I have just returned from a very exciting pelagic trip today! We were able to view and photograph Washington's first record of a Ashy Storm-Petrel some 30 miles off shore. We were able to keep up with it for over 20 minutes with everyone on board getting great views. We had just recorded some 30 Leach's and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels when this bird showed up. Bill Shelmerdine and I had just worked through some of the other petrel's when Bill said that one of them is all dark, not gray and no white rump. I thought maybe lighting on one of the Fork-tails was a possible answer. Bill said he didn't think so and after several more looks I was convinced as well. We both ruled out Black and Least Storm-Petrels and were convinced we indeed had a Ashy. Scott Mills was the other leader and he also was convinced. Some birders from Norway had some excellent camera equipment and got great shots. These pictures will be on our web site in a couple weeks when they return home.
Bill is going to e-mail more info tomorrow. Other highlights include one South Polar Skua, eight Tufted Puffins and sixty some Black-footed Albatross.
For up coming trips please look at our web site, www.westportseabirds.com

Bruce LaBar
Tacoma,Wa.
blabar at harbornet.com