SONGBIRDS AT SEA - NOTES FROM A CRUISE SHIP

Song thrush - it came  on board in the Bay of Biscay off the French Coast

The phenomenon of migrating birds seeking temporary refuge on ships is well- known.

 It was evident to guests on board the cruise ship, Columbus, flagship vessel of Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), on its 15-night journey (October 12-27)  from Tilbury Docks, London, to Gibraltar, The Canaries, Madeira,  Portugal and back.
                                          

The cruise ship Columbus - part of the CMV fleet

From a bird’s eye perspective, the grass-coloured carpeting on the decks must have resembled fields or garden lawns while the swimming pools will have looked like ponds.

A field with a pond - how migrating birds might have perceived the open decks

                                          
 Among the confirmed species that hitched a ride south were robin, pied wagtail, song thrush, blackcap, skylark, plus at least one unidentified leaf warbler.

On the return, there were visits from at least one chaffinch (female) and one pied wagtail.

Typically. the birds (none of which seemed in distress) would fly around the vessel a couple of times or more before deciding whether and where to land.

The top railing was varnished and both too slippery and too broad to act as a perching point, so the narrower white railings beneath had to suffice

All the bird identified would venture on to the carpeting, while the blackcap also made brief forays on to the artificial, amenity shrubs in a vain quest for insect prey.

Most curious was the sight of the skylark shuffling its way along the deck under sunbeds regardless of their sunbathing occupants.

It is doubtful if there was any suitable food, and, the following morning, the bird was, alas, found dead.

It is though the other birds, having rested briefly, probably resumed their journeys - probably still hungry.

On one occasion, the robin flew into the ship’s Plantation self-serve bistro/restaurant where it was caught by a waitress and released outside.

There were also reports of whitethroat, grey wagtail. whinchat, redstart (and even of two quail) alighting, but these seem to have been speculative.

        It's carpet, not grass - so no worms to be found!

                                  

Unfamiliar habitat for this male blackcap

                                            

Vain quest for insects on this artificial shrub

This robin flew into the ship's restaurant

The skylark tries to make sense of its surroundings

No food to be found

Within 24 hours, the bird, sadly, was dead