Seabirding during Alex storm

With the passage of the Alex storm in the Bay of Biscay, during 1 and 2 October, Portugal, and particular the Peniche area, was affected with some showers and moderate wind from the West. During Friday I did count for 6 hours, 3 hours in the morning from daybreak, and 3 hours from mid-afternoon until almost sunset. 

Was very interesting to notice some differences, during the day, of the occurrence pattern of the species. In the first 1,5 hours, in the morning, there was a good movement of Sooty shearwaters with 248 inds. After this, the Balearics started to pick up with 884 inds. moving south. There was also a steady flow of Great Skuas during the day, with an average of about 70 birds per hour. Late in the morning, a small flock of 3 Long-tailed skuas was one of the highlights. To notice is the record of 4 Great shearwaters, a species that seems to be scarce from land in Peniche.

In the afternoon there were the first records of the season of Grey phalarope (8 inds.) and a single Great northern diver. There was also more movement o Common scoters (290 ind.)

To notice is also the passage of a juvenile Sabine´s gull that was only seen by Pedro Ramalho during lunchtime.

Common scoter: 326
Great northern diver: 1
Cory´s shearwater: 283
Sooty shearwater: 292
Great shearwater: 4
Manx shearwater: 104
Balearic shearwater: 1.113
Gannet: 2.990
Grey phalarope: 8
Sandwich tern: 71
Acrtic tern: 6
Great skua: 408
Pomarine skua: 38
Arctic skua: 76
Long-tailed skua: 3

The Alex storm and the cold fronts that hit Peniche ( 12:00 UTC Friday 02 Ocotober 2020 https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/