Under very smoky skies, 16 birders ventured out to sea aboard the Monte Carlo.
Captain Phil saw fishing boats in Willapa Canyon so with calm seas, we head southwest towards those boats.
The boats attracted our first Black-footed Albatross and other seabirds, which provided great views.
We stayed in deep water most of the time which gave us great looks at Cassin's Auklets, South Polar Skua, Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers, Sabine's Gulls, Arctic and Common Terns, Red Phalaropes and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels.

One of the highlights for many was a breaching Humpback Whale!
I was scanning the ocean and all of the sudden there appears a flying whale in my view!
No matter how many times I've seen this, it takes my breath away.
A entire whale (weighs up to 53 tons and that can be up to 62 feet in length) that comes flying out of the water is astonishing!!
Everyone got to see this whale breach several times and then wave its giant flippers at us in the water.
We also saw 100 Pacific White-sides Dolphins and 13 Dall's Porpoise (several rode the wake of the boat for great viewing).

Bird highlights include: 14 Buller's Shearwater, 2 Short-tailed Shearwater, 64 Fork-tailed Storm Petrels, 3 South Polar Skua's, 3 Pomarine and 6 Parasitic Jaegers,
14 Arctic Terns, 1 Willet, Whimbrel and Wandering Tattler ( all flying by in deep water) and several Wilson's Warblers( that got off course).

Another highlight was celebrating Scott Mill's 200 Westport Trip! We all enjoyed the many donuts that he brought for the occasion!

For further information, a complete checklist of the trip and to make reservations, please visit our website at www.westportseabirds.com

Spotters were Scott Mils and myself. Boat Personnel, hosts and spotters were Phil and Chris Anderson.

Bruce LaBar
Tacoma, WA
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