whales, 5 Fin Whales, 15 Killer Whales, 5 unidentified whales, 17 unidentified dolphins, 5 Ocean Sunfish and 1 unidentified shark. Birds from the ship included 4 Corys Shearwaters, 1 Great Shearwater, 6 Storm Petrels, 2 Great Skua, 70 Dunlin and 12 Whimbrel. Highlights of the walk in Spain included 4 Griffon Vultures, 1 Booted Eagle, 2 Kestrels, 1 Hobby, a Wall Lizard, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth and 16 species of butterflies.

22 - 25 July 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

Cetacean highlights included 11 Bottlenose Dolphins, 28 Striped Dolphins, 40 Common Dolphins, 2 Pilot Whales, 2 Fin Whales and 3 Cuvier's Beaked Whales. Seabirds are still present in low numbers including 1 Cory's Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Sabine's Gull, 10 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and 2 Great Skuas. The walk in the foothills was particularly productive for butterflies with 19 species observed. Highlights included Long-tailed Blue, Short-tailed Blue, Small Blue, Cleopatra and Brown Argus. We were also treated to 4 superb Red-backed Shrikes. The most bizarre sighting of the trip involved a probable Montague's Harrier observed far out to sea being mobbed by a Great Skua!

19 - 22 July 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

6 Fin Whales, 5 unidentified large rorquals, 4 Cuvier's beaked Whales, 1 probable Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 20 Bottle nosed Dolphins, 80 Common Dolphins, 30 Striped Dolphins, 100+ unidentified dolphins

15 - 18 July 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

Weather conditions on the outward journey were not favourable for whale watching, but we still managed to record several groups of Common Dolphin and a Fin Whale to finish off the day. Fortunately northern Spain welcomed us with warm sunny weather and our walk in the foothills proved to be outstanding for butterflies. We recorded 16 species in total including the stunning Cleopatra, Marbled Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Long-tailed Blue and Small Heath. Amongst the other wildlife highlights were an obliging Burnet Moth, Green and Wall Lizards, a pair of Buzzards, a kettle of circling Griffon Vultures, a family party of Melodious Warblers and a field of brilliant blue Chicory.

 

Heading north from Bilbao the weather remained stable with a light swell and a very calm sea. The best encounters of the day came early on with a superb 'female type' Cuvier's Beaked Whale close to the ship, a Fin Whale close off the port side and a pod of 15 Long-finned Pilot Whales travelling line-abreast. As the sun started to descend, we picked up more Fin Whales, several pods of Common, Striped and Bottlenose Dolphin and a further group of five Pilot Whales. Prior to sunset we were also treated to a fabulous altocumulus cloud pattern, appearing like enormous pieces of cotton wool stretching to the horizon. With the sun dropping the clouds also revealed an optical phenomena known as iridescence. Iridescence appears as a series of coloured bands in thin clouds, particularly altocumulus, creating a rainbow-like effect.

 

Cetacean totals included 5 Fin Whales, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 20 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 47 Common Dolphins, 110 Striped Dolphins, 7 unidentified dolphins and 3 unidentified rorqual blows. Seabirds included 1 Fulmar, 2 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Yelkouan Shearwater and 50 Gannets.

12 - 15 July 2003 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao

 

The product of two days of excellent weather included 48 encounters with six species of cetacean. Highlights included very close views of Fin and Cuvier's Beaked Whales with three species of dolphin coming in to the bow. Trip total for cetaceans was 241 Common Dolphins, 235 Striped Dolphins, 70 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 59 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 5 Fin Whales and 3 Cuvier's Beaked Whales. Seabirds were thin on the water but included 5 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Corys Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater and 1 Great Skua. The walk in Spain produced 14 species of butterfly despite the cloudy weather and unusual birds included cuckoo and grasshopper warbler.

 

24 - 27 June 2003. Research and Recording Holiday

Our first research and recording holiday of the year provided a great opportunity for our guests to learn how to look for and record their whale and dolphin sightings. Not only did everybody do a very good job of conducting the research, they also had the opportunity to test their identification skills on eight species of cetacean!

The undoubted highlight of the holiday came on the return journey and involved two large groups of Sperm Whales. In total, 19 Sperm Whales were watched for over an hour. They were divided into two main groups, which included five animals resting side by side and the smallest calf that we have ever observed in the Bay. Most of the animals were logging (resting at the surface and giving the appearance of floating logs) but one mature female breached clear of the water four times in a spectacular display. Other cetacean highlights included two pods of Cuvier's Beaked Whales totalling four animals, 1 unidentified Mesoplodon beaked whale, 66 Bottlenose Dolphins, 139 Common Dolphins, 364 Striped Dolphins, 5 Risso's Dolphins, 22 Pilot Whales and 4 Harbour Porpoises. An unidentified rorqual (baleen whale) blow was also recorded.

