New England Seabirds

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What Birds Can I Expect To See?

The birds seen on any of these trips vary with the time of year and the ocean conditions. The only way to see all the birds is to take repeated trips. Nothing is guaranteed, but almost every trip sees something of interest. Whales are almost always seen well. This page focuses on pelagic birds (birds that feed on the open ocean), but birds you may see going in and out of the harbor are also listed. You can print a copy of a 2 page checklist to use on your trip. Print Checklist This is an arbitrary designation by the author for a bird considered to of special interest to birders visiting the area from other parts of North America. Birds seen in New England coastal waters are also seen from other places on the east coast. These birds were designated because this is perhaps the easiest place to add them to your North American life list either because there are more individuals seen here or just because of the easier access to pelagic birds afforded by the extensive whale watching on Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge. Red Text indicates a bird that is not normally expected and is difficult to find.

Shearwaters, Fulmar, Storm-petrels| Gannet | Gulls, Terns
Alcids | Phalaropes | Ducks, Geese, Loons, Grebes, Cormorants

Greater Shearwater Puffinus gravis	Frequently seen in large numbers all summer. SH breeder.
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus	Frequently seen in large numbers all summer. SH breeder
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus	Small numbers (0 -2 per trip) all summer and fall ,
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea	Small numbers (0-2 ), Sometimes seen in good numbers south of Cape Cod. late summer
Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri	More likely to be seen in very small numbers south of Cape Cod. Not on Stellwagen Bank
Northern Fulmar Fulmar glacialis	Rather uncommon, early spring, late fall. Northern hemispher breeder. Dark phase less common on east coast.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus	Very common, Seen in the thousands on every trip most of the summer. July best month.. SH breeder,
Leach's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa	Small numbers, late fall, NH Breeds in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and a few in Maine.,
White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina	Very rare. Seen on continental shelf edge in warm Gulf Stream waters. late August.

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus

Juveniles seen all summer, Adults in late August - October, Breeds Canada Maritimes and Newfoundland.,

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus	Common all summer, fall, winter
Herring Gull Larus argentatus	Common all summer, fall, winter
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla	Small numbers on the banks. Common close to shore near Cape Cod.
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus	Small numbers in winter. Also seen on shore.
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides	Very small numbers in winter. Sometimes seen out on open water. Also seen on shore.
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis	Very common, but not usually seen away from shore.
Little Gull Larus minutus	Uncommon in winter. Usually seen near shore or in the harbor.
Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus	Uncommon in winter on east coast. Usually seen near shore.,
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia	Usually seen only in the harbor.
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla	Late fall, winter
Lesser Black-Backed Larus fuscus	Rare. Can be seen on the open water.
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini	Uncommon, Late August early September around labor day
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	Occasionally see large flocks on Stellwagen Bank in August.
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea	Migration early spring, late fall
Roseate Tern Sterna dougalli	Near shore, near Cape Cod,New England Speciality.
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri	Usually seen in the harbor or near shore.

Razorbill Alca torda	Common winter. Can be seen from coastal lookout points like Andrews Point on Cape Ann and Race Point on Cape Cod. Also seen on late fall, winter and early spring pelagic trips.,
Common Murre Uria aalge	Winter
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia	Winter
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	Rare, Winter, usually further offshore. Best way to see Puffins is to visit the breeding colony on Machias Seal Island.
Dovekie Alle alle	Winter Not common, but one or two are usually seen from Cape Ann or Cape Cod. Has been recorded on the Stellwagen Bank CBC and late fall trips. Hard to spot from boats as they disappear in the waves and dive frequently.
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle	Winter, usually near shore,

Common Eider Somateria mollisima	Winter
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca	Winter
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata	Winter
Black Scoter Melanitta nigra	Winter
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis	Winter
Common Loon Gravia immer	Migration
Red-throated Loon Gravia stellata	Migration
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena	Common in winter. Check from land on Cape Cod, Cape Ann, or the coast of New Hampshire
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus	Winter, common
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	Winter in harbors. Sometimes sits on buoy's at sea. If you are looking for this bird check out the Stone Pier in Gloucester or the rock in Boston Harbor near the UMass/ JFK library.
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus	Mostly summer, but some around all year in harbors. Sometimes sits on buoys at sea.