>+++++++++++++++
Sunday 1 st
of June 2025
and I am already awake, drinking tea in my room when they call to wake me up at 5 thirty. I will meet Pumpman in the CCR at 6 oäclock and we will go have a tour on deck before the Vetting Inspector arrives.We expect the Inspector to arrive around 7 o'clock. We were on deck quarter past 6 and I spotted one Black Kite and I was soon seeing four Pied Crows.
While walking around we spotted one egret, one small white egret and as I could not see the colours of the legs I have to report it was a white egret sp. to eBird.
We spotted 3 more egrets flying by and one dove, not possible for me to ID any of the birds.
ASPM Mid Stream Jetty
06:15-07:00
N 06° 27.3'
E 003° 22.6'
4 Pied Crow
2 Black Kites
1 white egret
3 egret
1 Dove
Inspector came on board just before 7 and I left deck for the vetting meeting. I got a little checklist for eBird out of it. Our Vetting Inspector left us around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The inspection went very well.
Nice, now it is 6 months until next time. I went on deck after dinner to see if there was any birds, at least 20 Cattle Egret was flying in the opposite direction from this morning. Two Black Kites was hunting across the Lagos Lagoon.
ASPM Mid Stream Jetty
18:00-18:15
N 06° 27.3'
E 003° 22.6'
2 Black Kites
20 Cattle Egrets Flying in groups of 2 to 8 birds
Black Kite
Cattle Egret
Nigerian Navy flying around
Nigerian Navy flying around
Nigerian Navy flying around
Nigerian Navy flying around
Nigerian Navy have a base across the river and they were flying over the area with a flag so they were celebating something. This money could be spent on the population instead.
Anyway, we will leave tomorrow and I will stop my trip report Barcelona, Spain to Lagos, Nigeria today. And I will start a new eBird trip report tomorrow.
eBird Trip Report
Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.
And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!
Today's Trip Report: Barcelona, Spain to Lagos, Nigeria | Click HERE
Download | PDF
Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports
Species lifer:First time that someone observes a species in their life
Photo lifer:First time that someone photographs a species in their life
Audio lifer:First time that someone audio records a species in their lifeExotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.
Naturalized:Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s).
Provisional:Either: 1)member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2)rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.
Escapee:Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that havebred but don't yet fulfil the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 2 of
of June 2025
and we completed discharging at 04:18. We completed tank inspection at 05:06, but we have to wait for the Government Surveyor to inspect the tanks, this will be after they have checked the shore tanks.We expect to get the pilot sometime in the afternoon. But we are busy doing paper work with all the surveyors and agents we have onboard.
But I manage to find 15 minutes to go see if there are any birds and I can report 6 Cattle Egrets to eBird.
ASPM Mid Stream Jetty
07:15 - 07:30
N 06° 27.3'
E 003° 22.6'
6 Cattle Egrets
We completed our documents at 13 hundred and pilot was booked for 14:00. I was busy in the CCR until almost 2 o'clock and they had started the stowaway search when I came on the bridge at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
I spotted on Black Kite sitting on the jetty when I came on the bridge. One Black Kite was flying around as well, so I could report two Black Kites to eBird. Cattle Egrets and pigeons.
I could not ID the pigeons, but I managed to get one poor picture, but it was good enough to ID the birds, Speckled Pigeons.
Black Kite
Speckled Pigeon
ASPM Mid Stream Jetty
14:15 - 15:00
N 06° 27.3'
E 003° 22.6'
5 Cattle Egrets
2 Black Kites
9 Speckled Pigeon
Our Pilot was late by 90 minutes, and yes, it was nice to leave Lagos.
They called the pilot when we had left, someone had spotted stowaways on the rudder. The AB on the poop deck had seen a small boat going in under the boat and we suspected that the stowaway had jumped up on the rudder to access the rudder trunk.
We opened the rudder trunk but there was no one these so they had most likely jumped off the rudder when detected.