Other marine life observed included two large unidentified sharks estimated to be over two metres in length and four leaping Ocean Sunfish! Our final morning in the English Channel also resulted in a number of excellent sightings including three superb Basking Sharks, nose-to-proboscis views of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Monkey Island and a bull Grey Seal - a first for The Company of Whales.

Very low numbers of seabirds were recorded but an unseasonal Little Shearwater provided a surprising and welcome addition to the checklist. Other seabirds included 1 Cory's Shearwater, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Fulmar, 1 Kittiwake, 1 Great Skua and lots of Gannets.

A pleasant jaunt through the Spanish foothills resulted in excellent views of a number of breeding warblers including Blackcap, Melodious Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler and Garden Warbler. A superb Hummingbird Hawkmoth delighted us with stunning views and a smart male Stonechat was the highlight for many. We also watched a Black Kite wheeling high in the sky above us and one lucky person saw a male Red-backed Shrike. The day was cloudy so butterflies were generally perched and not flying. Eleven species were recorded including Marbled White, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Adonis Blue.

The sheer diversity of wildlife encountered on this trip was outstanding and had both guides and guests looking forward to our next mid-summer whale watching holiday planned for June 2004!

27 May - 3 June 2003 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa

Following our meeting at Portsmouth ferry terminal on Tuesday evening and swift embarkation, we met up for a guided tour of the ship. A quick question and answer session revealed to the guides, Rob and Dylan, that everybody had a general interest in wildlife, with whales, dolphins and Wallcreepers at the top of the wanted list! Retiring to a selection of the six restaurants and bars on offer, we discussed the exciting possibilities of the next seven days.

Following our illustrated talk held in the dolphin room on Wednesday morning, we met at mid-day, laden down with warm clothes, snack food and optical equipment. The weather was set fair with a lot of white capped waves but only a light swell. Surprisingly there were very few seabirds to be seen. In total we only managed 12 Fulmars, 30 Gannets, one Kittiwake and eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls. However, migrant birds were in evidence, most notably six Collared Doves sitting on Monkey Island! Other land birds at sea included Turtle Dove, Swallow, Swift and five House Martins.

Our first cetacean sighting came at 17.00 as we approached the shelf edge. A pod of 15 Bottlenose Dolphins were travelling fast off the starboard side with a handful of Gannets in hot pursuit. They suddenly slowed and circled, possibly hunting prey. As we sailed over deeper water, we encountered more dolphins. This time they were Common Dolphins, in small groups of five, 30, 10 and five. Most of them swam into the bow, affording excellent views both above and through the water as we gazed down upon them. To complete the day a pod of eight Long-finned Pilot Whales moved slowly past the bridge wing on our port side, whilst 70 unidentified dolphins were recorded in the fading light.

 

Thursday began with an early start and an announcement from the ship's first officer that the day promised to be sunny and hot. We picked up the two minibuses and headed west. By mid-morning we had arrived at Santona Marshes where we searched the mudflats and brackish pools for water birds. We soon picked out five Spoonbills roosting amongst the Limosa. The yellow tip to their bills, yellow neck ring and long nape plumes were clearly visible on these breeding plumaged adults. Other birds included Whimbrel, Redshank, Yellow-legged Gull, Gadwall, Little Grebe and Coot. Raptors were also rising above the nearby hill as the heat intensified, and we watched circling Common Buzzards, Black Kites and a Sparrowhawk. The Fan-tailed, Cetti's and Reed Warblers were not so obliging, preferring to be heard, but not seen. Finally, Marianne found a superb Bee Orchid beside the minibus as we left.

Lunch was taken at a bend in the beautiful River Deva, one of Europe's most southerly Salmon rivers. Our picnic was interrupted frequently by encounters with wildlife including Clouded Yellow butterfly, Common Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, Blackcap and Serin. However, the only vultures to be seen were sat around the picnic tables!

Following lunch we headed inland, stopping at the Salmon Viewpoint, a mirador overlooking a deep limestone gorge along the Desfiladero. Here we found our first Griffon Vultures circling above the crags. To our surprise, there were also five Alpine Swifts, soaring at an even greater altitude than the vultures. Closer to ground level, several Crag Martins were hawking for insects and a Cleopatra butterfly flew past.

 

Further up river, we found a Black-bellied Dipper feeding its fledgling along the shoreline. We arrived at the Fuente De Parador Hotel late in the afternoon, in time to settle in, enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery, run through the checklist and feast on our first Cantabrican meal.

