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Reports 2009 BBC Extreme Pelagics For Other trip Reports from 2009  see Reports 2009 3-4 September 18 July

White-faced Storm-petrel by Jeremiah Trimble

3-4 SEPTEMBER 2009¹
BROOKLINE BIRD CLUB's "EXTREME PELAGIC" from HYANNIS, MA to
HYDROGRAPHER, VEATCH & EAST ATLANTIS CANYONS and vicinity, via NANTUCKET SHOALS
Richard S. Heil

Roughly 40 participants plus leaders Rick Heil, Jeremiah Trimble,
Mark Flaherty, and Ian Davies, along with trip organizer Ida
Giriunas, joined Captain Joe Huckameyer and the able crew of the 100
foot 'Helen H' for our first overnight trip of the 'Extreme Pelagic"
series.  To say it was merely a success would be a dramatic
understatement!  We either tied, slashed or surpased the state
records for White-faced Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel,
Bridled Tern, and Long-tailed Jaeger!  Indeed, we are rapidly
learning that these 'warmer water seabirds' are regular and expected
in New England waters around the offshore canyons and shelf break,
and beyond, and that these Massachusetts offshore waters are probably
the best anywhere for finding White-faced Storm-Petrels on this side
of the North Atlantic.

See below for trip photos.

Course:

Thursday, 3 Sep.: Hyannis (depart c. 0530) across Nantucket Shoals to
Hydrographer Canyon, then east and south of the canyon (off the shelf
to water 6800 feet deep, 79.5 F water temp) before working west to
anchor after dark in Veatch Canyon.  While traversing the shoals we
encountered an amazing concentration of birds in one area, including
hundreds of shearwaters, thousands of terns, and numerous
jaegers.  One mixed flock of seven jaegers first seen on the water
(Long-tailed and Parasitic together) initially caused confusion among
the leaders until photos could later be sorted and critically
analyzed.  What is a pelagic without a good jaeger conundrum?

Friday, 4 Sep.: Veatch Canyon south and then east to East Atlantis
Canyon and beyond (all in water 77-78 F, to 5400 feet deep), then
north to Muskeget Channel and return to Hyannis (arriving c. 1715).

Weather: Thurs. 9/3: Mostly cloudy to overcast, E winds 8-15 mph,
70's; Fri., 9/4: mostly overcast, showers, NNE winds 10-20 mph, 70's;
seas both days 2-4 foot, at times even 1-2 foot.
Visibility: Very good to excellent for most of the trip, except fair
to good in showers and occ. light fog generally in cooler waters.

Common Eider (3): 3 females - Muskeget Channel -9/4.
White-winged Scoter (1): 1 - Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Common Loon (9): 8 - Nantucket Shoal - 9/3 ; 1 - S. of Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Cory's Shearwater (408): 395 - Nantucket Shoals, 4 - Hydrographer
Canyon vic. - 9/3; 4 - Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons, 5 - S. of
Muskeget Channel - 9/4: Many Cory's throughout the trip were
scrutinized for possible 'Scoploli's Shearwater (C. d. diomedea), but
all viewed critically appeared to be borealis.
Greater Shearwater (1377): 1320 - Nantucket Shoals, 12 - Hydrographer
Canyon vic. - 9/3; 39 - Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic., 6 - S. of
Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Sooty Shearwater (15) - All from Nantucket Shoals.
Manx Shearwater (20) - All from Nantucket Shoals.
Audubon's Shearwater (28): 25 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3 ( ***
New State High Count, cf., 19 - W. Atlantis/Atlantis Canyons -
7/18/09); 3 - Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic. - 9/4.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (563): 137 - - Nantucket Shoals, 111 -
Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3; 290 - Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons
vic., 25 - S. of Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL (6): 3 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3 (all
roughly vicinity of 40 02.9 N, 69 02.0 W in 67.2 F water); 3 -
Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic. (1 - 39 50.2 N, 69 44.1 W; 1 - 39
50.0 N, 69 45.7 W; 1 - 39 50.2 N, 69 48.9 W; all of these on 9/4 in
water 77-78 F.) - 9/4.  ***Three each day both tie the prior single
day high count for Massachusetts, but six detected in two days in a
narrow cruise track in adjacent but different waters (along with
other numerous records in the past) indicates the routine, albeit low
density presence of this species here in the August-September window.
Leach's Storm-Petrel (50): 46 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3; 4 -
Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic.- 9/4.
 

