Subject: [Tweeters] Westport Seabirds trip report from July 18
Date: Jul 19 13:46:03 2015
From: Michael Donahue - bfalbatross at gmail.com


Yesterday?s trip out of Westport provided a good diversity of seabirds.
Spotters were Bill Tweit, Gene Revelas, and myself, with skipper Phil
Anderson navigating the day?s lively seas.



The trip was designated an Outer Slope trip, with the goal of getting a bit
farther offshore to where Leach?s Storm-Petrels are more likely to be
found. The Leach?s tally for the day was 21, along with 82 Fork-tailed
Storm-Petrels. Arctic breeders already heading south included 17 Red-necked
Phalaropes in faded breeding plumage; 5 Red Phalaropes which had about
finished molting their red belly feathers into white non-breeding plumage;
2 Pomarine Jaegers; 1 Parasitic Jaeger; 1 Arctic Tern; and 3 Sabine?s
Gulls.



Other birds for the day:

42 Northern Fulmar

100 Black-footed Albatross

432 Pink-footed Shearwater

1469 Sooty Shearwater

3 Black-legged Kittiwake (in the harbor)

23 Cassin?s Auklet

1 Tufted Puffin



One highlight was that after several very distant flybys of South Polar
Skua we had one sitting on the water close to the boat with a group of
Pink-footed Shearwaters. Six were tallied for the day.



It was another good trip for marine mammals, with 6 Northern Fur Seals, 65
Pacific White-sided Dolphins, and 10 Humpback Whales. One humpback was
particularly active, breaching several times and rolling around at the
surface.
Space is available on upcoming trips, particularly the trips on August 8
and 30. Information is available at westportseabirds.com. Westport Seabirds
is on Facebook as well, with descriptions and photos from past trips.

Mike Donahue
Seattle
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