[Maine-birds] Offshore Trip Report - 5/28/26 (Arctic Terns, Leach's S-P, Puffins, etc.)

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 -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/d47ae09c-9b62-44b1-b9b4-4c427022ccae%40gmail.com.