Chipiona Port, Off Chipiona and Playa Montijo, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Out to Sea on a Birding the Strait's Pelagic with Javi.

Ebird List for the Pelagic.

Ebird List for Chipiona Port.

Derek and I were off early to get to Chipiona for the Pelagic which was departing at 08;00, we were early so had some breakfast at the restaurant in the Port and net Colin Clark from Australia who was joining us on the trip.

Leaving the Port.

Chipiona in our wake.

Javi and Laura arrived and we were all soon on board and Pepe the Captain had us on our way out to sea quickly, as we left the Port we saw a couple of Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Gulls following the Boat.

1st Winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Javi was soon throwing bits of bread onto the sea which started to attract good numbers of Gulls including a couple of Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) which in turn attracted other species including Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis) and Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

As we got further out we had a single Sooty Shearwater (Pardela Sombría / Puffinus griseus) which I picked up and I think only Derek and Collin got onto it before it disappeared but the first of 5 or so Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis) which turned up in the wake showed much better and some of the later birds showed extremely well.

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).

At the furthest point we saw the first of at least 7 European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus) which was a very over due Spanish Lifer and these were followed by a group of at least 6 Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus) which were just some of the 13 or so birds seen, this first group put on a great show for us.

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

Great Shearwater (Pardela Capirotada / Ardenna gravis).

We motored around for a while following the chum slick watching the brilliant Wilson's Petrels which lingered in the area for quite a while, other species included Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Great (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) x2 and Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) x1.

European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

Wilson's Storm Petrel (Paño de Wilson / Oceanites oceanicus).

We returned to port and as we approached the Jetty we saw that there were a large number of Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), around 120 birds. 

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus).

Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

We headed around to the other side of the port where we had nice views of half a dozen or so more Little Swifts before heading out to Playa Montijo but timed it all wrong as the tide was at it's highest point and there were no birds so we left and only added Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) on the way back to John's house.

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).