[Maine-birds] Epic Boothbay Harbor Whale Watch trip, 10/11

Hi all,

Nancy Houlihan, Pat Moynahan, and I boarded the Cap N'Fish Whale Watch out of Boothbay Harbor this afternoon. They extended the season for the week thanks to the warm weather (and therefore plenty of passengers) and presence of whales recently. 

Simply put, it was incredible. None of us have ever had a day like this on a whale watch out of Maine. Or for that matter, in terms of overall abundance of a diversity of life and migration, perhaps ever, anywhere in the Gulf of Maine. And all on near-flat seas with above-normal temperatures.

Species list (only for those seen beyond Squirrel Island): 

Waterbirds:

1223(!) Great Shearwaters

500+ Double-created Cormorants

210 Canada Geese

83 (!!!) Cory's Shearwaters 

56 Northern Gannets

32 Northern Fulmars (inc 1 dark and 2 "intermediate-type" morphs)

30 Black Scoters

28 (!!!!) Pomarine Jaegers (17 light/intermediate morphs, 2 dark morphs, 9 unknown).

18 Surf Scoters

15 Unidentified large shearwaters 

4 Sooty Shearwaters 

3 Unidentified jaegers

2 Common Loons

1 SNOW GOOSE (adult with flock of  150 Canadas)

1 intriguing Unidentified large predatory seabird 

1 Razorbill

X Common Eiders

Passerines:

3 Cedar Waxwings

3 Unidentified passerines

2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets

2 White-throated Sparrows*

1 Yellow-rumped Warbler

1 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER* **

1 Chipping Sparrow

1 Song Sparrow *

1 Swamp Sparrow *

*al 20-25 miles offshore, while looking at whales within the Portland shipping channel.

** landed on boat, including on people's heads (lots of photos), and road to shore within cabin

Insects:

169 Monarchs (incredible flight for first hour of trip, including up to 10 miles offshore)

1 Clouded Sulfur

1 large dragonfly sp.

1 small dragonfly sp.

Mammals:

30 Atlantic White-sided Dolphins

4 Humpback Whales

1 Fin Whale

X Harbor Porpoise

X Harbor Seal 

I took photos of many of the passerines, and as many jaegers as I could, so consider this list provisional!

-Derek