We dropped the pilot and we stopped to make a second stow away search on the ship, the second search. We did one before leaving the jetty.
Leaving Lagos
Leaving Lagos
Leaving Lagos
Leaving Lagos
We completed the search just before 6 o'clock and we could leave Nigeria bound for Lome in Togo. We expect it to take about 18 hours to reach the STS area in Lome.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 3 rd
of June 2025
and we did the tank cleaning before lunch. The Lome to Banana voyage is cancelled. Shit, I was really looking forward to go to Banana, calling Banana Port Control.In the narrow channel between Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo and I would have had the chance to put colour to Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo on my eBird map. But now we are slow steaming towards Gibraltar.
At 16:25 we changed course from west to South, they have found a cargo in Lome and we will go 200 NM south of Lome to drift while waiting for instructions.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 4 th
of June 2025
and we are slow steaming towards the drifting area 200 NM south of Lome when I come on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. And when we stopped around 8 o'clock we started to roll heavily due to the swell.Not one single bird seen since we left Lagos.
Still no news about any cargo and we had time to do our drills before lunch.
We had just fired up our engine when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we will leave Africa and we are bound to Gibraltar for order.
Going to bed without having seen one single bird during the day.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 5 th
of June 2025
and we mopped and dried our slop tanks after 8 o'clock and I was back in my room at 11 o'clock. I will spend the rest of the day in my room drinking tea.Well, I will go to the bridge at 4 o'clock, but other than this, nothing.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 6 th
of June 2025
and we were steering towards North West when I came on the bridge in the later afternoon. We had reached Liberia, well, a point 150 - 200 km SW of Nigeria where we changed course towards NW.Yet another day without any birds came to an end. But it seems like we will be back. They are working on a cargo from France and back to West Africa, and I hope I get to see Banana.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 7 th
of June 2025
and we are steaming towards NW 150 km SW of Liberia and Sierra Leone when I come on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning.
Sun is coming up east of Liberia
It was dark until 7 thirty when the sun came up. A gorgeous sun rise over Africa. We tried to decant when I came down from the bridge, but we did not have any success so we will have to try tomorrow morning again.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 8 th
of June 2025
and we are steaming towards NW and we will change course towards north when we reach a point SW of the border between Guinea-Bissau and Senegal in the late afternoon. Still heading towards NW when I come on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.They are working with the gyro repeater stand on the port bridge wing when I came on the bridge.
Busy changing the gyro repeater stand
Busy changing the gyro repeater stand
Busy changing the gyro repeater stand
Busy changing the gyro repeater stand
Changing course towards north around 17 thirty and I enjoyed a gorgeous evening until 8 o'clock when I went to my room. And I put yet another day without seeing any birds behind me.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 9 th
of June 2025
and we are heading north passing east of Dakar. The wind is picking up, not too bad. The Atlantic Ocean have been like a wind mill ponds the last days.We manage to finish the decanting before lunch and we got order to go down to DEAD SLOW from full speed. The gasoline from France to West Africa was cancelled and now we are no longer in a hurry to get to Gibraltar.
The France to West Africa was back on after a couple of hours and it was full speed again. The wind increased and we had a force 5 headwind during the evening
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 10 th
of June 2025
and just as I had figured out why there are no birds, I spotted one bird, they are ashore for a couple of months once a year to have babies this time of the year.We were 156 km WNW of Cape Blanc in the afternoon when I spotted one shearwater, dark top and white bottom.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 11 th
of June 2025
and we are steering north towards Las Palmas when I come on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. It is dark until almost 8 o'clock so really not any hopes to see any birds in the morning.
Daylight is breaking on a gloomy and grey day
I was in the CCR, busy doing super important paper work when I looked out the window by accident. 11:20 and I see four young Norther Gannets hunting in front of the boat.
I run to the bridge to see if I can get a few pictures of the birds.
