Post by tysondanny on Aug 22, 2018 8:32:53 GMT -8
Hi all,
On Aug 17 my Dad and I headed to Westport to do a pelagic trip. The trip down had some of the worst traffic I have seen around Seattle, 5 hours from the border to Olympia. Our only birding stop on that day was at the Hoquiam Sewage Ponds, that netted a few of the regular shorebirds and a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER.
The pelagic left at 06:00 on Saturday under ideal cloudy skies, calm winds and average sea conditions. Leaving Grays Harbour, just past the end of the jetty netted the first SOOTY SHEARWATERS. These were soon followed by the first NORTHERN FULMAR and about 3 miles out was the first PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER. Heading out to the shrimp boats we had a POMARINE JEAGER and RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES.
Most of the birds were around the shrimp boats. Large numbers of CALIFORNIA GULLS and SOOTY and PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS. Searching the shearwaters we were able to pick out 4 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, 2 BULLERS SHEARWATERS and a single FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER. Also here were a few BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS and a LAYSAN ALBATROSS that circled our boar many times.
We then headed out to the continental shelf break, where we encountered SABINES GULLS, CASSINS AUKLET and FORK-TAILED STORM PETRELS.
The trip back to land netted another LAYSAN ALBATROSS. Along the jetty at Grays Harbour was a WANDERING TATTLER; and in the marina were numerous HEERMANNS GULLS and BROWN PELICANS, and in the large MARBLED GODWIT flock was the continuing BAR-TAILED GODWIT. The last bird of the trip just as the boat docked was a PURPLE MARTIN calling overhead.
This trip had great bird diversity and marine animals were also well represented with Harbour Seal, California Sea Lion, Stellers Sea Lion, Harbour Porpoise, Dalls Porpoise, Gray Whale, Humpback Whale, Northern Fur Seal, Northern Elephant Seal, Blue Shark, Ocean Sunfish and Sea Raft Jellyfish.
Good Birding,
Dan Tyson
Langley, BC
On Aug 17 my Dad and I headed to Westport to do a pelagic trip. The trip down had some of the worst traffic I have seen around Seattle, 5 hours from the border to Olympia. Our only birding stop on that day was at the Hoquiam Sewage Ponds, that netted a few of the regular shorebirds and a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER.
The pelagic left at 06:00 on Saturday under ideal cloudy skies, calm winds and average sea conditions. Leaving Grays Harbour, just past the end of the jetty netted the first SOOTY SHEARWATERS. These were soon followed by the first NORTHERN FULMAR and about 3 miles out was the first PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER. Heading out to the shrimp boats we had a POMARINE JEAGER and RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES.
Most of the birds were around the shrimp boats. Large numbers of CALIFORNIA GULLS and SOOTY and PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS. Searching the shearwaters we were able to pick out 4 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, 2 BULLERS SHEARWATERS and a single FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER. Also here were a few BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS and a LAYSAN ALBATROSS that circled our boar many times.
We then headed out to the continental shelf break, where we encountered SABINES GULLS, CASSINS AUKLET and FORK-TAILED STORM PETRELS.
The trip back to land netted another LAYSAN ALBATROSS. Along the jetty at Grays Harbour was a WANDERING TATTLER; and in the marina were numerous HEERMANNS GULLS and BROWN PELICANS, and in the large MARBLED GODWIT flock was the continuing BAR-TAILED GODWIT. The last bird of the trip just as the boat docked was a PURPLE MARTIN calling overhead.
This trip had great bird diversity and marine animals were also well represented with Harbour Seal, California Sea Lion, Stellers Sea Lion, Harbour Porpoise, Dalls Porpoise, Gray Whale, Humpback Whale, Northern Fur Seal, Northern Elephant Seal, Blue Shark, Ocean Sunfish and Sea Raft Jellyfish.
Good Birding,
Dan Tyson
Langley, BC
