Cargos - John Masefield

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

The alarm didn't sound this morning so was a little late 'on watch' this morning as the ship passed a point 40 miles south of the Scilly Isles so geographically well placed to start the GB Year List. 

Coffee in hand while still partly under the cover of darkness

these c16 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLs

were first on the 2013 List.

As we continued up the English Channel the first ship of the day

was spotted, a Ferry of sorts,

followed by a brace of GUILLEMOTs.

NORTHERN GANNET was soon to follow

with 200+ seen before close of play.

MANX SHEARWATER numbers only reached 6,

as another c4 GREAT BLACK-BACKs joined the previous 16.

 

 

GREAT SKUA numbers only just reached double figures

as GANNETs started to get bolder

as a lone ARCTIC SKUA hurried past.

c3 NORTHERN FULMAR joined the throng just after 

midday as did Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake,

Sooty Shearwater, Razorbill and Swallow that didn't

fall to the camera.

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory, apes and peacocks,
sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
emeralds, amethysts,
topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.