365 Project, Day 115
Here is my day 115 submission to my 365Project:
Today was my first full day back on my marine mammal observer (MMO) watches offshore Angola. I was working out here on this same job from late June until the end of August when we were incredibly busy with sightings, especially of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, see my posts from July/August), but I didn't expect I'd be coming back. Well, it ends up the job got extended so I'm back and ready to discover what marine wildlife I will see this time of the year.
It will be different this rotation this time; the humpback whales have mostly left the area to return to their summer feeding grounds in Antarctica. Already, I have learned from the MMOs who have been here since I left that the humpback whale sightings have declined and it is much quieter in general on the marine mammal side of things. This is good in the sense that it means there will be fewer marine mammals around during the vessel's airgun operations. Plus, we will have our avian friends around and I still have a lot to learn about these species so I am looking forward to discovering what will be around the area in November and December.
This evening was my first good bird sighting. I was finishing my last watch at sunset when a common tern (Sterna hirundo) flew in and landed near me on the helideck. It must've been tired and needing a rest as it was fairly tolerant of my presence and, despite the decreasing light and the need to boost the ISO in camera, I was able to creep fairly close and snap some good shots.
Fun fact of the day:
Common terns have a circumpolar distribution breeding in most of Europe, Asia and North America except in the extreme north and south. In Africa it winters south along the coast.
Read more about the common tern at this BirdLife International webpage.
Here are some more photos of this lovely little guy:
I also got some great video but, unfortunately, the ship's internet is too slow to upload it...maybe later :)
Today was my first full day back on my marine mammal observer (MMO) watches offshore Angola. I was working out here on this same job from late June until the end of August when we were incredibly busy with sightings, especially of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, see my posts from July/August), but I didn't expect I'd be coming back. Well, it ends up the job got extended so I'm back and ready to discover what marine wildlife I will see this time of the year.
It will be different this rotation this time; the humpback whales have mostly left the area to return to their summer feeding grounds in Antarctica. Already, I have learned from the MMOs who have been here since I left that the humpback whale sightings have declined and it is much quieter in general on the marine mammal side of things. This is good in the sense that it means there will be fewer marine mammals around during the vessel's airgun operations. Plus, we will have our avian friends around and I still have a lot to learn about these species so I am looking forward to discovering what will be around the area in November and December.
This evening was my first good bird sighting. I was finishing my last watch at sunset when a common tern (Sterna hirundo) flew in and landed near me on the helideck. It must've been tired and needing a rest as it was fairly tolerant of my presence and, despite the decreasing light and the need to boost the ISO in camera, I was able to creep fairly close and snap some good shots.
Fun fact of the day:
Common terns have a circumpolar distribution breeding in most of Europe, Asia and North America except in the extreme north and south. In Africa it winters south along the coast.
Read more about the common tern at this BirdLife International webpage.
Here are some more photos of this lovely little guy:
I also got some great video but, unfortunately, the ship's internet is too slow to upload it...maybe later :)
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