Scott Mills and I spent three weeks surveying seabirds aboard the Bell
M. Shimada as part of a NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
research cruise in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Most of
our time was spent in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca where
there were very few birds. However, out on the ocean it was a whole
different story with many birds around and some surprising finds,
especially during 3-6 March when we were off Washington and northern
Oregon.

Highlights:

Laysan Albatross (4)
3/3 1 Nitinat Canyon, WA
3/5 1 Guide Canyon, 32nm off Ocean Park, WA
3/6 2 21-23nm off Cape Lookout, OR

Mottled Petrel (9)
2/21 1 4.3nm off Caramanah Point, BC - unusually close to land!
3/3 1 29nm off Caramanah Point, BC
3/3 1 Nitinat Canyon, 40nm off Caramanah Point/Cape Alava - this
bird was seen in both countries
3/3 3 Nitinat Canyon, 39-43nm off Cape Alava, WA
3/5 3 Astoria Canyon, 23-29nm off Cape Disappointment, WA

Sooty Shearwater - 2 off Ocean Shores 3/4

Short-tailed Shearwater - 33 total in BC,WA & OR

Manx Shearwater ? 1 15nm off Long Beach on 3/5

Yellow-billed Loon - Scott saw one in Boundary Pass near Saturna Island on 3/2

Red-legged Kittiwake - Nitinat Canyon, 37nm off Cape Alava, WA, adult on 3/3

apparent Black-tailed Gull - 14nm off Long Beach, WA, adult on 3/6

Marbled Murrelet - a single bird 24nm off Pacheana Pt, BC and pairs
27nm & 30nm off Cape Alava, WA on 3/3

Parakeet Auklet (871!)
2/16 6 Tillamook
2/17 10 Clallam
2/20 2 Clallam
2/21 1 BC
2/23 2 Clallam
3/3 21 Clallam
3/4 358! Grays Harbor max of 85 in view at once
3/5 438! Pacific 160+ different sightings
3/6 33 Tillamook

Tufted Puffin (8)
3/3 1 Nitinat Canyon, WA
3/5 7 Willapa Canyon, WA

Some photos from the cruise are online:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rjm284/


Good birding,
Ryan Merrill
Kirkland, WA