NH Audubon sponsored an all day pelagic bird trip yesterday aboard the
"Granite State" out of Rye Harbor, NH. The weather was excellent with
clear skies, north winds 5 to 10 knots decreasing to nearly calm, and
seas 2 feet dropping to nearly 0. We traveled east to the Isles of
Shoals where we wandered around the islands looking for odds & ends and
enjoying the beauty of the islands. We then continued off-shore forming
a counter-clockwise loop over the "Scantums" and dipping briefly into MA
waters before turning north over Jeffrey's Ledge, then circling back
over the inside of Jeffrey's Ledge before eventually heading back home.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemirick/48678196877/
Birds were VERY SCARCE! Especially on the ledge, but even at the Isles
of Shoals where there were only a few shorebirds on the islands, and no
luck with Oystercatchers or Great Cormorants. Offshore there were very
few gulls or shearwaters despite unlimited visibility. But fortunately
we managed to eke out few pelagic species and the few we saw were very
cooperative. The highlight of the trip was a spectacular performance
by a pod of Short-beaked Common Dolphins, which entertained us for
nearly an hour!
Some photos from Jim Sparrell:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89302424@N02/
Birds
----------
Canada Goose - Odd sighting of 4 MIGRATING SOUTH over Jeffrey's Ledge.
A few more at Isles of Shoals.
Common Eider - Lots in harbor and at Isles of Shoals.
Red-breasted Merganser - One inside Rye harbor.
Semipalmated Plover - One flyby on Jeffrey's Ledge. A few more in Rye
harbor.
Killdeer - Rye harbor.
Ruddy Turnstone - Two poking around rocks at Isles of Shoals.
Semipalmated Sandpiper - Rye harbor.
Short-billed Dowitcher - Rye harbor.
Spotted Sandpiper - One on Square Rock.
Willet - 1 lingering in Rye harbor.
Greater Yellowlegs - A few in Rye harbor.
Red-necked Phalarope - One juvenile on Jeffrey's Ledge Just one singe
Phalarope! But fortunately, it didn't fly and gave some nice views.
Bonaparte's Gull - A few inside Isles of Shoals.
Herring Gull - Remarkably few offshore. Our count was only 11 offshore!
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 2 to 4 fresh JUVENILES. Beautiful study of
two birds that sat on the water right near a juvenile Great Black-backed
Gull and a Herring Gull! One or two seen later could have been the same
birds or may have been different.
Great Black-backed Gull - Remarkably few offshore. Our count was only
12 offshore!
BLACK TERN - One juvenile (?) offshore. Seen well by all, but tough to
get a great angle for a photo.
Common Tern - Perhaps 7 or so offshore.
Common Loon - Including 1 MIGRATING SOUTH over Jeffrey's Ledge.
Great Shearwater - Only about 3 or 4 for the day.
Manx Shearwater - 3 total with two posing nicely on the water.
Sooty Shearwater - 0
Cory's Shearwater - 0
Northern Gannet - 42 counted offshore. More counted around Isles of
Shoals. Once again, nice views of 2 adults SITTING ON SQUARE ROCK as we
passed by.
Double-crested Cormorant - A few migrating skeins near the coast as we
left the harbor.
Great Egret - One flyover in Rye harbor.
Peregrine Falcon - Two flew over the boat as we left Rye harbor.
Tree Swallow - One or two at Isles of Shoals.
Barn Swallow - One or two at Isles of Shoals.
Marine Mammals
------------------------
Fin Whale - Roughly 10 individuals.
Humpback Whale - Roughly 4 including one identified as "I.T."
Minke Whale - 0. I don't think any were seen today.
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - Pod of roughly 20 gave a brief show in
the morning.
SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN - Spectacular pod of roughly 75
individuals. This species is rare on Jeffrey's Ledge as they prefer
warmer waters further offshore. It was the first sighting of the year
for this whale watching boat and I think only my 2nd record for
Jeffrey's Ledge. They were very cooperative and "friendly" as they road
the bow, splashed the boat and performed lots of aerial acrobatics! In
the calm smooth water, they were a special sight and the highlight of
the trip for many.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemirick/48674458867/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemirick/48674458927/
Harbor Porpoise - Reported by a couple
Fishes
---------
Blue Shark - Nice views of a single shark in the glassy waters.
Ocean Sunfish - At least 7 or 8. It's been a pretty good year for them
this summer.
Bluefin Tuna - A few splashing the water as they chased bait fish.
Insects
-----------
Monarch - Roughly 5 individuals migrating well offshore.
Lady sp. - One individual well offshore. Possibly American Lady from
photos.
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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