With another splendidly hot day forecast for Friday, we followed our leisurely breakfast with a trip on the cable car up into the Urrieles Massif in search of the alpine specialities of the region. Five minutes into our walk at 1800m above sea level, we were greeted by a carpet of stunning Trumpet Gentians. A few Spring Gentians could also be found amongst them. Also in evidence, were Mountain Buttercup, Alpine Toadflax and Alpine Lady's Mantle. Heading swiftly for the 'Wallcreeper Track', we began our search for this illusive crimson-winged wanderer. After an hour of scanning Dylan spotted a lone bird flicking its wings as it searched for food near the top of the cliff. Unfortunately it flew off almost immediately. Rob then picked out two more birds flying at a similar height. They were engaged in an aerial tussle, and looked like two large butterflies fluttering along. Unfortunately, they too disappeared behind the cliff. To our surprise, we then met up with some friends and former Shetland Wildlife guests, and a whale watching compatriot from the ferry. They were also struggling to see Wallcreeper and by the end of the day, we felt fortunate that we had at least, found three. The other two star birds of the high mountains were certainly more obliging. First we found two Snow Finches feeding on a snow patch, and then we encountered a superb Alpine Accentor, which allowed us to approach to within five metres as it preened itself on a rock next to the track. A singing Rock Thrush, on the other hand, chose not to reveal itself. Clearly the mid-day sun was proving too much for the local Chamois, which were cooling themselves on several snow patches, legs outstretched. We watched in amazement as a further three came racing down a near vertical slope with incredible agility.

Finally we headed 'off-road' down to a pool in search of Alpine Newts. The pool was alive with amphibious predators. The fiery newts were in abundance, but the pool was also full of enormous tadpoles, which we later attributed to the Western Spadefoot Toad. There were also mean-looking Diving Beetle larvae and a single Midwife Toad. Returning down on the cable car, we watched Egyptian Vultures amongst the flock of Griffons, circling up on the thermals.

 

Saturday offered the opportunity for our guests to have a late morning and an early night, or to burn the candle at both ends, with an early morning woodland walk and a nocturnal spotlighting session. A dawn chorus walk through the Beech woods is always a thrilling experience, as the sound of bird song mingles with the distant cicadas and tinkling cow bells. White Asphodel, Early Purple Orchid and Hedgerow Cranesbill lined the embankments and in several places the grass moved to reveal lethargic Slow Worms. Bird highlights included Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Black Redstart and Serin.

After breakfast we headed into Potes for a spot of shopping. This pretty mountain town is almost as popular with the birds as it is with tourists. Black-bellied Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Serin and Black Redstart all showed well in the centre of town. Driving south along the Valle de Cereceda leading to the Mirador at San Glorio, we made a stop by an orchard near Valmeo. The nearby hills provided excellent raptor viewing and we were soon watching a flock of Griffon Vultures stretching their wings. Amongst them were two Egyptian Vultures, a Honey Buzzard, several Common Buzzards, a Short-toed Eagle and a Raven. In the nearby meadow we found two stunning Lizard Orchids and witnessed a superb Middle Spotted Woodpecker feeding fledgling young near its nest site in an apple tree.

Further up the valley we stopped for lunch in open country with impressive views close to the village of Vejo. We were soon watching Booted and Short-toed Eagles hunting together. Red-backed Shrike and Cirl Bunting were perched in nearby bushes and a Corn Bunting was an unusual find. A number of butterflies were on the wing including Heath, Provencal and Meadow Fritillary, Scarce Swallowtail, Wall Brown and Speckled Wood. By mid-afternoon we had reached the Mirador, with its spectacular views of the northern mountains, stretching away towards the coast. A lucky few saw a Queen of Spain Fritillary; everybody saw the endemic Chapman's Ringlet, and we admired a Red-legged Partridge as Alan failed yet again to take a good photograph of a Stonechat! There was just enough time for an icecream stop in Potes before we headed for home. Following a heavy rainstorm, we went spotlighting after dark. A short walk brought two excellent views of Red Foxes and an unidentified species of bat.

 

Sunday was sunny and warm again, so we headed for the cool shade of the forest. After some very close 'canopy views' of Firecrests and Nuthatches from the teleferico stairs, we took to the track through Beech and Oak woods, interspersed with some spectacular hay meadows. Butterflies were in abundance, including Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Mountain Dappled White and Large Grayling. One field corner hosted Turquoise Blue, Adonis Blue and Grizzled Skipper, all sucking minerals from goat dung! A 'Rana' frog was found and photographed in the field. Later, extensive analysis of the hind legs, toes and the width between the dorsal ridges confirmed its identification as Iberian Frog. Other highlights included Wall Lizard, Fire Salamander (sadly deceased!), Pink Butterfly Orchid and Dung Beetles racing downhill with balls of dung. Amongst the Oak forest and open heath on the higher slopes we found Garden and Bonelli's Warbler, Crested Tit, Stonechat and Rock Bunting. Heading back down, the weather finally broke, with intermittent light showers.

On returning to the hotel we sat outside with a nice cold drink whilst Rob spotted one of the star birds of the trip - an adult Lammergeier, being mobbed by a Booted Eagle above the hotel! One last walk through the meadows at Fuente De revealed Fly Orchid, Man Orchid, Early Marsh Orchid and Painted Pink, amongst the commoner wild flowers. Running through the checklist that evening we all agreed that it had been a fabulous three days, but would the Bay of Biscay provide us with a grand finale?

