Outward: Penzance to Wolf Rock; c60 Manx Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwater, 24 Gannet,  1Fulmar, 24 Herring Gull,  9 Greater Black-backed Gull, 2  Kittiwake, 2 Sandwich Tern.  Wolf Rock to St Mary's; 3 Manx Shearwater,  4 Gannet, 9 Greater black-backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Return: St Mary's to Wolf Rock; 19 Gannet,  4 Herring Gull,  1 Greater Black-backed Gull.  Wolf Rock to Penzance; 1 Balearic Shearwater,  43 Manx Shearwater, c90 Gannet,  16 Herring Gull,  7 Greater Black-backed Gull.

As usual the leaflets were well received.  On the  outward crossing I had quite a long conversation with Betsy, an amazing birder from Seattle, who regaled me with stories of visits to Medway Island to count Albatross nests and how rat eradication measures there had helped with breeding success.  She was very pleased to hear of the same sort of project on Scilly.  Many other pessengers were pleased to have sea birds pointed out to them as we went along.

On the return trip I chatted to a local couple,  who were interested in, and happy to receive a little more info on the few birds which we passed.  Several other people asked me what was about and one asked about the differences between Manx and Balearic Shearwaters and was very pleased when I was able to point a Balearic out to him as it passed soon after.   

Phil Clarke