English Channel - 20nm S of Start Point

A good day out on a fishing boat yesterday (12/10/11). A large amount of Bonxies moving through the channel, we had upto 40 around the boat at anyone time, so I probably saw 60+. One bird carried an orange ring (on left leg) and a logger and would be a bird breeding on either Foula or Hoy being monitored by the University of Glasgow.

Other birds included this very interestingly plumaged Pomarine Skua. A very dark bird, with paler barred belly. Probably 4th cal-year as underwing almost as adult except for a hint of barring on axillaries, or perhaps advanced 3rd cal-year.

And also around the boat two Sooty Shearwater but only 3 European Storm-petrels