Tuesday 27 May 2014

[Maine-birds] NH Audubon Pelagic Bird Trip - 5/26/14 (King Eider, Northern Fulmar)

NH Audubon sponsored an all day pelagic trip yesterday aboard the
"Granite State" out of Rye Harbor, NH. We cruised due east over the
Scantum area before continuing to Jeffrey's Ledge and worked our way
north along the ledge until we made it north to the "Fingers" area of
the ledge. With birds still scarce, we cruised west to inspect Boon
Island Lighthouse before heading back.

Birds were scarce. And although we had about 7+ Fin Whales and 1 or 2
Minkes, the whales were not terribly cooperative. A pod of 50+ Atlantic
White-sided Dolphins was the highlight for marine mammals. The
highlights for birds were the continuing immature male King Eider off
Star Island and the first Sooty Shearwater and Wilson's Storm-Petrels of
the year and nice views of a light morph Northern Fulmar. Thanks to Jon
Woolf for organizing this trip and to Captain Pete Reynolds for
skillfully working the birds and whales we encountered.

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Cloudy to Partly cloudy
Moderate westerly winds. Seas about 3'
Birders - 45

Species List total
---------------------
Brant 1 sitting on top of Malaga Island in Maine.
KING EIDER 1 immature male just off Star Island in New Hampshire.
Photo below by David Forsyth
https://www.flickr.com/photos/113232207@N06/14262283976/
Common Eider Only a small number of babies noted.
White-winged Scoter 5 migrating north well offshore on ledge.
Common Loon 10++ with many well offshore migrating or sitting in water.
NORTHERN FULMAR 1 light morph in NH waters.
SOOTY SHEARWATER 1 slightly early bird well seen in NH waters.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 20 all together in one tight flock.
Northern Gannet At least 15 for day. Mostly 1 year olds. At least
one adult or near adult.
Double-crested Cormorant A couple of small migrating flocks plus nice
views of breeding colony on Lunging Island. No Great Cormorants noted.
Ruddy Turnstone 3 on islands
Purple Sandpiper 1 on islands
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE 2 skiddish birds that were seen from close
range, but only briefly before they flew.
COMMON MURRE 1 only seen by a few folks. Breeding plumage bird.
Black Guillemot 12+ in vicinity of Appledore Island and Smuttynose
Island.
Bonaparte's Gull 1 immature well offshore on ledge.
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern 1 seen by me (only?) near Star Island.
Roseate Tern 1 picked out among swarm of terns over White/Seavey Islands.
Common Tern Large numbers swarming over White/Seavey Islands
Peregrine Falcon 1 flying way offshore from islands, and then turning
and heading like a bullet back to islands.
Eastern Kingbird 1
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Wren 1
Common Grackle

Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA

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