Our last pelagic trip of the year took place yesterday, provided some great sightings and wonderful companionship among the seafarers aboard. With Westport Seabird spotters Scott Mills, Ryan Shaw, Gene Revelas, Bill Tweit and myself, plus veteran pelagic birders Charlie Wright, Dan and Brad Waggoner, Andy Stepniewski and others, we found some great birds!
This was our latest fall trip and we were not sure what to expect. What we concluded was that the numbers of the species seen was similar to winter trips that have taken place in January and February. We were also hopeful that some rarities or uncommon sightings would occur at this later date.
The weather was perfect with no fog or rain. The morning travel out to our chum spot was pretty easy with no spray. Coming back to shore we encountered some wave action and spray but nothing too uncomfortable.
The following is a combined list of inshore and offshore sightings. These can also be seen on our Facebook page.

Mallard-4
Lesser Scaup-3
Surf Scoter-241
White-winged Scoter-18
Red-throated Loon-2
Pacific Loon-25
Common Loon-19
Red-necked Grebe-2
Western Grebe-5
LAYSAN ALBATROSS-3 (four sightings, with photos showing that two of the sightings was the same bird)
Black-footed Albatross-19
Northern Fulmar-180
Pink-footed Shearwater-11
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-4 ( Seen flying by-some fairly close to shore)
Buller's Shearwater-28
Sooty Shearwater-143
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER- 28 (probably an underestimate)
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel-7
Brandt's Cormorant-19
Double-crested Cormorant-2
Pelagic Cormorant-17
Brown Pelican-54
Marbled Godwit-150 (at the spot by the marina, no Bar-taileds observed)
Long-billed Dowitcher-1
Black Turnstone-1
Red Phalarope-2
Black-legged Kittiwake-12
Bonaparte's Gull-52
Heermann's Gull-7
Mew Gull-6
Western Gull
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)-191
California Gull-154
Herring Gull-88
Thayer's Gull-4
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pomarine Jaeger-2
Common Murre-192
XANTUS'S MURRELET-2 (seen by a few lucky observers)
Ancient Murrelet-2
Cassin's Auklet-64
Rhinoceros Auklet-26
Tufted Puffin-1 (adult winter plumage)
Kinglet sp.-2

On behalf of Westport Seabirds, we would like to thank all those who made this season such a huge success and to Phil and Chris Anderson for providing such great trips!

Bruce LaBar
Tacoma,WA
blabar at harbornet.com