Yesterday, I was invited as a guest aboard the UNH research vessel "Gulf
Challenger". The boat traveled east from New Castle, NH toward
Jeffrey's Ledge and beyond to a deep water area (about 800') known as
Wilkinson's Basin about 40-45 miles offshore from Portsmouth harbor.
The boat collected and tested sea water samples and collected
zooplankton before returning. The course of the boat took it through
ME, NH, and MA waters. It stopped to collect water samples at one spot
just north of the Isles of Shoals, and then in a 2nd spot on the outer
part of Jeffrey's Ledge before arriving at the deep water spot at
Wilkinson's Basin where it spent about an hour and a half. The boat
otherwise traveled out and back non-stop at about 20 mph (17 knots) and
did not change course for birds.
The weather was excellent and I was able to "ride the bow" going out and
coming back. The seas were generally 0' to 2' with nice glassy surface
for spotting alcids going out. Coming back we "rode" a sea breeze, but
the surface was choppy and, combined with glare, made it tough spotting
birds on the water. Sun glare was an issue for much of the day.
Still a small number of alcids with the expected (?) species of Puffins
and Common Murre. Kittiwakes seem to have cleared out, but interesting
to note some offshore transient Bonaparte's Gulls. Still a few
Fulmar...probably more around some fishing boats, but too far to see
details around these boats surrounded by gulls. The other interesting
notes were offshore migrant songbirds. The 2nd day of very warm weather
brought migrants over the Gulf of Maine the previous night and we ran
into a few of these as the exhausted birds flew around and/or landed on
the boat.
Sunny all day with some thin overcast late
Temperature in 80's on the mainland (!).
Winds - Light NW winds calming down and shifting to SE on the way back.
Seas - 2 feet or less. Some surface chop in afternoon. Glassy in AM.
eBird Trip report with photos:
https://ebird.org/nh/tripreport/119566
Following is a count of birds OFFSHORE only. Started counting at point
north of Isles of Shoals by "CO2 buoy"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GADWALL 1 (or 3) migrating north over Jeffrey's Ledge. My first for
offshore.
American Black Duck 5 migrating over Jeffrey's Ledge.
dabbling duck sp. 2. Probably Gadwall.
Long-tailed Duck 3 migrating over Jeffrey's Ledge.
COMMON MURRE 8. Varying plumages.
large alcid sp. 5
ATLANTIC PUFFIN 5. Varying ages. 4 photographed.
Bonaparte's Gull 21. All out on Jeffrey's Ledge. Many/most in
breeding plumage.
Ring-billed Gull 2. Near CO2 buoy.
Herring Gull 116. Most out on Wilkinson's. Accompanying fishing
boats out there.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2. Both adults or near adults.
Great Black-backed Gull 88
NORTHERN FULMAR 12. All well offshore beyond Jeffrey's Ledge. Only 1
dark morph noted.
Northern Gannet 14
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 stayed on the boat for a while. Even landed
on my shoulder!
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 landed briefly on boat.
Brown Creeper 1 flying around boat late in day near the Isles of Shoals.
HERMIT THRUSH 1. Perhaps the most bizarre sighting of the day. This
bird was seen "swimming" in the ocean well offshore. I thought it was
floating flotsam and stopped taking photos. Then the flotsam flew off!
I guess this is the ultimate fate for countless numbers of migrants that
get carried offshore when they don't have the "fuel" to make it across
the Gulf of Maine.
Dark-eyed Junco 2. Stayed on the boat for a long while, but then
(sadly) left the boat on the way back.
Song Sparrow 1. Stayed on the boat for a long while, but then
(sadly) left the boat on the way back. Had this one in the Wheel House,
but it escaped and left the boat.
Marine Mammals - 5 Atlantic White-sided Dolphins and a couple of seals.
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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