Sabine’s Gull - Weather effects

Xema sabini

Throughout the 1980’s Sabine’s Gull occurrences were associated with south west gales, which were thought to have blown them into Cardigan Bay from the South West Approaches, which they were able to exit when the wind veered between west and north. These conditions were the result of depressions tracking along a course whereby the centres passed north eastwards over Scotland.

 Post 1992 autumn depressions began to track farther south, their centres either over Pembrokeshire or south of it. These resulted in strong south easterlies which did not have the same displacement effect on migrant seabirds. However strong northerly winds sometimes followed, blowing down the west coast of Scotland and the length of the Irish Sea, which did result in Sabine’s Gulls passing close in to the north Pembrokeshire coast.

Whichever period is examined it becomes evident that the variation in the number of Sabine’s Gulls seen depends on the frequency of “favourable” winds. Between 1980 and 1990, one to nine per annum was recorded in six years and 12 to 25 per annum in five years. Between 1991 and 2005, three to nine per annum were noted in eight years and 12 to 43 in six years. None were seen in 1993 in an autumn dominated by north east winds

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006).