Band-rumped Storm-petrel by Jeremiah Trimble

Bridled Tern photo by Jeremiah Trimble

BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL (8): 4 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3; 4 -
Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic.- 9/4 ; ***Four each day both tie
the prior single day high count for Massachusetts.
Northern Gannet (5 sub-adults) - Nantucket Shoals.
Double-crested Cormorant (20+) - Muskeget Channel.
Whimbrel (3) : 2 migrating S - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3; 1
migrating S at dawn- Veatch Canyon - 9/4.
HUDSONIAN GODWIT (62): A remarkable and amazing observation!!!; a
single flock observed migrating south low over the water beyond the
shelf edge nearly 100 miles SE of Nantucket on 9/4!  Next stop South
America in a couple of days of non-stop flight?  Photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtrimble/3888764888/
Calidris sp. (2) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3
Red-necked Phalarope (16) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
phalarope sp. (2) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
Laughing Gull (365): 5 - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3 ; 360(overwhelming
majority juvs.) - Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Herring Gull (47): 40 - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3 ; 7 - Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Great Black-backed Gull (21): 15 - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3 ; 6 -
Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
BRIDLED TERN (5; 2 adults, 3 imms.): *** New state high count; All
roughly 2-3 miles SW of East Atlantis Canyon on 9/4 in an area of 77
F water and abundant Sargassum Weed near 39 55.9 N, 69 59.1
W.  Spectacular close views were had of an adult sitting on a
floating board (from hich perch he reached under the board and
snagged a fish!), then 3 immatures (1S/juvs) at one point flying
together, then a second adult-like bird later.
Least Tern (2): 1 - Hyannis - 9/3; 1 juv. - Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Black Tern (94): 93 - Nantucket Sound to Nantucket Shoals - 9/3; 1 -
Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Roseate Tern (15+): - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
Common Tern (2385+): 2300+ - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3. ; 85 - Muskeget
Channel - 9/4.
Forster's Tern (1) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
Sterna sp. (560+) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
Pomarine Jaeger (7): 5 - Nantucket Shoals; 1 - Hydrographer Canyon
vic. - 9/3 ; 1 - S. of Muskeget Channel - 9/4.
Parasitic Jaeger (5+): 3+ - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3 ; 2 - Muskeget
Channel - 9/4.
Long-tailed Jaeger (7+): 6+(1 juv., 5 sub-ads.) - Nantucket Shoals (1
juv.) - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3.
jaeger sp. (14+): 11+ - - Nantucket Shoals, 3 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3.

Mammals and other marine life:

Fin Whale (1) - Nantucket Shoals on 9/3.
Humpback Whale (1) - Nantucket Shoals on 9/3.
possible Sperm Whale (1) - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3
bottlenosed whale sp./possible Cuvier's (1) - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3
Gray Grampus/Risso's Dolphin (40+) - Hydrographer Canyon vic. - 9/3
Offshore Bottlenosed Dolphin (150+): 30 - Hydrographer Canyon vic. -
9/3 ; 120 - Veatch/East Atlantis Canyons vic.- 9/4.
Short-beaked Common Dolphin (80+) - Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.
Harbor Porpoise (7+) Nantucket Shoals - 9/3.

Ocean Sunfish (3)
Blue Shark (2)
manta ray sp. (1)
numerous flying fish
Yellowfin Tuna (1) - Caught by crew in Veatch Canyon.
Skipjack (1) -  Caught by crew in Veatch Canyon.

Trip photos here:
Jeremiah Trimble day 1:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtrimble/sets/72157622246514420/
                           day 2:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtrimble/sets/72157622121873035/
Ian Davies: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54107105@N00/sets/72157622130703953/
John Hoye: http://picasaweb.google.com/hoye1x/CanyonPelagicBBC#

Thanks to Ida Giriunas for organizing these trips and to the many
birders whose participation gets us out there to find new discoveries!

Richard S. Heil
S. Peabody, MA
rsheil(AT)comcast.net

SATURDAY, 18 JULY 2009:
Brookline Bird Club EXTREME PELAGIC: HYANNIS to WEST ATLANTIS and
ATLANTIS CANYONS (0400-2115 hours)
Weather: A.M.: Mostly overcast, rain (heavy at times) until about
0830 hrs, S-SW winds 10-22 mph, 62-75 F.
P.M.: Partly sunny (hazy), S-SW winds 8-15 mph, 65-75 F.
Seas: 4-6 feet in the A.M., diminishing to 2-4 feet in the afternoon.
Visibility: Mostly very good after the rain ended; light to moderate
fog over cooler Nantucket Shoals waters on the return.
Leaders: Richard S. Heil, Jeremiah Trimble, and Steve "the man on the
mike" Mirick; no trips would happen without the dedication and hard
work of Ida Giriunas.
 
