01.07.2021 – Oceanic stopover with snack-bar

This morning the sea was as smooth as velvet, the moon hung lazily in the sky and our guests were protected by their sun hats. Everyone was ready for adventure.

Unfortunately, we only saw the Blainville beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) from a great distance this time. There was no getting near.

But there was one really special observation anyway. A small Common tern (Sterna hirundo) sat on a Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). For the sea tern, it seemed like a welcome oceanic stopover. The algae on the turtle shell served as a snack bar. For the reptile, this little cleaning action was certainly also pleasant.

Common terns are very similar in appearance to the arctic tern. But the red beak of the common tern has a black beak tip, as can be clearly seen in the photos.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sighting of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Blainville‘s Beaked whales, Loggerhead turtle with Common tern