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Sunday saw the only scheduled Pelagic trip set sail in search of those birds that are only ever seen by the committed and most avid birder, the sea-watcher. Sea watching is not an aspect of avian study I have really tried to master. Infact, as a photographer, it is the polar opposite to everything I set out to achieve in a day. Sitting in a hide on an exposed peninsula and wishing that the already howling wind would increase just a bit, to blow the birds a bit closer (bringing them within two miles of the shore) is not my idea of fun. Besides not having the ID skills to call a bird at those distances with any degree of accuracy there is also absolutely zero chance of a photo.....Still each to their own.

A pelagic trip, therefore, gives folks a chance to get nearer some of these distant, constantly on the move silhouettes. This particular excursion was well worth the time and the money and I am very glad that I went.

On arriving in the morning at 0745 the anticipation was tangible. I had come straight from a night shift and had, therefore, got myself so excited that I couldn't wait to get out there. This over excitement coupled with the sleep deprivation already had me jabbering on to anyone who'd listen. One by one folks were arriving at the quay, each with different expectations of the day. As it happens a really good mix of enthusiasm, experience, knowledge and a sense of adventure manifested themselves in the group As a result a lot of fun was had along side the most serious business of much list ticking.

Not even the skippers warning of an uncomfortable day seemed to dampen the spirits and we set sail for the murky depths.

Now, in my experience of pelagic trips and photography, the two don't really skip around hand in hand. To be honest, I have often found it the most challenging and frustrating thing I have ever attempted....yet here I was, on no sleep bobbing about like a cork optimistically pointing my camera at the sea...no, sky...no, sea....no sky again...you get the picture. Which, incidentally, is way more than I did. Well, for at least the first hour of being out there. It took me some time to even get my settings about right, let alone any photos. I thought, 'This is gonna be a very long day' and my spirits waned.

The birds were beginning to show. An Arctic Skua made a fly by but didn't stick around, a few Storm Petrels were starting to appear...Fulmars and Gannets were hanging about the boat and I took the opportunity to get an easier shot, just to boost my confidence.

When I say easier, I actually mean, a shot that seems like it should be easy but, in fact, makes you seriously consider throwing your equipment into the sea! Eventually, I got this shot of a juvenile Gannet.

Soon after the birds started coming in thick and fast. Great Skua, Common Terns would grace us with there presence and then vanish as quickly as they had appeared in the first place. From a photography point of view it was all becoming very tricky. The trail of 'chum' was pointing towards the sun and the wind was also coming from that general direction, meaning the birds were all facing away from the camera and flying towards the sun. At this point I was starting to get a little frustrated so I stopped trying for a few minutes while I gathered my thoughts and composure. I took a few deep breaths and got everything back into a sensible and rational perspective. I then began to pick my shots a bit better.

The Great Skuas were getting more and more boisterous and provided entertainment, if that's the right word, as they harassed and bullied every bird that found itself a meal. Often they would peck at them in flight in an attempt to get the other birds to regurgitate their meals. The action was fast and furious but incredibly hard to capture from our ever rocking platform,

What a magnificent bird. The great Skua.

During the day I saw two birds I'd never seen before. It really was a genuine thrill to encounter these birds and for me they really made a successful trip. The first one, a Little Tern proved nearly un-photographable for all the reasons sited previously. I did manage this record shot but how I wish I could have done better.

The next bird, which was by far and away the bird of the day, was this Sabine's Gull. It is a stunner as far as gulls are concerned and a real treat to see. The excitement it created on the boat was great and everyone from beginner to pro got a kick out of seeing such a wonderful bird. The pressure of getting a decent shot was not something I relished, to be fair. I'd barely managed a decent shot all day...but by golly did I try hard. After a little muttered swearing and a modicum of blasphemy I finally felt that at the very least I had the bird in focus. This was a start!

What a beauty.

I slept for much of the return journey, but I had enjoyed the day for the most part. The thing I most liked was the banter between folks, the help that was offered to the newcomers to the birding scene and the collective joy that we found in watching these seldom seen gems going about their unimaginable daily lives. What a great day...............