Portsmouth, Britain to Santander, Spain.

Sailing back to Spain.

Trip to Uk, Day Thirty Eight.

 

One of the new Aircraft carriers to replace the ones we can't scrounge of the French anymore.

Andy and I were up early and soon sat in what seemed like a very slow moving que to board the Brittania Ferries boat the Galicia, the same boat I had come over on. Whilst were waiting we saw Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Feral (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

HMS Victory.

Once we were on board we found the cabin, dumped our stuff and went up on deck to watch the sites as we left Portsmouth, these included several Naval ship as well as the Historic HMS Victory and HMS Warrier.

HMS Warrier.

As slowly moved along the estuary we picked up Common (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Great (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) and Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata).

The Isle of wight I think, won't miss the battle ship grey skies of the UK.

Once out to sea we did some birding, during the few hours out on deck we were pleased to see a single immature Sabine's Gull (Gaviota de Sabine / Larus sabini ), lots of Kittiwakes (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla), good numbers of Atlantic Puffin ( Frailecillo Atlántico / Fratercula arctica) and other Auks but not close enough to ID, a Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) and lots of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

It went dark so we went and had a drink before we had the evening meal and turned in.