With a break between storm fronts, Westport Pelagics had a remarkable trip today. Rain did return on our way back, but we still had o.k seas. Thanks to many fishing boats, we had high numbers of albatross, shearwaters and storm-petrels.
The highlight bird of the trip was an adult Horned Puffin just off the Westport jetty as we were coming in! Thanks to the sharp spotting by George Gerdts and Brad Waggoner, we all had wonderful views of this rare bird.
Other highlights include:
- 2 Clark's Grebes, also near the jetty, with 3 Western Grebes.
- several hundred Black-footed Albatross.
- Pink-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater and 1 Short-tailed Shearwater.
- hundreds of Fork-tailed and Leach's Storm-Petrels.
- many Red-necked Phalaropes.
- 3 South Polar Skuas, 3 Pomarine Jaegers and 1 Parasitic Jaeger.
- Sabine's Gulls.
- 1 Arctic Tern.
- Cassin's Auklets.
- 2 Tufted Puffins.

We also viewed 1 Humpback Whale, Dall's Porpoise, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Northern Fur Seals and Harbor Porpoise.

Our next trip is on August 11. Further information can be viewed at, including species numbers from past trips, www.westportpelagics.com.

Thanks to the co-leaders, Bill Tweit and Scott Mills.

Bruce LaBar
Tacoma, WA.
blabar at harbornet.com