26 Jan 24 - ORCA Saga Caribbean Calypso Day 9 - In Range Of Flying Fish

After two quiet days at sea after leaving Tenerife in the Canaries with lots of poor visibility, the conditions improved as we finally left the Saharan Sand behind. On the third day we were enjoying warm sunny weather in the middle of the Atlantic.

We were on deck before sunrise, which allowed me to photograph the sunrise

With two days of not seeing any Cetaceans, I had a short view of a probably Minke Whale. But it dived quickly, didn't resurface and I hadn't been able to eliminate the possibility of it being a Beaked Whale. Sadly, that is the reality of some sightings. But it is important to be accurate on recording sightings, rather than trying to get a name to a sighting on the briefest of views.

It was good to have a reasonable number of passengers on deck throughout every day with us

Although the Cetaceans were few & far between, fortunately, we finally started to see good numbers of Flying Fish.

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: They can be identified by their glassy and veined wings. Some have a broad transverse clear bar from base of the wing to its middle and a broad light grey band on rear half of the wing. The pelvic fins are enlarged and clear. They can get up to about a foot in length

Seeing Flying Fish is always a treat and it is endlessly enjoyable. Firstly, they are good to convince you that when you aren't seeing anything at sea, it is because there isn't anything appearing. So when you see Flying Fish, then you know you aren't just staring sleepily at the sea.

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: They range across most the tropical Atlantic from as far North as the Caribbean and Cape Verde to as far South as Brazil and St Helena within their core range, but they occur less frequently North and South of this core range

Secondly, they are great to show the passengers and tell them about their interesting ability to jump out of the water and glide to escape a predator: they assume the ship is a giant predator.

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: This was the commonest species of Flying Fish that I saw with over one hundred individuals seen daily as we headed for the Caribbean

Finally, they are a photographic delight and with practice, it is possible to get some nice photos. Having photos is great, as it is then possible to show the passengers their exquisite fins which is often difficult to see in the field. When I was not on survey, I was generally standing in a good position and looking for Flying Fish, whilst chatting to passengers. This allowed me to get a few nice photos. I also skipped one lunch to try some photography from closer to sea level. Unfortunately, this coincided with a period of few Flying Fish.

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: This is one of about seventy-two species of Flying Fish

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: Their identification is difficult as I've yet to find a field guide covering their identification. There is the useful Fishbase website which covers the species, along with some identification information and range maps. However, it is focused on identification of caught specimens and it doesn't have photos of them in flight

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: Another problem with their identification is that the colour of the wings of Flying Fish rapidly fades once they are dead and this will make it harder to correlate the species in flight with caught specimens

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: This photo shows that the forewing is clearer than the rear of the wing

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: This Flying Fish is about to drop back into the water

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: A final splash and it was gone

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: When the finish their glide, they often drop their lower tail into the water & flick it side to side. This gives them enough speed to lift off the water surface again and often in a different direction. They also produce excellent wavy ripples if the water is calm. The best Flying Fish can repeat this two or three times and get close to forty or fifty metres from where they jumped out of the water

It wasn't always wall to wall sunshine during the day: There was some threatening weather ahead during the afternoon. Fortunately, we missed this rain squall

The rain showers did produce this good rainbow

Our fourth day at sea was similar to the third day, with a good sunrise.

It was an atmospheric sunrise: (27 Jan 24)

We also saw a number of Small Clearwing sp. They were typically around six inches long, with a dark bluish upper body with pale undersides & clear wings with obvious veins. The Fishbase website confirms the specific identification of the Small Clearwing sp is tricky. There are two species, Exocoetus volitans and Exocoetus obtusirostris, which both occur and have similar ranges along the route of the Saga Caribbean Calypso. Exocoetus volitans can be distinguished from Exocoetus obtusirostris by having a less blunt snout and by the origin of the anal fin being at a location behind the origin of the dorsal fin. This feature isn't possible to clearly see in my photos.

Small Clearwing sp: This was the second commonest species of Flying Fish that with around thirty or so individuals seen daily as we headed for the Caribbean (27 Jan 24)

We saw Mirrorwing Flying Fish on a daily basis as we continued our journey to the Lesser Antilles.

Mirrorwing Flying Fish: (27 Jan 24)

We finished the day on deck with an equally atmospheric sunset: (27 Jan 24)

24 Jan 24 - ORCA Saga Caribbean Calypso Day 7 - An Unexpected Migrant Steals The Show

We were frustrating at first light on our first morning after leaving Tenerife to find that the visibility had dropped to only a couple of miles, from the fourteen miles to the horizon that we expected on perfect conditions. While it was possible to see more than a couple of miles, it wasn't easy and it would be very easy to miss Cetaceans surfacing beyond that distance. This was down to Saharan dust in the air. At dawn we were around two hundred miles South West of Tenerife & double that to the North African coast. The Saharan dust continued to be a problem causing hazy visibility for the next few days, albeit the visibility picked up to a few miles after that first morning.

