----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Tweit
To: Ryan Shaw ; LaBar, Bruce
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 8:16 PM
Subject: Writeup for today's pelagic


Bruce,


Can you post this on the website. Ryan, can this go to facebook? Thanks, B


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Westport Seabirds pelagic -- January 25


Our first pelagic trip of 2014 felt more like an August trip than a January trip. Sunshine, calm seas, Pink-footed Shearwaters. Oh wait, where are the Sooties? It is January, even though we had three species of Shearwater: 1 Sooty, 5 Short-tailed and a winter season record-breaking 14 Pink-foots. Top bird of the day was certainly the Thick-billed Murre that allowed us to approach within 50m, at our chum spot at the west end of Grays Canyon. But, a lot of birds came in a close second. Large numbers of Black-legged Kittiwake (825!), Common Murre (994), Cassin's Auklet (254) and Ancient Murrelet (39) provided great views. A Pomarine Jaeger and 2 Red Phalaropes added diversity. And, a huge aggregation of 2200+ Surf and White-winged Scoters off the Grays Harbor mouth provided another spectacle. Marine mammals were good as well. The highlight was 8 Gray Whales, five over Grays Canyon and three more about halfway back, had us puzzling about whether they were late southbound, early northbound (less likely) or just doing something different. The calm seas let us count Harbor Porpoise well, the tally of 37 was impressive.


Our next trip is April 26, and our full 2014 schedule is on the website.


Bill Tweit

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