I was an invited guest yesterday aboard the "Gulf Challenger". The UNH
vessel was conducting research with the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution. Researchers were collecting core sediment samples and
studying water samples trying to understand algae blooms and the harmful
effects they can inflict on other life forms within ecosystems.
We cruised offshore from Portsmouth Harbor NNE to Boon Island Light and
then again NNE to a point 28 miles southeast of Cape Elizabeth. We then
cruised due SSW for 2 hours and about 30 miles through NH waters to a
point a few miles east of Jeffrey's Ledge in MA. We then cruised home
forming a large triangle. We canceled a 3rd collection site due to
rough seas. Interestingly, in all my years offshore from NH, this was
my first visit to some of these waters east of Jeffrey's Ledge! We did
not slow down or alter course for birds.
Weather was pretty bad. The first leg was rather peaceful, but the 2nd
leg, the 2 hour cruise from Maine south to MA, was directly into a 20
knot wind and standing 3 to 4 foot seas that created a terrible bone
crunching ride and waves crashed repeatedly over the bow. Impossible to
use binoculars or camera and difficult to avoid wet salt spray which
engulfed the boat constantly. The final leg was better, but was still
very difficult at times.
Sadly, despite the terrible weather, it was apparent that there were not
a lot of birds. 14 scattered Cory's Shearwaters and 4 Great Shearwaters
were the only shearwaters found. In fact, the 1 hour ride back across
Jeffrey's Ledge in NH produced ZERO shearwaters! Wilson's Storm-Petrels
were a nice companion along the trip. The highlight was a nice somewhat
close Parastic Jaeger.
https://ebird.org/tripreport/402668
Total birds noted OFFSHORE PAST ISLES OF SHOALS ONLY
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
shorebird sp. 4
PARASITIC JAEGER 1. The highlight of the day. Nice views as it flew
past the boat relatively close.
Laughing Gull 4. All juveniles.
American Herring Gull 46
Great Black-backed Gull 35
Common Tern 7
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 142
CORY'S SHEARWATER 14 - Scattered birds. All seen well enough were
ID'd as Cory's rather than Scopoli's.
GREAT SHEARWATER 4
shearwater sp. 7 - Brutal conditions made it impossible to ID a few.
Double-crested Cormorant 1. Strange experience when a single
Cormorant flew in and landed by the boat 28 miles southeast of Cape
Elizabeth.
Marine Mammals - ZERO!!!! No whales or dolphins at all. Again, the
conditions were not helpful and we could have easily passed whales or
dolphin without notice.
In harbor or nearshore birds
--------------------------------------
Common Eider 14
Bonaparte's Gull 14
Great Blue Heron 2
Double-crested Cormorant - X
Bald Eagle 1
Fish Crow 1
Barn Swallow 6
European Starling 30
Northern Mockingbird 1
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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