Seabirds at sea, March – May 1992

In April and May, the shallow coastal waters of the German Bight, from the Danish west coast to Texel, was surveyed extensively using RV Navicula (MFL) and (ferry) MV Pedder Lyng (Sylt-Helgoland; HS). The main aim of these surveys was to search systematically for divers and scoters. Off the Danish and northern German Wadden Sea islands, both Black- and Red-throated Divers were abundant (many hundreds actually observed during surveys). In Dutch waters, divers were not particularly numerous. Common Scoter concentrations were found off BlSvandshuk (10.000) off Borkum (40,000), off Schiermonnikoog (50,000), and off Terschelling (15.000) Off Terschelling, the Common Scoters were joined by a very large number of Velvet Scoters (5,000). True seabirds were very scarce in these waters. The odd Guillemot was seen further offshore, while the breeding colony at Helgoland was responsible for a concentration of Guillemots at sea around the island. In the rest of the area, Fulmar, Gannet, Kittiwake and auks were very seldom seen. Little Gulls were not very numerous either.