Northern Gannet
Click picture for bigger picture
Northern Gannet
Northern Gannet
Click picture for bigger picture
Northern Gannet
Click picture for bigger picture
I was on the bridge at 13:30 and the birds were still there. But coming on the bridge 10 minutes before 4 o'clock and there were only 3 of them remaining.
5 minutes later there was only one of them remaining. I also spotted one shearwater that I reported to eBird as Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters.
Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters
These 2 very similar species have a mainly separate distribution: Cory’s breeds on islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, with small numbers in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea; Scopoli’s breeds in the Mediterranean Sea with a small number along the coast of SW France.
Both species occur on migration in the Atlantic Ocean. After the breeding season Cory’s is common as far north as SW Great Britain and Ireland, while Scopoli’s is rare north of W France.
The ID to species level is problematic in moderate viewing conditions and at distance, e.g. for observations from land. ID to ‘Cory’s/Scopoli’s’ level is often still possible in those situations.
The Northern Gannet was gone at 17:30 and I spotted one Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwater and at 17:20 I spotted another Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwater and I spotted a total of 5 shearwaters.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 12 th
of June 2025
and we pass Las Palmas when I come on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. We had Las Palmas on our port side and we had soon put Las Palmas behind having Fuerteventura on our starboard side.Still strong wind from the north, but it had decreased to a force 5and we were making good speed towards Gibraltar where we will stop for provision and bunker.
Sun is coming up north of Las Palmas
+++++++++++++++
Friday 13 th
of June 2025
and we have advanced ships time by an hour during the night, so I was dead tired when they called me 20 minutes before 4 o'clock.The wind was picking up in the afternoon, force 5-6, headwind. But the swell came in from wet and we were rolling slightly.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 14 th
of June 2025
and we are turning towards east and Strait of Gibraltar just after 6 o'clock in the morning and we expect to be at Gibraltar pilot station around 10 o'clock.We had passed plenty fishing gear the last hour coming north to the Gibraltar TSS One fishing boat among the groups of fishing buoys.
There was small light on the buoys so it was easy to avoid the buoys when you came close enough to see the light. Anyway, turning towards east and the TSS and the fishing gear disappeared.
I spotted the first bird at 07:15, one Yello-legged Gull and there were soon four of them.
Yellow-legged Gull coming towards us in the dark
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
I was in my room at 8 thirty and I went to bed for a well needed sleep. I had not had a minute of sleep during the night so I was very tired. They called me 5 minutes before 10 o'clock, pilot will come in 20 minutes.
Coming in to Gibraltar and I thought it was kelp floating on the water. Checked out the kelp with the binoculars and it was a group of Shearewaters. They were sitting close together on the water, maybe 15 of them.
I was excited and I planned to take pictures as they were not looking to be scared. So, I waited to come closer, but the bird were flushed when we came closer and took off. I was taken by surprise and I ran after my camera, but by then it was too late and the pictures was very poor.
Cory's Shearewater
Cory's Shearewater
Not possible for me to ID the birds, so I sent the poor pictures to birdforum and it turns out to be Cory's Shearewaters.
Thanks to Andy Adcock at birdforum for help with the ID
We dropped our anchor at 10:54 and there were plenty gulls flying around. Did not take long before we had them sitting all over the boat and I got a few pictures. But I could only ID Yellow-legged Gulls.
I hope to see more birds in the afternoon when I am on the bridge. Needless to say, it would be very nice to see something else than Yellow-legged Gulls.
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Lunch time, and it was a quick lunch as I had to prepare the personal transfer basket for the hose handling crane. We are taking bunker and we need to send one of our Engineers to the bunker boat to check their tanks.
And it a cubic ton of paper work to do before we can use the transfer basket. And on top of that, of course plenty test and checks.
We were ready to send our 3rd Engineer to the bunker boat close to two thirty, and by then they were jumping up and down on the bunker boat waiting for us.
