Faial, Horta Island, Azores

To be kind, the Internet access on the ship is 'hit and miss' and so to save time much of today's post will be without narrative. As for the Gulls, my knowledge of Azorian Gull (a sub-species of Yellow-legged Gull) is limited to say the least and all those I have spied thus far look nothing like the photographs studied before leaving England. Add to that all I have available is Harrison's Seabirds, who doesn't even address Y-L Gull, so if you have any ideas on the subject your views would be most welcome.

Entering harbour last evening, a few Gulls on the surface.

The 'yellow' flag is international Q = Quebec "my vessel is healthy and I request 'free pratique' (entry to harbour.

 The Captain and Staff Captain guide us safely to berth.

 GREY WAGTAIL starts the Day List

 M/V VOYAGER

 I felt sure this tidal culvert would produce something?

 It did, one very nervous WHIMBREL

 The marques of many previous visitors.

 COMMON TERN

 Constance the BLACKBIRD

 MUSKVEY DUCK

appears on the Azores List with no notation as to 'Introduced',

'Rare/Accidental' or 'Introduced'.

 So, here are some of the Gulls

 female BLACKBIRD

 COMMON BUZZARD

 distant GOLDFINCH

 ISLAND CANARY a little closer.

 and more Gulls in the distance, better check them out!

 Grey Heron

 The only CHAFFINCH of the day

 along with the only WOOD PIGEON

 Lots of STARLINGs

 Then I came upon this tiny Fishing Village

 complete with tiny Canteena

 I asked, over a pint, if they get many Gulls here

 and they laughed their socks off as I started lobbing bread rolls into the sea,

 but they did the trick.

 Don't forget, AZORIAN GULL could be visiting somewhere near 

you at any time!

 Plenty HOUSE SPARROWs too.

Blackcap and Goldcrest were also recorded which along with the Yellow-legged Gull, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Canary et al are all candidates to be 'split', so a bunch of potential Armchair Ticks if ever I saw one!

 On the way back to the ship.

 SHARK, SWORDFISH and TUNA

THE END