The Seacoast Chapter of 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, light and variable winds at 5 to
10 knots and seas of 2 feet or less. 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 "Outside Flag" and the "Scantums" and
dipping briefly into MA waters before turning north over Jeffrey's
Ledge, then looping back over the outside of Jeffrey's Ledge before
eventually heading back home.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemirick/51476146493/in/photostream/lightbox/
Offshore birds were generally scarce as they apparently have been all
summer, but we managed to eke out a few pelagics with great views and
ended up with a decent list. Marine mammals gave a great show with
beautiful Humpback Whales and two big pods of Atlantic White-sided Dolphins.
Some photos from Len Medlock:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lmedlock
and Jim Sparrell:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89302424@N02
Birds (thanks to Zeke Cornell for keeping counts!)
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Common Eider Some large flocks at Isles of Shoals
White-winged Scoter 1 flyby
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) In Rye harbor
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER 1 sitting on Lunging Island in NH where they
were first confirmed nesting for the State last year.
Ruddy Turnstone 1 At Isles of Shoals.
Least Sandpiper 1 At Isles of Shoals.
peep sp. 1 One flyby.
Red-necked Phalarope 27 Scattered in small groups offshore.
RED PHALAROPE 1 Single bird by itself. Nicely identified by Leo
McKillop.
phalarope sp. 1
Spotted Sandpiper 2 Both out on Isles of Shoals
Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs 2 In Rye harbor.
Black Guillemot 5 All on east side of Smuttynose Island.
Bonaparte's Gull 2 Two juveniles offshore. A few more inside of
Islands.
Herring Gull 5 Offshore count only. Very few out there.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 adults With one on Smuttynose Island, one
on Square Rock, and one offshore sitting on water with a Great
Black-backed Gull.
Great Black-backed Gull 56 offshore only. Not many gulls offshore.
Common Tern 5 In one group offshore.
Common Loon 1 Migrating.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 18 Scattered small numbers.
Cory's Shearwater 4 Nice views of one sitting on water.
Great Shearwater 32 Largest group of 9 sitting on water together.
shearwater sp. 1 Seen by me only. Appeared to be a Manx.
Northern Gannet 21
Great Cormorant 5 Mostly on Little Seavey Island.
Double-crested Cormorant 21 Count of birds OFFSHORE only.
Interesting singles and doubles flying south and one flock of 14 sitting
on the water on the outside edge of Jeffrey's. Perhaps the largest
flock of birds we had in the offshore waters all day!!
Great Blue Heron 4 In Rye harbor
Great Egret 6 In Rye harbor
Snowy Egret 11 In Rye harbor.
Cedar Waxwing 70 Single flock over Appledore Island.
American Redstart 1 One offshore circled the boat several times, but
did not land.
Marine Mammals and wildlife
-----------------------------------------
Humpback Whale - 5 to 7 with individuals identified as Decibel, Sword,
Owl, and Ebony. DOUBLE BREACHING (!) seen from distance. Closer views
of flipper flapping, etc. Nice show!
Fin Whale - 1
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - 170 in two pods. Nice show!
Harbor Porpoise - A few small pods
Harbor Seal
Gray Seal
Blue Shark - 1 seen by a few
Mola mola (ocean sunfish) - A few including spectacular views of one!
Bluefin Tuna - A few small individuals breaking the surface.
Insects
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Several offshore insects pushed off by westerly winds. A few even out
on Jeffrey's Ledge.
Monarch - A couple
Red Admiral - 1
Clouded Sulphur - 1 or 2
Common Green Darner - several
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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