Approximate route aboard the "Helen H" with able Captain Joe
Huckameyer and excellent attentive crew Matt and Bob: From Hyannis
via Muskeget Channel south to West Atlantis Canyon, then east to
Atlantis Canyon, then north across Nantucket Shoals and back into
Nantucket Sound between Nantucket and Monomoy Islands.
 
An exact route map nicely charted via GPS by Steve Mirick can be
viewed here: http://home.comcast.net/~smirick//BBCPelagic071809.jpg
 
A nearly full boat endured moderately rough conditions in the morning
on the way to the shelf edge, but were rewarded with diminished seas
as the day progressed and were especially rewarded by some great
pelagic birding. Proving once again the exciting possibilities in
these mostly unexplored waters, we encountered our first Pterodroma
petrel in the Extreme Pelagic trip history, a beautiful BLACK-CAPPED
PETREL that showed for nearly five minutes, making two close passes
to the boat, all the while pursued expertly at full throttle by the
captain. Chasing Pterodromas is not for the weak at heart!
 
Other highlights included a new state high count for Audubon's
Shearwaters and a nice tally of Leach's Storm-Petrels, many being
well seen. The major 'lowlight' was the sad case of a Right Whale,
injured an entangled in fishing gear south of Nantucket Shoals
 
Common Eider (5 males): just off Martha's Vineyard.
BLACK-CAPPED PETREL (1) Found in approximately 425 feet of water
(surface T = 72 F), about 15 miles NW of the head of West Atlantis
Canyon and 77 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, at 40 10 15 N, 70 43
90 W. In view 4-5 minutes; seen by most on board; the petrel made
two close passes at the boat arcing high in typical Pterodroma
fashion in wind; photographically documented; about 5th state record;
spectacular bird.
Photos by Jeremiah Trimble here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtrimble
Photos by James Smith here:
http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/2009/07/ma-black-capped-petrel-0718.html
Cory's Shearwater (232) : Many identified as borealis; a couple
possible Scopoli's candidates not fully documented.
Greater Shearwater (240)
Sooty Shearwater (16)
Manx Shearwater (3)
Audubon's Shearwater (19): HIGH COUNT; All in warmer (70-76 degree
F.) waters near the shelf edge; many in heavy molt; New state high
count! Previous high was of 17-Hyrographer Canyon vicinity-9 August 2007.
black-and-white shearwater sp. (1) : Manx/Little type not well seen.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (475)
Leach's Storm-Petrel (58) : Most in or near deeper waters near shelf
break as is typical
storm-petrel sp. (3): LESP/ Band-rumped's not well observed.
Northern Gannet (3 sub ads.)
Herring Gull (3)
Great Black-backed Gull (7)
Least Tern (2) : Near M.V.
Common Tern (4)-Natucket Shoals.
Sterna sp. (10)
Pomarine Jaeger (1) ; Darkish sub-adult; oddly only jaeger for the day.
passerine sp. (1) : Small (large warbler/vireo/waxwing) size, squat,
short tailed; maybe 10-15 miles south of M.V.
 
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE (1): Sadly entangled in fishing gear
(ropes and flotation ball) about 42 miles SSE of Nantucket. The
animal also showed old healed propeller damage on the back; the
situation was duly reported and rescue efforts may be underway soon
if they are not already.
Gray Grampus (Risso's Dolphin) (1)
Bottlenosed Dolphin (70)
Common (Saddleback) Dolphin (28)
Harbor Seal (2)
 
Blue Shark (1)
Hammerhead Shark (1): about 7 ft long
Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola (2)
a number of Flying Fish sp.
Green Darner, Anax junius (1)
 
Thanks to all the participants aboard who made this trip happen! Our
next EXTREME PELAGIC trip promises to be an equally or even more
exciting one, a 42 hour sleeping overnight to the shelf edge and
canyons (probably to Hydrographer) on 22-23 August. For details see:
http://massbird.org/bbc/Pelagics2009.htm
 
Richard S. Heil
S. Peabody, MA
rsheil@comcast.net
 

Organizer

All trips on this page were organized by Ida Giriunas (left) and sponsored by the Brookline Bird Club.  These trips require an enormous amount of effort on the part of everyone involved.  Many thanks to Ida, Steve Mirick, Rick Heil, Marshall Illif, Blair Nikula and the captain and crew of the HelenH. Also a special thanks to the photographers who are doing such an outstanding job of documenting the birds and mammals on these trips.

¹ The September 3-4 pelagic was originally scheduled for August 23-24.  Hurricane Bill pushed it back one week  to the following weekend when Hurricane Dan caused it to be postponed to September 3-4.   Ida , Rick, the captain and crew deserve a big thanks for not giving up.