After the Monday morning drive east to Bilbao, we found ourselves back on the Pride of Bilbao and up on Monkey Island once more. Early concerns about sea fog proved unfounded as the cloud lifted to reveal a flat calm sea. But even with these stable conditions nobody could have hoped for such an amazing afternoon of wildlife watching. At 13.14 we encountered our first Long-finned Pilot Whales, with a Wilson's Petrel fluttering above them. Soon after we saw 12 Striped Dolphins, including one individual that breached constantly for 10 minutes! At 14.08 we encountered three Cuvier's Beaked Whales, which swam up to the bow. They were so close that we could see their pale heads and protruding beaks through the clear water as they rose to breathe. This breathtaking encounter was the highlight for many of us but there was much more to come. We then experienced what can only be described as a barrage of dolphins. During our nine-hour watch, the longest gap between sightings was 25 minutes. We watched in amazement as pods of up to 120 Striped Dolphins and 40 Common Dolphins swam by, many porpoising into the bow. Sometimes the two species were mixed together. On other occasions very small calves were observed, as was spectacular breaching, tail slapping and somersaults. Just before 17.00 an enormous Fin Whale surfaced 400m ahead of the ship, expelling its tall columnar blow before rolling forward to reveal its swept back dorsal fin. We saw its fluke prints as it moved away but the animal didn't surface again.

As the afternoon progressed we continued to watch wave upon wave of Common and Striped Dolphins approaching the ship. At 20.55 we came across six Long-finned Pilot Whales accompanied by 14 Bottlenose Dolphins, one of which porpoised into the bow. A few more Pilots and Common Dolphins came in as dusk approached. There were also two stunning bird finds. At 17.00 we watched an enormous Caspian Tern flying north east ahead of us and, to finish the day, a Hobby flew very close over Monkey Island. Perhaps it was destined to catch the migrating Swallow that we had already watched catching a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly 100 miles from land earlier in the afternoon!

In total we recorded 697 cetaceans during 54 encounters involving six species that afternoon; but it was the superb views, as well as the numbers, that made it such a fabulous crossing.

The Tuesday morning watch produced countless Gannets, Fulmars, a Turtle Dove and a distant dolphin (probably Bottlenose). Our final checklist tally totalled 104 birds, five land mammals, six species of cetacean involving 812 individuals, 28 butterflies, five amphibians, one reptile and nine orchids. I don't think anybody wanted the trip to end, but it did, at 17.30 back in Portsmouth. Thanks to everybody who joined us for helping to make it such a memorable week!

13 - 20 May 2003 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa

As we met in the terminal building at Portsmouth anticipation was already building following our hugely successful first Picos de Europa holiday two weeks previous. Early conversations between us suggested that the group was made up of people with a general interest in all aspects of natural history and a particular interest in whales and dolphins, birds and wild flowers. Having settled into our cabins, we were informed by the Captain that the weather in the Bay of Biscay was also settling down, with a forecast of decreasing winds and sea state for the following day. Following a guided tour of the ship and a hearty meal we chatted about the exciting possibilities for the rest of the week before retiring to our quarters.

Wednesday dawned dry, bright and calmer than expected so, following our illustrated talk which magically turns all of our guests into whale and dolphin experts, we headed for our exclusive whale watching platform 'Monkey Island' to put our new skills to the test. To our delight we were greeted by the 'Mill pond Atlantic' as flat calm seas prevailed. These windless conditions with a warm sun and a hazy sky were calm enough even for spotting the diminutive and shy Harbour Porpoise. Within 20 minutes of the watch our first sighting turned out to be this species, as two porpoises surfaced at mid distance, showing only their upper backs and distinctive triangular dorsal fins as they arched forward. An hour later we encountered our first Bottlenose Dolphins on what would turn out to be an exceptional day for encounters with this species. Eight animals were watched porpoising, breaching and somersaulting as a small flock of gannets shadowed their every move in anticipation of an easy discarded fish meal.

Passing on a SSE heading we sailed through a heavily fished area with several trawlers operating. A close Minke Whale took us by surprise as it popped up in front of the bow, its shiny dark back glistening in the sun as it moved aside to let the ship pass by. With weather conditions reminiscent of previous Augusts, many of the seabirds encountered were looking more than a little lethargic, as we passed small flocks of Gannets sun bathing afloat. Others, in search of food, gave away the presence of more dolphins as they circled above. Several more pods of Bottlenose Dolphin passed by and, as we entered deeper water, we encountered our first Long-finned Pilot Whales. After the much trickier fast-moving dolphins, everybody was pleased to see how easy these slow black giants were to identify and track with binoculars. It wasn't long before the words "Pilot Whale" and "favourite" were being mentioned in the same sentence. For a mad half an hour at around 3,000m water depth there seemed to be Pilot Whales everywhere. First on the port side, then on the starboard. There were at least 35 in total, including some very young calves. They were spread over a mile or more in small family groups and associating with a large group of 25 Bottlenose Dolphins. A young Pilot Whale began tail slapping to add to the excitement.

