A couple of weeks spent offshore crossing through 100's of kilometres of the North Sea. I spent less time than I have ever done out on deck and was lucky to get out for 10-15 minutes a day and never at the prime time around dawn - usually very shortly after it gets light most bids re-orientate and continue on their way.
The best birds in an offshore North Sea context were a Grey Wagtail vinterle on 24 October and a Wren gjerdesmett that came onboard in the Dutch sector. Not considered as much of a migrant by many this species routinely crosses stretches of sea on migration.
Other than that just very small numbers of the usual late autumn migrants, Redwing rødvingetrost, Fieldfare gråtrost, Blackbird svarttrost, Robin rødstrupe, Chaffinch bokfink, Starlings stær and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk. Not much of a haul for the last two weeks of October :(
Other than that barely even the usual selection of seabirds turned up, though Guillemots lomvi were quite numerous at times:)
Great Black-backed Gll svartbak
To make matters worse all kinds of goodies turned up back home in Øygarden - spectacularly a Yellowthroat nordgulstrupe - a first for Norway!! Also Hoopoe hærfugl and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Even offshore colleagues were posting pictures of Long-eared Owls hornugle so despite the great crew and fantastic food I wasn't the happiest of sailors....
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