Birding in the Falkland Islands

• Monday, March 5, 2007 - 26th - 29th January 2007 (2)

West Point boat trip

Weather is good this morning so it is decided that today we will be going over to West Point Island via a large shallow reef where we hope to see large numbers of different seabirds.

Soon after leaving Carcass Island we are joined by some Commerson's Dolphins

Commerson's Dolphin

So we start to see large numbers of Black Browed Albatrosses and King Cormorants, as we move nearer to the reef Common Diving Petrels and Wilson's Petrels are every where with lots of Thin Billed Prion in amongst then.

Common Diving Petrel

Thin Billed Prion

We are very lucky to see very close views of a couple of Black Bellied Storm Petrels a non breeding visiter to the Falklands that I think must be breeding on some offshore Tussac Island

Estimated numbers of birds on the reef are

5000+ Black Browed Albatross, 300 Common Diving Petrels, 300 Wilsons Petrels, 500 Thin Billed Prions, 2 Black Bellied Storm Petrels, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, King, Gentoo, Magellanic & Rockhopper Penguins

We continue to sail around West Point Island and after a couple of hours the small harbour comes into view

West Piont Island

We have about three hours ashore, Mr & Mrs Keller go off with the owner to have a look at more Black Browed Albatross & Rockhopper Penguins while I head for the trees with the hope of finding something rare.

Lots of Black Chinned Siskins and Falkland Thrushes around the trees but not much else apart from a large group of young Striated Caracaras with one adult bird.