I contacted Brian Patterson and Kate Sutherland of Seabirding to see the which of their winter trips had openings and settled on the February 2nd trip.
It was a long drive from Ottawa but it was the best way for me to get it done.
I arrived at the dock the morning of the 2nd and after a few hello’s we boarded the Stormy Petrel II and after a brief instructional talk away we went.
It was a bit windy and for some it was uncomfortable but I love being at sea looking for birds because of the “never know what’s about to come over the horizon” factor.
The crew started chumming an within minutes we had Gull’s, Gannets and Pelican’s at the back of the boat.
Many Adult and Juvenile Brown Pelican’s
Forster’s Terns
Glaucous Gull – 1st Cycle
Adult Great Black-backed Gull
2nd Winter Herring Gull
Adult Winter Herring Gull
Adult Winter Lesser Black-backed Gull
An Almost Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull
Diving Adult Gannet
Diving 2nd Year Gannet
3rd Year Gannet
Adult Gannet
1st Summer Gannet
Juvenile Gannet
There were at least 50 to 100 birds behind the boat all day, incredible looks at all the different gull and Gannet phases.
At 9:30am I heard someone call out “MANX” and I left my spot at the front of the boat and had my first ABA look at a Manx Shearwater. As if on cue he flew within 20 feet of my spot giving me a fantastic broadside view. Life bird 745 ABA
We ran into a large flock of Bonaparte Gull’s that had a little surprise mixed in “a Little Gull”.
Bonaparte’s Gull’s
Little Gull with dark the under wing
We saw a few Razorbill’s, most dove as soon as boat got near but a few gave us great views.
Sadly the time seemed to fly by and we couldn’t find any Great Skua’s or was it they couldn’t find us. Kate and Brian tried all afternoon and even with hundred’s of birds behind the boat, no skuas came to investigate.
Good time had by all on board.
Even got a few images as the sun went down.
Hatteras Dune’s
North Pond Tundra Swan’s
Sun goes down on another great day
Seabirding offers weekend trips from Hatteras, North Carolina at the end of January through to the end of February and can be reached by email:
Brian Patteson: hatteraspetrel@gmail.com or
before 10pm Easter Time at 1-252-986-1363
Kate Sutherland: cahaw1101@gmail.com
You can also read about their trips at : http://www.patteson.com/
Ciao for no
BIRDQUEST2004 