Report of birds encountered during research trip aboard UNH Research
Vessel Gulf Challenger. Boat did not stop or steer toward birds. I was
a guest yesterday on a UNH boat that was performing ocean experiments
offshore. The boat traveled offshore to a point north of the Isles of
Shoals (CO2 buoy) and collected water samples. It then continued east
over Jeffrey's Ledge to the "Wilkinson's Basin" location where it
deployed the water sampler, collected plankton samples, and deployed a
specialized plankton laser camera aboard "wire walker". It then
returned following the outbound route.
The bird highlights included the return of southern hemisphere nesting
species, three nice rarities, and an overall good diverse list of
pelagic species. Wilson's Storm-Petrels are back in good numbers. And
although there were only a small number of shearwaters, both Great and
Sooty are back and a handful of Northern Fulmar are lingering from the
winter. Rarities included a Leach's Storm-Petrel, two Arctic Terns and
two Atlantic Puffins. The only offshore migrant of note was a single
hummingbird over Jeffrey's Ledge!
Weather and seas - Light northerly winds becoming calm, then increasing
out of south. Seas 2 feet becoming flat late in day. Sunny with brief
patches of fog offshore becoming mostly cloudy with nearby showers. We
mostly avoided spotty showers.
Time - 9:15 AM to 4:00 PM.
eBird checklists submitted and eBird trip list with documentation photos
at this link:
https://ebird.org/tripreport/530782
Total list of birds offshore (east of Isles of Shoals CO2 buoy)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 - Single bird buzzing over boat from over
Jeffrey's Ledge!
Red-necked Phalarope 8
Red/Red-necked Phalarope 3
ATLANTIC PUFFIN 2 - Nice flyby of two adults inside of Jeffrey's
Ledge. Rarely seen in summer.
American Herring Gull 86
Great Black-backed Gull 48
ARCTIC TERN 2 - Although they've nested on White/Seavey, this species
is rarely recorded offshore. My first record from the boat.
Common Tern 13
Common Loon 2
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 464 - My first of year. High count as big
pulse of birds newly arrived. Very concentrated on center of Jeffrey's
Ledge.
LEACH'S STORM-PETREL 1 - Rare. My first record from this boat. While
stopped at Wilkinson's.
Northern Fulmar 7 - Lingering birds.
Great Shearwater 1 - My first of year.
Sooty Shearwater 4 - My first of year. 1 of these close to shore
near longitude of Isles of Shoals.
Northern Gannet 1
Double-crested Cormorant 9
Marine Mammals
------------------------
Harbor Porpoise - 2
Whales - 0. I think most of the whale activity recently has been
further south toward Old Scantum.
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
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