Reports | 1999 Reports

1999 Pelagic Birding Trip Reports

Skuas Jaegers Gannet | Phalaropes | Loons Grebes Cormorants | Alcids | Ducks | Gulls | Whales | Trip Notes

Fulmar, Shearwaters, Storm-Petrels

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct *
Northern Fulmar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Sooty Shearwater 0 5 1 4 9 1 3 few 1 0
Cory's Shearwater 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Greater Shearwater 0 0 0 10 80 30 33 many * 0
Manx Shearwater 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 * 0
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 0 30 20 183 300 50 20 25 0 0
Leach's Storm-Petrel 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0

Skuas,Jaegers, Gannet

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Pomarine Jaeger 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Parasitic Jaeger 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Long-tailed Jaeger 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jaeger Sp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
South Polar Skua . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Great Skua 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Northern Gannet 0 5 5 2 15 10 32 5 5 0

Phalaropes

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Red Phalarope 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Red-necked Phalarope 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 100 0
Phalaropes sp. 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Loons, Grebes, Cormorants

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Red-throated Loon 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Common Loon 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Horned Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Red-necked Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Great Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Double-crested Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Alcids

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Dovekie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Common Murre 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Thick-billed Murre 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Razorbill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Alcid sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Geese, Ducks

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Brant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Common Eider 0 0 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 0
King Eider 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oldsquaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Black Scoter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Surf Scoter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
White-winged Scoter 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0

Gulls, Terns

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Herring Gull 100 _ 500 10 50 0 5 5 50 0
Sabine Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bonapart's Gull               1    
Great Black-backed Gull 200 _ 200 50 100 5 10 100 100 0
Black-legged Kittiwake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Forster's Tern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Common Tern 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
Roseate Tern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Arctic Tern               10    

Whales, Porpoise, Fish ,Sharks ,Observers

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Species 22May 30May 31May 6Jun 24Jul 31Jul 7Aug 31Aug 4Sep 28Oct
Humpback Whale 9 16 16 2 21 11 10 11 9 0
Fin Whale 0 0 2 1 0 10 2 5 1 0
Minke Whale 2 0 5 2 2 6 0 9 0 0
Sperm Whale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
Harbor Porpoise 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bottle-nosed Dolphin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Harbor Seal 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
Mola Mola Ocean Sunfish 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Observers 5 9 6 30 18 5 11 10 12 100

Trip Notes:

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September 4 - Stellwagen Bank
BBC Blue Book Trip and one of the best trips of the summer. Four species of Shearwater: Greater, Sooty, Manx, and Cory's plus 100 Red-necked Phalaropes in flocks of 8 to 20. No Storm-petrels. Few Gannets. Outstanding whale show with clouds of sandlance visible on the surface.
August 31- Stellwagen Bank
Fantastic whale and dolphin trip. Arctic Terns 10, Many Greater Shearwaters and a few Sooty. Wilson Storm-petrel 25, Leach's Storm-petrel 1. Bonapart's Gull on the banks. Humpback whales 11, Minke 9, Finback 1. Atlantic White-sided Dolphin 100. Phalaropes
August 21 - Jeffrey's Ledge
Very steep waves (3-6 feet) and foggy conditions kept the boat from making much progress. We first looked for whales reported off Cape Ann and then ran out to the southern end of Jeffrey's Ledge. Never did even find Humpback Whales. A disappointing day. It happens.
August 7 - Stellwagen Bank
We shared the boat with a group from New Hampshire Audubon. Good whaling and Leach's Storm-petrels making an appearance.
July 31 - Stellwagen Bank
Five observers on the morning whale watch out of Newburyport to the middle of Stellwagen Bank. Reduced numbers of Wilson's Storm-petrels. Only one Sooty Shearwater. On others trips this weekend to the far southern end of the banks had Cory's Shearwater.
July 24 - Stellwagen Bank
BBC Blue Book trip to Stellwagen Bank 41 miles south of Newburyport. Eighteen birders. Warm day, some light fog increasing throughout the trip. Good numbers of Wilson's Storm-petrels and Greater Shearwaters. Numbers of Sooty Shearwater seem low and this is confirmed on other trips in the past weeks to the southern end of Stellwagen Bank. Most whale and bird activity appears to be on the southern edge of the banks. Good numbers of Humpback Whales in the area. Mother and calf flipper slapping near the boat. Calf tail breeching.
June 26 Jeffrey's Ledge
BBC Blue Book trip with 30 enthusiastic birders. Boat went to southern Jeffrey Ledge rathern than Stellwagen Bank. Good numbers of Wilson's Storm-petrels. Numbers of Shearwaters disappointing.
May 31 Stellwagen Bank
Six observers on Newburyport Boat 10 Am trip. Excellent whales including Humpbacks close to the boat, Mother and calf Fin Whale, Minke. One dead whale carcass observed. Birds: Wilson's Storm-Petrels (20), Sooty Shearwater (1), Manx Shearwater (2), immature Lesser Black-backed Gull. Land birds: Hummingbird, Eastern Kingbird
May 31 - Rhode Island
Nine observers on a cod fishing trip out of Rhode Island. Reported by Janice St.Jean.
May 22 Stellwagen Bank
BBC Blue Book trip to Stellwagen Bank aboard the Newburyport Whale Watch. Sunny day, south west winds, ocean very calm. South west winds are never the best for pelagic trips to Stellwagen Bank and this trip produced almost nothing in the way of pelagic birds. Notably absent were any Northern Gannets. On the north edge of the banks 9 Humpback Whales were observed bubble feeding. The banks appear healthy with a good number of sandlance, the small food fish so important to marine life. Despite the lack of birds, the abundance of food and the whales portent a good summer of birding. Best observation of the day were at least 2 Harbor Porpoise.

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