Around mid-morning, I was off-duty on the starboard side when a shout went up from the port side. I hurried over to find a small pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins had popped up close to the side of the ship. Unfortunately, they stayed underwater as they enjoyed the bow wave on the port side of the ship: so my only views on this occasion were glimpsed through the water.

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin: You can just make it out swimming bottom right to top left

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin: This is what they can look like when they want to perform in waters off the Canaries on the West African Pelagic (4 May 18)

The undoubted highlight of the day came just before lunch when another port shout was heard for an Owl that was off the port stern side of the ship. I quickly got onto it as it started to circled the ship at height and shouted it was a Short-eared Owl. Well that wasn't on my prediction list for the trip. It circled the ship several times and seemed to be looking for somewhere to land, before we lost it from view at the back of the ship. By this point, our most recent thirty minute survey period was up & we decided to head down for lunch.

Short-eared Owl: The pale straw-brown patch in the outer primaries on the upperwing are a good sign this is a Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl: I love the bright golden eye colouration

Short-eared Owl: This is the nominate flammeus subspecies which occurs across Northern North America, Northern Europe to Northern Asia. The nearest breeding range is in the Spanish mountains to the East of Northern Portugal. They winter as far South as North Moroccan & Western Sahara and are a scarce to rare visitor to the Canaries

Short-eared Owl: Presumably, this individual was blown out to sea by the same winds blowing Saharan dust beyond the Canaries

Short-eared Owl: Note, the clean white underwings, albeit this individual appears whiter than others I've seen, and the broad black tips to the underwing primaries

Short-eared Owl: Note, the clean white lower body which would be browner in a Long-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

I had a good look around the upper decks for the Short-eared Owl as it quietened down on deck when the restaurants opened for dinner that evening. This was followed by another early look around the decks on the following morning. There were no subsequent sightings over the following days and we concluded that the Short-eared Owl hadn't landed on the ship. Unfortunately, there were a lot of people on the upper decks when the Short-eared Owl was seen, as the weather was warm enough for sunbathing, and it clearly hadn't felt comfortable landing on the ship. This saved the worry of whether it would be possible to provide it with any food given we were to be at sea for six days. We did see a Baja Ferry heading towards the Canaries when we returned from lunch. If it saw that ferry, which didn't have open top decks, it might have been able to get a ride and been in the Canaries the following day. If not, sadly the chances of it finding land were bleak, given the Canaries were the nearest land and that was two hundred and fifty miles North East of us.

Short-eared Owl: A final photo of this gorgeous Owl

Here is a comparison photo of a Long-eared Owl, taken in Turkey in Summer 2015.

Long-eared Owl: Note, the much richer treacle golden-brown colouration on the upperwing, especially the outer primaries, as well as, on the body and underwing. Also, the barred outer primaries on the underwing. Turkey (29 May 15)

We discovered a few stowaways on the ship during the day. Firstly, a Canary Red Admiral flew around the upper deck a couple of times without landing. This is a brighter marked species than our Red Admiral and it has less extensive white in the wing tips. A large Dragonfly passed along the deck at least twice: a Vagrant Emperor or Lesser Emperor would seem to be the most likely option. I had thought it was a Hawker at the time, but there aren't any Hawker species on the Canaries. The best stowaway was a Striped Hawk Moth that we also saw on a few occasions over the first two days at sea. I only saw it briefly land once and unfortunately, it was on a sunbathing passenger: so I decided that was not the right opportunity to try & take a photo. The Saharan dust had made the day more frustrating on our first day at sea after Tenerife. But the appearance of the Short-eared Owl, the stowaway insects and the brief views of the Atlantic Spotted Dolphins had made it a good day.

Striped Hawk Moth: This more docile individual was found in a drinks cooler at the Dead Sea, Israel, before being released (7 Apr 14)

The Saharan dust continued into our second day at sea after Tenerife. I had a distant sighting of a Band-rumped Storm-petrel. There are now three species of Band-rumped Storm-petrel breeding in the North Atlantic, and it wasn't possible to resolve this to a specific species. A second Storm-petrel sighting was even briefer and that remained as a Storm-petrel sp. A Cory's Shearwater, more views of the stowaway Striped Hawk Moth & our first two Flying Fish completed the wildlife list for the day.

