RRRR
Westport Seabirds had two great pelagic trips this past weekend, with the town of Westport conducting it?s annual Pirate Days. There is nothing like coming off the boat dressed in layers and rubber boots to enter the throng of dressed up pirates and tourists in shorts and t-shirts. We probably looked like Arctic explorers compared to the hundreds that attended the festivities!
The weather was incredible for both the offshore and inshore groups. The ocean had very little swells, bright sun, wind was minimal and with temperatures in the 90?s on shore, we even had some of our birders in t-shirts coming back to shore!

Both pelagic trips had similar species and counts. Sunday?s trip had the first of some of the Arctic breeders returning which included a phalarope species (likely a Red-necked), a jaeger species ( either a Parasitic or Long-tailed) and one Arctic Tern. Highlights for both trips included 6 Leach?s Storm Petrels on Saturday and 11 on Sunday, 8 South Polar Skuas on Saturday and 4 on Sunday (our first of the year) and 2 Tufted Puffins on Sat. and 1 on Sunday.

Mammal highlights included 8 Humpback Whales on Sat. and 3 on Sunday and 4 Orca on Saturday.

Birds Saturday Sunday
White-winged Scoter 13
Red-throated Loon 1
Pacific Loon 2 3
Common Loon 2 2
Black-footed Albatross 96 55
Northern Fulmar 9 8
Pink-footed Shearwater 515 708
Sooty Shearwater 2338 3846
Fork-tailed Storm Petrel 120 382
Leach?s Storm Petrel 6 11
Brandt?s Cormorant 80 33
Double-crested Cormorant 27 112
Pelagic Cormorant 23 6
Brown Pelican 477 972
Least Sandpiper 30
Phalarope sp. 1
South Polar Skua 8 4
jaeger sp. 1
Common Murre 97 392
Pigeon Guillemot 12 24
Cassin?s Auklet 4 6
Rhinoceros Auklet 14 24
Tufted Puffin 2 1
Heermann?s Gull 627 422
California Gull 7 4
Glaucous-winged Gull 1
Glaucous-winged x Western Gull 207 640
Caspian Tern 1 1
Arctic Tern 1

Mammals
Humpback Whale 8 3
Orca 4
Harbor Porpoise 4 3
Dall?s Porpoise 2
Pacific white-sided Dolphin 22
Harbor Seal 7 2
Northern Fur Seal 1
California Sea Lion 1
Steller?s Sea Lion 6 6

Others
Blue Shark 1
Ocean Sun Fish 4 2

Our next scheduled pelagic trip is on July 22. For all information on our pelagic trips including reservations, please visit our website at www.westportseabirds.com
Trip leaders for Saturday?s trip were Michael Donahue, Jim Danzenbaker and myself. Sunday?s leaders were Scott Mills and Gene Revelas. Boat personal and spotters were Phil and Chris Anderson.
On behalf of Westport Seabirds and all potential seafaring, birding pirates,
Bruce LaBar
Tacoma, WA