Subject: [Tweeters] Westport Pelagic Trip, June 23, 2018
Date: Sun Jun 24 17:46:34 PDT 2018
From: Bruce LaBar - blabar at harbornet.com

Yesterday's pelagic trip out of Westport was a great success, especially with great numbers of mammals observed. We began boarding the Monte Carlo around 5:00 a.m. It was Pirate Days all along the marina streets which made it somewhat surreal walking among so many skulls and cross bone flags, ARRR.

The day was mostly overcast with some bumpy seas going out. Coming back was pretty smooth. June's an interesting time because of the low number of birds and little diversity. Many of our pelagic birds are breeding in the Arctic and others from the South Pacific haven't arrived yet. However, we had some excellent sightings and good numbers of some of the pelagic birds.

Highlights: 393 Black-footed Albatross, 746 Pink-footed Shearwaters, 2935 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Short-tailed Shearwater, 27 Fork-tailed Storm Petrels, 5 Leach's Storm Petrels (our first of the year), 1 South Polar Skua, 60 Cassin's Auklets, 305 Heermann's Gulls and 523 Brown Pelicans.

The day's biggest event was the mammal show. 11 species were observed! 13 Humpback Whales (some breaching), 8 Orca ( no large males, 2 young), 6 Dall's Porpoise, 1 Harbor Porpoise, 42 Risso's Dolphins, 10 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 15 Northern Right Whale Dolphins, Harbor Seal, Northern Fur Seal, California Sea Lion and Steller's Sea Lion.

Our next pelagic trip is July 14. For more information and to make reservations, please check our website at www.westportseabirds.com

Spotters for the trip were Scott Mills and Bruce LaBar. Boat personnel/spotters were Phil and Chris Anderson.

Bruce LaBar
Tacoma, WA
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