During the afternoon we recorded a steady count of seabirds, including Common Tern, Great Skua, Kittiwake, Fulmar and perhaps most unusual, a lone Cory's Shearwater twisting past a group of Pilot Whales. There were also migrant birds heading on their northward migration, including Swallow, Swift, Turtle Dove and Collared Dove. The sight of birds that we normally associate with our gardens and local countryside so many miles from land is both incredible and thought provoking, giving us an insight into a part of these birds lives that generally goes unobserved.

As the sun began to set, we saw our first Striped Dolphins. The pod of five included one spectacular show off, which performed a show of repeated back breaching for several minutes! With an hour to go before dark, some guests decided to finish their day's whale watching with a window seat and a bottle of wine in the Brasserie Restaurant. They missed two encounters with unidentified beaked whales (the latter at least was probably a Cuvier's) and a pod of 40 unidentified dolphins. This was made up for by a fabulous pod of 20 Short-beaked Common Dolphins leaping across a pink sea painted by the setting sun. This pure Disney moment was enjoyed by those still on Monkey Island and those already sipping Rioja from their wine glasses down below. It was a fitting way to end an excellent day's whale watching and a reminder that, given fair weather; the month of May can be every bit as productive for whale and dolphin watching as late summer.

The following day we arrived in Bilbao and picked up our minibus for the journey west. Our first of many encounters with birds of prey came sooner than expected as a Hobby zipped over the motorway at high speed. First stop was Santona Marshes, an enormous area of mudflats, saltwater creeks and embankments crowded with Limosa. The area constitutes the most important wetland on the north coast of Spain and a stronghold for the Spoonbill. We saw a total of 12, along with Little Egret, Black Kite, Gadwall, Little Grebe, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-legged Gull and Cetti's Warbler. Continuing west en-route to the Picos we stumbled across some other feathered gems. Two White Storks in a hay field, a Fan-tailed Warbler displaying at the 'Servicios' and, most unusually, eight Cattle Egrets feeding amongst (yes, you've guessed it!), cattle! Finally, we entered the Picos from Unquera at the north east corner of the National Park. Our lunch of Chorizo sausage, tomato and cheese sandwiches with olives, fruit and biscuits at the fabulous Salmon Viewpoint was interrupted by the world's boldest Firecrest which perched right out in the open to reveal that wonderful stripy head pattern and punk orange crown, before grabbing a cranefly and disappearing back into the undergrowth. Also on the menu were our first Griffon Vultures, casting enormous shadows on the cliffs as they glided overhead. Crag Martins were wheeling and banking before disappearing into their rock face nest sites and Ted spotted a wind-assisted Swallowtail butterfly. A Spotted Flycatcher and Iberian Chiffchaff were also noteworthy.

By late afternoon we had arrived at our hotel, The Parador at Fuente De. After settling in we took a walk around the hotel and the meadow behind. It takes time just to absorb the scenery at Fuente De, surrounded as it is by a natural amphitheatre of 800m high cliffs. The challenge here was knowing whether to look up or down. High in the sky were Griffon's, Short-toed Eagle and, picked out with eagle-eyed precision by Madeleine, a Lammergeier, making heavy work of the thin air on such a calm day. Amazingly this was our second encounter in as many trips with this rare vulture. Down on the ground, the meadow was radiant from a botanical blaze of colour emanating largely from Kidney Vetch, Burnt Orchid, Early Marsh Orchid, Spring Gentian and Trumpet Gentian.

 

 

By breakfast time on Friday, low cloud had begun to dip into the valley, suggesting that a cable car to the high tops would be unwise. Instead we took to the ancient Beech woods, walking the track towards the Rio Las Barcenas. With the dense Beech trees reducing visibility, our eyes became our ears as we undertook a lesson in bird song. After reminding ourselves of the repetitive Song Thrush, the fluty Blackcap and the cascading Chaffinch we moved onto more unusual sounds (and sights) such as Crested Tit, Tree Pipit, Nuthatch and Firecrest. Passing through open country we discovered Rock Bunting, Water Pipit and Stonechat, but the ornithological highlight was a superb Egyptian Vulture which circled low over our heads for several minutes as if it knew we had pistachio nuts in our rucksacks!

The woodland rides were littered with shade-loving wild flowers including Lesser Daffodil and Solomon's Seal, whilst open glades revealed patches of Viper's Bugloss, Buttercup, the 'Atlantis' race of Kidney Vetch and Burnt Orchid. A stunning Pink Butterfly Orchid was a first, even for Dylan! Dick startled a Roe Deer and found a Cirl Bunting before we reached the cafeteria, whereby we sipped café con leche with a pair of Short-toed Eagles circling and mewing overhead.