The Wildlife List at the end of the second day: Despite the limited number of sightings, we still persevered with our dawn to dusk deck watches, barring meal breaks

That evening saw the first of the formal evening dinners. On the weekly formal nights many of the passengers dress up in dinner jackets and fancy dresses. This was expected clothing for the speciality restaurants on the formal nights, but a suit and tie were OK in the normal restaurant, which was a positive for me as I have no interest in ever wearing a dinner jacket. As the ORCA team were considered part of the entertainment team, we were not allowed in the speciality restaurants, even if we were invited by a passenger.

The first of the formal dinner evenings: I always wore a jacket to dinner, but I added the optional tie for the evening

The food was superb and and it always looked fantastic

After the meal, we bumped into Penny and Terry as they came out of one of the posh restaurants

It was great to see that the ship were advertising our deck watches

23 Jan 24 - ORCA Saga Caribbean Calypso Day 6 - A Day Ashore On Tenerife

Despite spending all day on deck surveying, barring meals, on the fourth and final day at sea before we reached Tenerife, we failed to see any Cetaceans.

Charlotte displaying the end of the day scoreboard, which didn't reflect how much effort we had put into the day: I saw one sole Kittiwake all day, as I was on the wrong side of the ship for a lone Dolphin sp. and a small group of Cory's Shearwaters

The late afternoon sky was equally uninspiring: On a positive, we would have our first shore run in Tenerife on the next day

We were up early and we were surveying from first light as we got close to Tenerife. There were a few Gannets, but no Cetaceans. But in reality, we were not that far offshore at first light & we quickly entering the relatively busy harbour at Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

It was a busy port with a number of inter-island ferries

There was time for a lazy breakfast while we were waiting for the ship to be cleared. As part of the entertainment team, we were expected to give priority to the passengers when it came to disembarkation and to early reboarding the ship. Having spent six days on Tenerife back in Apr 94, I decided to use the morning to do some planning for the Lesser Antilles. Consequently, it was after lunch before I went ashore to stretch my legs around the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The town from the ship

The town near the port

Church of the Immaculate Conception: The church was built on the site of the first Spanish chapel build in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the late 1400s

There were a few endemics around the port with a party of Plain Swifts flying over near the Auditorium, a small group of Canary Island Chiffchaffs (which wouldn't perform for the camera) & a few Canaries.

Plain Swift: Note, the small head, short & narrow and relatively straight wings, long slim body and very deep forked tail

Plain Swift: Note, the dark throat and relatively uniform colouration

Plain Swift: Looks like this one is eyeing up some food

Plain Swift: This monotypic species breeds on the West Canary Islands and Madeira. In recent years, a few pairs have been found breeding in Portugal. Some of the population Winter in North Africa

Plain Swift: This one seems to have narrow pale tips to the trailing edge of the secondaries, unlike the previous individual

Plain Swift: I like the fine pale edgings to the body

Plain Swift: The dark eye stands out against an otherwise uniform face, unlike the masked face of Pallid Swift

Plain Swift

Canary: This is where the domestic Canaries came from: This is a monotypic species which occurs on Madeira, Azores & West Canary Islands

Parts of the old Battery of San Francisco still survive. This battery of four cannons helped to protect the city from the 1740s.

The remains of the Battery of San Francisco

What the Battery of San Francisco originally looked like

The Casa de la Polvora (Gunpowder House): This was built around the late 1750s

A better photo of the Casa de la Polvora: It was part of the wider defences of the Castillo de San Juan Bautista (Castle of St John the Baptist)

The stunning-looking Auditorium

Another view of the Auditorium

There were some good-looking Palms, Cacti & Succulents along the waterfront.

Some of the Cacti & Succulents

There were some Canary Island Chiffchaffs around these Palms

Tenerife Lizard: There were also a few Tenerife Lizards in this area

Tenerife Lizard: This species is endemic to Tenerife. There are a number of closely related species on the other Canary Islands

Tenerife Lizard: Another individual

My time in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was nearly up & it was time to return to the ship.

The ship in the distance

The Spirit of Discovery

We were on deck for our departure from the port at 17:00. We quickly cleared the port and headed out to sea. Within about twenty minutes of leaving the land, we experienced very strong winds which was presumably caused by the difference in air pressures between the island at sea. This was far from pleasant, but we kept surveying. The strong winds didn't drop in strength until close to dusk. Again, there were no Cetaceans, but we were rewarded with a decent sunset for our efforts.

The sunset with the island to its right

It was a good sunset: What we hadn't appreciated was the dust shown in the photo was Saharan dust. This was to be a real problem for the next few days at sea as it reduced visibility down to only a mile or two on the first day. It slowly improved over the next few days