3rd Engineer in the transfer basket
3rd Engineer in the transfer basket
Coming on the bridge at 4 o'clock and I had a good view over Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage. I had expected to be impressed, but I was actually disappointed. There were some nice houses, but they had destroyed the whole water front with new ugly buildings.
Imagine this place with a nice town instead of this ugly concrete and glass buildings.
I had been on the bridge for an hour when we were surrounded by dolphins and 200 ++ Yellow-legged gulls hunting for fish. A huge shoal if fish must have come in to the Bahia De Algeciras, bringing the dolphins and gulls with them.
Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage
Click on picture for full size
Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage
Click on picture for full size
Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage
Click on picture for full size
Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage
Click on picture for full size
Gibraltar from the Western Anchorage
Click on picture for full size
One ship arriving to Algeciras and one leaving
Enjoying watching the gulls and dolphins chasing the fish, I never got any pictures, but it looks better in real life than on pictures.
The fans to the engine room were running but I decided to try to record the Yellow-legged Gulls and, well, it could have turned out better. Much better!
But it was good enough for uploading to xeno-canto and I can add one more species to my list of recorded birds.
Listen to the Yellow-legged Gulls
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my mobile phone with the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.
Suddenly we are surrounded by 200++ Yellow-legged Gulls and a big shoal of Dolphins obviously chasing a shoal of fish that had come in to the Bahia De Algeciras.
Our ventilation makes a lot of background noise, but we can hear the birds and a splash from a Dolphine at 00:35
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 15 th
of June 2025
and we had left Gibraltar behind when I came on the bridge at 6 o'clock in the morning. We are steaming towards east and the Mediterranean looked like a mirror. A gorgeous morning.We had a ship in front of us, on our starboard side. It looked like a Swedish ship and when we came closer, I discovered that it was Donsötank's m/t Prospero heading east with slow speed. I was Chief Officer on the old m/t Prospero and it is still the best tanker I have ever been on.
But all the tankers from Donsö are the best in the world. When the shipowners on Donsö say quality, they mean quality.
Donsötank's m/t Prospero
Donsötank's m/t Prospero
Click on picture for full size
Donsötank's m/t Prospero
+++++++++++++++
Monday 16 th
of June 2025
and we were passing Ibiza during the early morning. We are steaming towards north east with Spain on our port side while having our last drills for this month.Strong wind during the day but when I left the bridge at 8 o'clock in the evening the Mediterranean was like a windmill pond and we are making almost 15 knots, expecting to be at Lavera Pilot station around 5 o'clock tomorrow morning.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 17 th
of June 2025
and we are dropping anchor around 6 thirty in the morning. I can report some gulls to eBird when the sun is coming up. Coming on the bridge in the afternoon and I can see that Donsötank's m/t Prospero have dropped her anchor during the day.
Donsötank's m/t Prospero
It was a gorgeous afternoon and I was watching the gulls flying by. One tern, but too far away for any ID. I thought I saw one Northern Gannet but I never reported the bird as I was very unsure. I spotted a second Northern Gannet and this time I was sure and I reported the bird to eBird.
I enjoyed the afternoon/ evening on the bridge. Only gulls, almost, but there was something to watch and I tried to get pictures.
Northern Gannet
Yellow-legged Gull
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 18 th
of June 2025
and we are still anchored when I come on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. Several gulls sitting on the boat having a rest but they disappeared when the sun started to rise over France.We had a beautiful sun rise and with the light I could see the gulls flying by. Nothing exciting, but it is at least something to look at.
Sun is coming up
Sun is coming up
Yellow-legged Gull
Click on picture for full size
Northern Gannet
Painting on deck in the evening
There were two Northern Gannets hunting next to the boat in the afternoon, otherwise it was only gulls to report to eBird. I could ID a few Yellow-legged Gulls and the rest was reported as gull sp. as I could not ID many of them.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 19 th
of June 2025
and it was dark until about 5 o'clock and I experienced yet another gorgeous sunrise. I enjoyed the views together with a cup of tea while the sun was rising.Sun was up around 6 o’clock and suddenly, I discover a huge group of birds. They are very far away and I cannot ID the birds before I look at my pictures, Greater Flamingos, and there are more than hundreds of them.