 

 

As Saturday began, so did we, with a dawn chorus walk in the woods south of Espinama. This provided the perfect test for yesterday's lesson in bird song as Cuckoo, Blackcap, Firecrest, Song Thrush and Wren dominated the cacophony of sound. We also found very fresh Pine Marten scats which, sadly, did not lead us to the animal itself, and watched two Roe Deer staring back at us from the other side of the river. Driving back for breakfast we stopped to view a Cirl Bunting, only to find a fabulous male Red-backed Shrike perched beside it!

The cloudless sky suggested that this would be a good day to be on the high tops so we took the four minute 800m climb in the amazing cable car to the summit. Arriving on top of this stunning lunar landscape, we discovered that plenty of snow patches remained, as we were passed by groups of cross-country skiers. Fortunately the path was completely clear of snow. Almost immediately Ted spotted two Chamois leaping away from us and we glimpsed our first Alpine Accentors. Ted continued his inspirational mammal spotting form by picking out two Snow Voles amongst the rocks. This small rodent is unusual in being largely diurnal, probably due to a distinct lack of predators. As Alpine and Red-billed Chough's wheeled overhead, an Alpine Accentor perched obligingly on a rock. Displaying Water Pipits seemed to be everywhere and we watched several dazzlingly white Snow Finches flying overhead before one settled for frame filling scope views! The plaintive "plink plink" call of a Midwife Toad proved impossible to locate amongst the boulders but the stunning orange, blue and black Alpine Newts were more obliging at our favourite pool hotspot. Finally, as we stopped for lunch, we noticed that the day was proving a little hot for the local Chamois, who were flaked out on the ice fields around us! Keeping quiet on our nocturnal lamping session is a challenge after a couple of glasses of wine and the giggles but we still managed to find a Red Fox (which Ted imaginatively attempted to turn into a Brown Bear) and heard Tawny Owl and Midwife Toad.

After a Sunday morning shopping excursion in the picturesque pan-tile roofed town of Potes, we headed for Lebena. Here, in the sun-drenched valley to the east of the village, the flora and fauna take on a Mediterranean feel. The butterfly list was soon boosted considerably with excellent views of Scarce Swallowtail, Wood White, Cleopatra, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown and Red Admiral. Wall Lizards were plentiful and a single Schreiber's Green Lizard was seen scuttling up an embankment. Amongst the plants were carpets of Yellow Rattle and Kidney Vetch as well as Slender Broomrape, Yellow Rockrose and Salad Burnet. The sight of 35 Griffon Vultures circling up together was made even more memorable by the pair of Egyptian Vultures that joined them. A Bonelli's Warbler showed briefly in the Holme Oak Woods whilst Serins, Redstarts, Long-tailed Tits and a Spotted Flycatcher perched obligingly.

 

 

A short drive to a known Golden Eagle hotspot proved fruitless on this occasion, although part compensation was received in the form of an ice-cream by the river and a Black-bellied Dipper. Returning to the hotel, we had time for one last search for orchids in the superb meadows of Fuente De. Amongst the Burnt and Early Marsh Orchids were Man Orchid, with its amazing little-green-men-shaped flowers, Fly Orchid and Early Spider Orchid.

The journey back to the ferry port on Monday morning passed all the more quickly as we got close to several hunting Black Kites, Common Buzzards and Kestrels. Back on the Pride of Bilbao and, following a spot of lunch, we soon found ourselves sailing northwards into the Bay of Biscay. Sadly we were also sailing into a steadily increasing wind and, although the swell remained low, the number of white caps rendered whale watching almost impossible. Although the afternoon remained sunny and warm, all that we managed from our watch was five Gannets a Kittiwake and a Manx Shearwater. Perhaps we had used up all of our luck during the excellent southbound journey. As we entered the English Channel on the last day nobody minded that the weather remained poor. There is so much on offer on the Pride of Bilbao, and for once we had time to enjoy the cinema, sauna and onboard shopping. At the lunchtime meeting, we ran through the checklist one last time. Over the last seven days we had recorded six cetaceans, four land mammals, 92 birds, 16 butterflies, two amphibians, three reptiles, seven orchids and numerous wildflowers. We finished off with a wildlife questionnaire in a pub quiz style! Everybody did exceptionally well, although most people found it difficult to believe that a Blue Whale could weigh as much as 40 African Elephants. The alternative name for Lammergeier was also in dispute as Trish felt that Bone Cracker was more appropriate than Bone Crusher! As we had come to expect when alcohol is at stake, Ted pulled out all of the stops and duly took the winners prize of a bottle of wine after a narrow victory. Finally, we departed the Pride of Bilbao at 16.45 and said our farewells after a very enjoyable trip in great company.

29 April - 6 May 2003 - Bay of Biscay & Picos de Europa

Our first Biscay and Picos de Europa trip of 2003 was eagerly awaited by all of our guests. It had been a long winter in the Company of Whales office so for Hugh and Dylan, it was great to be back in the field! On meeting our guests at Portsmouth ferry terminal we boarded the newly refurbished Pride of Bilbao and made our way through the English Channel. Anticipation was high among everybody and little did we know that over the next few days we would be treated to some truly awesome wildlife encounters.

