New England
Seabirds
News
Seabirds
Other Sea
Animals
Where To
Find Seabirds
Pelagic
Trips
Reports
Breeding
Colonies
Conservation
Mail Box
Links
Wandering
Birder
References
| Reports | Gulf of Maine 2001 | Search | Comments | Site Map |
Fall Gulf of Maine
|
Maine Audubon Society's annual Fall Gulf of Maine Pelagic trip
from 6am-1pm out of Bar Harbor, Maine aboard the Friendship V jet-powered
catamaran visited the waters around Mt. Desert Rock (~25 miles offshore) and
the southern Grand Manan banks (~ 70 miles east of Bar Harbor).
Weather Conditions
Wind NE 18-24 kt for most of trip. Wave
height 3-5 ft.
Great Skua
An adult Great Skua was seen 15-20
miles south of Gr. Wass Is.at about 12:00, during cruise back to Bar Harbor. It
was 200 yards away and flying in opposite direction. Many saw the bird well,
but unfortunately missed by some. Description: .pale-flecked, rich brown
upperparts, very bold white flash, molting wing coverts, big. Skuas have been
encountered on 5 out of 6 MAS Fall GOM trips.
Northern
Fulmars
The trip saw 65 Northern Fulmars including a group of 50
foraging in the same area near Mount Desert Rock. Two dark morph birds were
seen.
| Red-throated Loon | 1 |
| Common Loon | several |
| Sooty Shearwater | 2 |
| Greater Shearwater | 130 |
| Northern Fulmar | 65 |
| Wilson's Storm-petrel | 350 |
| Leach's Storm-petrel | 2 |
| Northern Gannet | 86 |
| Red Phalarope: | 300, most in same area west of GM banks |
| Red-necked Phalarpe | 35, most near MD Rock |
| Phalarope sp. | 75 |
| Great Cormorant | 10 on MD Rock |
| Double-crested Cormorant | ++ ( I assume this means many, not counted) |
| Common Eider | +1000+ |
| Black Scoter | small # |
| White-winged Scoter | small # |
| Surf Scoter | small # |
| Great Skua | 1 |
| Pomarine Jaeger | 1 imm. (1st or 2nd -year type) visited chum slick, flew by at very close range, pouncing on Gr Sh.'s, |
| Bonaparte's Gull | 1 adult |
| Ring-billed Gull | 2 juveniles |
| Herring Gull | ++ |
| Great. Black-backed Gull: | ++ |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 1 juvenile |
| Glaucous Gull: | 1 immature |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | 1 ad-basic near MD Rock |
| Atlantic Puffin | 11, max 2 at one-time |
| Razorbill: | 2, fly-bys B. |
| Guillemot: | 1 |
Land Birds
Peregine: 1 w/prey
Merlin: 1
Kestrel
1 male
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 7, including 3 on MD Rock
Sanderling: 1 MD
Rock
Flicker: 6
Vireo sp.: 1
Cedar Waxwing: 1
Dark-eyed Junco:
2
Mammals:
Harbor Seal: many @ MD Rock
Gray Seal: a few
at MD Rock
Harbor Porpoise: a few
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin: ~20
Humpback Whale: +1
Fin Whale: +1
Logistics:
Gulf of
Maine Pelagic Birding From Bar Harbor Saturday, September 29, 6 am-1 pm
Leaders: Lysle Brinker, Rich Eakin, Don Mairs, Jan Pierson, Bill Sheehan. Maine
Audubon Society Cost: $70/member; $80/nonmember Limit: 125 participants .