• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Where premium quality meets exceptional value. ZEISS Conquest HDX.

Bay of Biscay birds (1 Viewer)

stupot

Stuart G
I travelled across the Bay Of Biscay this Summer with the Company of Whales and had a fantastic trip. It was July that I travelled and the whale watching was good but the sea birds were virtually non-existent except for gannets.
Living in Plymouth I have decided next year to travel with Brittany Ferries from Plymouth to Santander in August to try and increase sea bird sightings.
Has anybody made this trip at this time of year and any tips on watching from the boat. I'm also keen on whale and dolphin sightings as well - any tips?
Thanks
 
The Firecrest said:
Hi stupot, welcome to Birdforum! I started a thread on this in the summer, I'll try and dig it out...
Hi Firecrest
This is my first reply and I'm not too good with computer things so hope this gets through Ok.
Thanks for the information , sounds like you had a good trip. I'm hoping to see Great Shearwaters and Fin Whales on my trip across the Bay, I only hope the weather is good!
 
I have heard that the Plymouth Santander ferry isn't as good as the Pride of Bilbao partly due to timing but also because the route doesn't cross the most productive areas. I did the Pride of Bilbao at the very end of August with Hugh and his Merry Men and we saw 2,500 Great Shearwaters,lots of Cory's plus a few Med Shears, Sabines Gulls, Storm Petrels and Sooty Shears. Loads of Whales and Dolphins as well.
I'd defenitely stick with the Pride of Bilbao as even as an ordinary passenger the sightings are put out over the tannoy.
 
Thanks for the advice. I've now booked for a Company of Whales trip in August as it seems it would be the better option. It's just a shame that it goes from Portsmouth and not Plymouth and that the Plymouth to Santander route is not so good. Here's hoping for good weather!
TWM said:
I have heard that the Plymouth Santander ferry isn't as good as the Pride of Bilbao partly due to timing but also because the route doesn't cross the most productive areas. I did the Pride of Bilbao at the very end of August with Hugh and his Merry Men and we saw 2,500 Great Shearwaters,lots of Cory's plus a few Med Shears, Sabines Gulls, Storm Petrels and Sooty Shears. Loads of Whales and Dolphins as well.
I'd defenitely stick with the Pride of Bilbao as even as an ordinary passenger the sightings are put out over the tannoy.
 
Hi all,

Just a note to anyone thinking about this trip. I've done the Portsmouth to Biscay route many times and I've never failed to see Fin whales and usually many other species of cetacean, however the birds are much less predictable. Some years there have been thousands of shearwaters and others none at all. In my experience the best time is likely to be the end of August begining of Septemeber, but even this can be variable.

If you want to see some cetaceans and maybe some good seabirds, this trip is an absolute bargin, especially if you go independently - you can get a crossing in August for less than £100 usually and sometimes they do "2-for1" offers in the papers and on-line.

I'll be going this year again, probably over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Have fun
Steve
 
I've just booked myself on the Ultimate Pelagics Bay of Biscay cruise, they are fully dedicated unlike the ferry's I might book on Southern Ireland too as I heard Scillonian not running anymore.
 
I've just booked myself on the Ultimate Pelagics Bay of Biscay cruise, they are fully dedicated unlike the ferry's I might book on Southern Ireland too as I heard Scillonian not running anymore.

And then you were left with no choice other than to book the southern Ireland trip...
 
I've just booked myself on the Ultimate Pelagics Bay of Biscay cruise, they are fully dedicated unlike the ferry's I might book on Southern Ireland too as I heard Scillonian not running anymore.


from the amount of times you mention Ultimate Pelagics I thought you maybe worked for them, do you not at least get a discount for marketing their operations so strenuously?

Rob
 
from the amount of times you mention Ultimate Pelagics I thought you maybe worked for them, do you not at least get a discount for marketing their operations so strenuously?

Rob

Here is another mention for Ultimate Pelagics.
Whats wrong in letting people know which companies provide a good service?
No I don`t work for them.
Yes I have been on a trip with them and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I suppose I will have to make the trip on the Pride of Bilbao to make a comparison.
 
I seem to have started up quite a debate from a simple enquiry !

I have travelled with the Company of Whales twice now and will do so again - a great trip with excellent sightings of cetaceans but both times have been poor for sea birds due to the weather conditions. The bird life on the hills above the port of Santurtzi has been excellent both times.

I did travel to Santander from Plymouth on a 48 hour return trip and saw pilot whales, common and striped dolphins and fin whales but the sightings were not as good as those on the Company of Whales trips. However I did see coreys shearwaters on the trip which I haven't seen before on the Company of Whales trip.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 17 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top