The annual MANX SHEARWATER spectacle in Wales

Marc Heath kindly sent me this note -:

I thought I'd bring your attention to what I believe is an amazing birding event that takes place in Wales each each, however hardly anyone knows about it.

Manx Shearwaters congregate in Borth Bay during mid-August and this year's numbers have been truly spectacular. Despite putting the word out only four birders have witnessed the event up to now! An estimated 50,000+ Manx Shearwaters feed in the bay with many feeding in the surf only yards from the beach. This year 15+ Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 200+ Gannet, Great Skua, Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns, Auks, Cormorants, Gulls, Fulmars and Ocean Sunfish were present.

The videos below show a snippet of the action on a short stretch of the beach at Borth, however the spectacle stretches for 3 to 4 miles without a break along to the mouth of the Dyfi estuary.I know videos can't do justice to the real event but I hope this gives you a flavour of this spectacular event...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbJK_3kUlWY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Mlp3orqe0