After our Wednesday morning lecture on the marine life of the Bay of Biscay, we started watch from 'Monkey Island' just before noon. Within just a few minutes of we picked up a superb summer-plumaged adult Sabine's Gull keeping company with 3 Common Terns. An hour or so later, two Ocean Sunfish gave stunning views as they drifted down the port side of the ship. Frustratingly, the wind and sea state gradually crept up during the afternoon making observation tricky to say the least but we were kept busy by watching a steady stream of Gannets, a few Bonxies, the odd Kittiwake and a solitary Puffin. Migrants were also on the move and we recorded single Swallow and Collared Dove flying around the ship with, perhaps more bizarrely, a Large White butterfly! By early evening we came across a feeding frenzy of Gannets and were finally rewarded with our first cetaceans of the trip. A pod of at least 25 Common Dolphins swam by the port side, often breaching clear of the water and 4 Pilot Whales surfaced among them showing their characteristic 'swept-back' dorsal fins. After all that sea watching, appetites were big and so we retired for a well-deserved dinner.

Thursday morning saw us arriving in Bilbao on schedule and we were soon heading west to the Picos de Europa. A couple of hours birding at Santona marshes produced Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, several Little Egrets, 3 Gadwall, 40+ Black Kites, 30+ Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Fan-tailed Warblers. Pride of place though had to go to a feeding Purple Heron, which gave views right out in the open. Equally as impressive was and a small colony of 16 Spoonbills. After lunch in Panes we drove deeper in to the mountains, hugging the Rio Deva. En route we found a superb Golden Eagle, which offered incredible views as it soared above us, encountered small parties of enormous Griffon Vultures and watched Crag Martins as they zipped around the cliff faces. Arriving at Parador Fuente De late in the afternoon we were greeted by handsome male Black Redstarts singing from the rooftops. After unpacking we soon found ourselves immersed in the beauty of our surroundings and started raptor watching in earnest. Griffon Vultures seemed to be everywhere and two Short-toed Eagles offered excellent views as they hunted over the ridges. Chamois were soon located on the scree slopes and Common Buzzards drifted through the woods. Then a complete shock to the system as a superb near-adult Lammergeir came drifting over us - its deep-mustard yellow belly and black 'beard' clearly visible, even with the naked eye. A very rare bird in the Picos de Europa - what a start!

Friday dawned fine and bright and our pre-breakfast walk in the beech woods rewarded us with Red Squirrels, Short-toed Treecreepers, Cuckoo, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, several Firecrests, a couple of Crested Tits and stunning looks at a pair of Jays. After a hearty breakfast we found a super male Rock Bunting and made our way to the mountaintops by way of the cable car - wow, what a view! We were greeted upon arrival by scores of Alpine Choughs and as we walked further in to the Los Urrieles range we picked up several dapper Wheatears, Black Redstarts, salmon-pink Water Pipits and our first Snow Finches. Red-billed Choughs also vied for attention as we started our search for one of the regions' most handsome birds - Wallcreeper. More Black Redstarts, several more Snow Finches and over 20 Chamois kept us sharp. We took lunch with Alpine Choughs, which seemed intent on stealing our sandwiches and were soon joined by a stunning Alpine Accentor, which hopped just a few inches away from us. After what seemed like an age, the quarry finally fell when we found us a superb Wallcreeper feeding among the boulders - what a bird! We headed back to the cable car seeing a Glow Worm, hearing Midwife Toad, several more Alpine Accentors and some lovely wild flowers including Lesser Wild Daffodil and Purple Saxifrage. The weather started to deteriorate somewhat so we decided not to risk the walk to one of our Alpine Newt sites. Instead we sipped a welcome hot cup of coffee with two more Alpine Accentors for company. Quite a day.

 

Saturday also dawned fine and bright. Our pre-breakfast walk gave us excellent views of a singing Garden Warbler, a couple of Marsh Tits, a male Redstart, several Firecrests, a Wood Mouse and a very busy male Red Squirrel building his dray. Totally oblivious to our presence we watched him for over 20 minutes as he stripped branches to build, and lichen to line his drey. After the customary hearty breakfast (for the guides, at least!) we spent the rest of the morning exploring the woodlands to the south of Espinoma. A pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young and a solitary Dipper were on the river but highlight had to be the delightful Camberwell Beauty - after showing itself off it amazed everybody by flying straight in to a spiders' web, narrowly evading capture from the occupant by a matter of seconds! As the temperature rose several other species of butterfly came on to the wing with Brimstone, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip and Holly Blue duly recorded. After a quick coffee stop in the delightful town of Potes we headed to the Mirador De San Glorio. A productive stop at Valle De Cereceda produced a huge female Peregrine, a very close dark morph Booted Eagle, a singing and showy Tree Pipit, several Serins and our first Stonechats and Dunnocks of the trip, Small Heath butterflies danced around in profusion. Lunch was taken at the Mirador with a Short-toed Eagle demanding our attention. Superb views were obtained for nearly an hour as this beautiful bird of prey hunted so close to us we could even identify the species of lizard he was eating! Small parties of Ravens were in attendance, hoping for a lost morsel or two - no such luck! An afternoon walk though the valley at Arroyo del Naranco had us marvelling at the spectacular scenery. A Dipper flew downstream beneath us, Griffon Vultures and another Short-toed Eagle drifted along the ridges, Green Hairstreak and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies flew by and Wall Lizards seemed to be everywhere. Marsh Marigolds 'shone' in the sun and Spring Gentians covered the ground. After dinner we went 'lamping' around the hotel and beech woods and were rewarded with a Tawny Owl, a Red Fox and a solitary Roe Deer.