Sun is coming up
Greater Flamingos
Click on picture for full size
Greater Flamingos
Click on picture for full size
Greater Flamingos
Click on picture for full size
Our Pilot boarded us and it was close to 7 thirty in the evening, so I knew it would be a full night before I can go to bed. Pilot came onboard and our anchor was up a few minutes later.
We were passing the piers, a marina on the left-hand side and on our right-hand side there was an old fort. We could see that m/t Prospero were loading, and by the looks of it, the loading rate are very slow.
She looked to be empty after a day of loading. We expect at least 3 days of loading, I am in no hurry to go anywhere, and the crew will go ashore to buy Pepsi.
Entering the port of Lavera
m/t Prospero loading in Lavera
Coming alongside jetty “D” and I can see one Grey Heron and three Feral Pigeons that I can report to eBird. And as we arrive to Lavera, I can complete my eBird trip report: Lagos, Nigeria to Lavera, France.
I will start a new eBird trip report tomorrow, Lavera back to West Africa. And now I hope to see more birds this trip, if the birds are back after having had their babies.
eBird Trip Report
Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.
And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!
Today's Trip Report: Lagos, Nigeria to Lavera, France | Click HERE
Download | PDF
Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports
Species lifer:First time that someone observes a species in their life Photo lifer:First time that someone photographs a species in their life Audio lifer:First time that someone audio records a species in their lifeExotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.
Naturalized:Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s). Provisional:Either: 1)member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2)rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.
Escapee:Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that havebred but don't yet fulfil the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.
We had the gangway down at 21:36 and one Safety Inspecter boarded us and he took a round on the boat to see that everything was OK. Loading Master and Surveyor came onboard and we had finished all the paper work at midnight.
And it looks like we will stay here for 5 days to load, 5 different grades blended to gasoline.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 20 th
of June 2025
and we started to load at 00:48, but it was not until 3 o'clock until we had full loading rate, when we had completed line displacement and sampling etc.Full rate 500m3/h and we expect four to five days to load the cargo.
I was excited when I went to bed at 3 o'clock, some of my best guys will go ashore at 10 o'clock and I expect Pepsi and other things. Well, coming down in the CCR at 12 o'clock and I discover
that they were still onboard.Instant disappointment, they had been ashore, but they had found out that taxi was no allowed to enter the terminal.
Only taxis with permit, nothing they had bothered to find out before leaving the boat to go get a taxi.
Our Agent will provide telephone number to taxi with permit and they will try again tomorrow.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 21 st
of June 2025
and me boys had booked a taxi, they expected to leave at 10 but the taxi would not be here until 11 o'clock. Calling at 11 and it turned out that the taxi would be 160€ to go to the city and back.Never mind, I need fizz drinks, but now the taxi was to come at 12 and at 12 we called the taxi and now he was busy with another ride. We told him to “duck off” and I was not in a good mood.
Our Agent is for sure one of the worst I have experienced, what a poor service he has provided.
The boys went ashore with the seaman's club in the evening, for free and they were back before 9 o'clock in the evening. Pepsi and cheese to last me until West Africa and back to Europe when I expect to go home.
I hope to leave in Amsterdam as I have planned to rent a car to go look for birds in Holland, Belgum and Luxemburg. So, I can get some colour to these countries on my eBird map.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 22 nd
of June 2025
and we complete second parcel round 9 o'clock in the morning. Starting the third parcel and they kept a rate of 200m3/h only. Very slow rate and we will be delayed by days if they cannot increase the rate.+++++++++++++++
Monday 23 rd
of June 2025
and they had cranked up the rate to 500m3/h around midnite and we completed the third parcel just before lunch. Resuming with the fourth parcel and the rate was less than 200m3/hSome of the boys went ashore in the evening, they managed to find most of the stuff for me Saturday evening. But they will keep their eyes out for a proper tea mug for me.
