Beetle, I would like to reassure you that I thought there was no problem with the trip.
Yes, it was slightly frustrating that we needed to wait after rushing to arrive on time, but I think that was the fault of those who arrived late rather than you as trip leader. Personally I think you did the right thing - I know that if I was running late I would hope that the trip leader would be prepared to wait a few minutes. Maybe others disagree, that is their opinion. I had actually forgotten about the delay until it was mentioned on this forum - it made no difference to the rest of the day.
As for the trip itself, I agree that you were one of those who seemed to be scanning the most often for seabirds. I remember you reporting some of the groups of terns, and making sure the message was relayed around the boat. I also agreed with the decision to go to sea first. OK, it was quiet, but there was no way of knowing that would be the case. There had also been few landbirds reported in the previous days, so going to the island first would also have been a risky decision.
At the end of the day, bird watching is a matter of luck - sometimes there are lots of birds, sometimes you spend hours looking with very little reward. That unpredictability is one of the best things about this hobby. I have been on many boat trips when we have seen less than we did on the 8th!
I think some people do not appreciate that leading the trip is actually a fairly tricky job. You need to make sure everyone has arrived, decide on a route, hope that you can find birds and try to ensure that everyone sees the bird that you find. Sometimes this means that you get less time birding than others on the trip. Personally I do not like organising trips and tend to avoid it. Thank you to those who are prepared to run the trips so that those less experienced bird watchers get the opportunity to participate.