 

We awoke on Sunday to fine weather once again. Feeling a bit disappointed at not having seen Alpine Newt in the mountains on Friday we soon found ourselves on the cable car and were once again walking against the backdrop of the majestic Los Urrieles mountains. We could hardly not go and have another look for Wallcreeper and within just a few minutes of arriving at 'our' site we heard a male singing his 'Clanger'-like phrases. We soon picked him up as he crept up a near vertical rock face before he was joined by what was presumably his mate. As if by magic, the birds flew straight towards us and for the next 20 minutes we were rewarded with absolutely brilliant views of the pair as they hunted for insects among the boulders. 3 Snow Finches vied for attention, as did a pair of Alpine Accentors and a very showy Water Pipit. We walked to the tiny pool and soon found ourselves peering into the water where we were delighted to discover over 100 Alpine Newts! After a welcome hot drink and super looks at an adult Egyptian Vulture we took the cable car back down to the Parador and headed in to the 'lowlands' (relatively speaking!) for the afternoon. The hillsides above Lebena were alive with birds. Serins sang from every treetop, a male Redstart gave 'scope-filling views and scores of Griffon Vultures soared above the ridges. Careful scanning of the raptors moving through produced a couple of Honey Buzzards, 3 Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Common Buzzards, Peregrine and a Black Kite. Butterflies were on the wing and included Camberwell Beauty, Scarce Swallowtail, Swallowtail and Painted Lady. The Holm Oaks were home to a numerous Firecrests, a singing Wryneck and several singing Western Bonelli's Warblers - a pair gave us wonderful views as they nest-built. A brief shower seemed to drop a flock of over 100 Common Swifts out of the sky - and amazingly, among them - 35 Alpine Swifts! The birds called constantly as they descended to just a couple of hundred feet above us, before moving off just after the shower.

 

Monday dawned wet, which suited us, as we were travelling back to Bilbao! After an early light (for once) breakfast we headed towards Bilbao to catch the morning ferry back to Portsmouth. The thought of whales and dolphins couldn't have been further from most people's minds as we drove through the impressive limestone gorges and valleys back to the coast. Several White Storks were seen en route but two superb adult Egyptian Vultures stole the show. We were soon at the port and on the Pride of Bilbao and duly left on time with a posse of Yellow-legged Gulls and 3 Sandwich Terns noted in the harbour. After a quick lunch we headed for 'Monkey Island' to begin watch. With seas almost mirror calm in the southern Bay anticipation was high. As we crossed the Santander Canyons 3 large beaked whales surfaced ahead of us and although the brevity of observation did not allow us to make specific identification we suspected them to be female Cuvier's Beaked Whales. A Mediterranean Shearwater headed across the bow giving us good looks and 2 Turtle Doves and a Collared Dove decided to drop down on to the boat for a free ride north. Minutes later they were joined by a migrant Yellow Wagtail. A distant pod of 15+ 'small' dolphins defied identification but were certainly either Striped or Common Dolphins and even more frustratingly, a male Cuvier's Beaked Whale snuck by the port side allowing just the briefest of views. 4 Common Dolphins came in to the bow and as we entered the Abyssal Plain the sea conditions started to pick up. But our efforts were rewarded with the sight of a majestic Fin Whale, which we picked up 'blowing' in the distance. Several minutes later it surfaced right in front of us allowing close views before drifting off down the starboard side. An hour or so later 7 Striped Dolphins gave excellent views just off the bow and entertained us with some excellent breaching. At around 8.00pm we retired to dinner, after a long, but thoroughly enjoyable day.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny. As we 'rounded the corner' in to the English Channel we started to pick up a few seabirds. A total of 5 Manx Shearwaters gave us excellent views as they flew alongside us, as did 4 Bonxies. We also recorded 3 Common Terns, 70+ Gannets and 25+ Fulmars. We retired for lunch and plotted our cetacean sightings for both the south and northbound journeys and called through the log for the last time. We drifted in to Portsmouth Harbour arriving on time at 4.30pm, said our farewells and reflected on what was a truly enjoyable and productive trip.

Click on the hyperlinks for our Picos de Europa trip reports for April and May 2002 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).