*Westport Seabirds Trip Report 8-13-15*


While the temperatures inland soared to 90+ degrees, a group of Washington,
out-of-state, and out-of-country (France) birders, joined us for a cooler
trip to the deep waters of Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties. We started
our day in fog which cleared within a few miles of land. The trip was a
little bumpy at times with some wind and small swells, but the birds were
not inconvenienced in the least.

It was a excellent trip for alcids with 7 species seen, including a fine
showing for TUFTED PUFFIN, which had been sorely missed on recent trips.

We also enjoyed the first LONG-TAILED JAEGER (though a ?short-tailed?
molting or juvenile bird) and BULLER?S SHEARWATER of the year. We had
excellent opportunities to study LEACH?S STORM-PETREL feeding side by side
with Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel while chumming. Many times they were in the
same binocular view, but studying their very different flight styles can be
done with the naked eye.

The highlight for all, including myself, was a breeding plumage ARCTIC TERN
resting on a floating log. How I wished I was a photographer!

Here?s the complete species listing:

Pelagic Species

Black-footed Albatross (43)

Northern Fulmer (7)

Pink-footed Shearwater (970)

BULLER?S SHEARWATER (2)

Sooty Shearwater (1688)

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (54)

LEACH?S STORM-PETREL (8)

LONG-TAILED JAEGER (1)

Parasitic Jaeger (1)*

Common Murre (1290)

Scripps?s Murrelet (2)*

Cassin?s Auklet (27)

Rhinoceros Auklet (40)

TUFTED PUFFIN (5) most in breeding plumage

Red-necked Phalarope (29)

Sabine?s Gull (9)

California Gull (945)

ARCTIC TERN (2)


Jetty and Harbor/Near Shore

Brandt?s Cormorant (93)

Double-crested Cormorant (50)

Pelagic Cormorant (40)

Brown Pelican (462)

Pigeon Guillemot (7)

Marbled Murrelet (4)

Black-legged Kittiwake (1)

Heerman?s Gull (2500)

Mew Gull (1)

Glaucous-winged, Western and ?Olympic? Gulls (1403)

Caspian Tern (1)

Coast Guard Station

BAR-TAILED GODWIT (1)

Marbled Godwit (700)

Mammals

Humpback Whale (3)

Harbor Porpoise (12)

Harbor Seal (3)

Northern Fur Seal (3)

California Sea Lions (8)

Steller?s Sea Lions (17)

Fish

Ocean Sunfish (4)

* seen by few

The next trip is going out Sunday, August 21 with several spots still
available. The complete schedule through the end of the season is
available at www.westportseabirds.com.

Sea you out there!

Cara Borre
Gig Harbor
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