I went on deck at 8 o'clock in the evening to see if there were any birds. Nothing, just as I was about to give up there was one Grey Heron landing where I had seen the bird when we arrived here a couple of days ago.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 24 th
of June 2025
and we finish the 4th step of the blending operation in the afternoon. Last step is 7200m3 and they had told us that it would be a “super rate” and we expect to be ready late evening.Well, the “super rate” turned out to be nothing and I expect it to be a full night in the CCR
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 25 th
of June 2025
and we completed loading at 17:06 and we left Lavera just before 11 o'clock and I was soon in my room to try to get some sleep. I have not had have any sleep for a very long time.And I enjoyed the afternoon with my new cheese and tea while watching video in the afternoon.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 26 th
of June 2025
and we are 60 km NW of Isla De Mallorca steering towards Ibiza when I come on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. Gorgeous weather and I spot the first shearwater quarter past 7.I spot three more shearwaters just before 8 o'clock and I reported them as Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters as it is impossible for me to ID the birds properly
Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters
These 2 very similar species have a mainly separate distribution: Cory’s breeds on islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, with small numbers in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea; Scopoli’s breeds in the Mediterranean Sea with a small number along the coast of SW France.
Both species occur on migration in the Atlantic Ocean. After the breeding season Cory’s is common as far north as SW Great Britain and Ireland, while Scopoli’s is rare north of W France.
The ID to species level is problematic in moderate viewing conditions and at distance, e.g. for observations from land. ID to ‘Cory’s/Scopoli’s’ level is often still possible in those situations.
Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters
The crew start to lift the supply hydraulic pipe on deck so they can chip and paint between the pipe and the support. Poop deck is chipped and they started to cup brush on the poop deck, but first we had to move the mooring lines first.
We change ropes between the winches every second year. When they are ready with the mooring ropes on the poop deck they will start to clean and cup brush.
Our 2nd Engineer is repairing the kitchen range so we can have hot lunch, well, I will be in my room drinking tea and eating cheese to avoid lunch.
2nd Engineer repairing the kitchen range
We are south of Ibiza when I come on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Our Deck Cadet told me that he had seen a bird just outside the window a few minutes ago.
- Why didn't you call me?
I spotted a white bird, big bird flying across our bow. Looking like a gannet, white with black wing tips. I decided to report it as a Northern Gannet after consulting my book even though I never seen a gannet flying low like this.
I spotted one dark coloured shearwater like bird an hour later. Not possible for me to ID and I spotted one Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwater around 7 thirty, the last bird for today.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 27 th
of June 2025
and we are approaching Cabo Gata TSS when I come on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. Day light around 6 thirty but I had not seen one single bird when I left the bridge at 8 o'clock.Approaching the Strait of Gibraltar in the afternoon and I spotted one Feral Pigeon flying over the boat quarter to six. Coming in from Africa, flying towards Spain.
The bird took a loop around the boat, looking for a place to spend the night?
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 28 th
of June 2025
and we are steaming towards SW on the North Atlantic Ocean, leaving Mediterranean and Strait of Gibraltar behind. I spot one shearwater flying over the water around 7 thirty and this is the only bird I see during the morning.
Breaking daylight over the Atlantic Ocean
Collared Dove
I was lucky in the evening, suddenly, one Collared Dove appeared on deck, most likely flushed by the AB working on deck. The bird landed on the bridgewing and I managed to sneak around to get one picture before it took off again.
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 29 th
of June 2025
and steaming towards Lanzarote and Las Palmas in the SW. It is a gloomy and grey day with increasing wind and not one single bird seen during the day.
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