Weather got us today and we did not run a trip, but most of our participants are able to come offshore with us tomorrow. It gave me time to put together some little tidbits about trips we have run in the past on May 23.
Since 1997, we have run 13 trips on May 23 - this is the first year since 2003 that we have not made it offshore on the 23rd. I have compiled a list of species that have been seen on this date, and wanted to remember a few dates of note! May 23, 2004's trip from Hatteras was the only May 23 trip to have a Grand Slam featuring one each of the rarities (Bermuda, Trindade, & Fea's Petrels) plus Black-cappeds. The following year on a trip from Manteo we had two each Bermuda & Fea's Petrels plus Black-cappeds. On May 23, 2007, we broke the record for the number of Trindade Petrels seen on one day with SIX individuals photographed! Then, in 2009 on a trip from Hatteras we had one each Bermuda & Trindade Petrels, plus Black-cappeds.
The only species that were seen on all 13 trips are: Black-capped Petrel, Cory's Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Audubon's Shearwater, and Wilson's Storm-Petrel.
May 23 species list:
Common Loon
Trindade Petrel
Fea's Petrel
Bermuda Petrel
Black-capped Petrel
Cory's Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
Audubon's Shearwater
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Red-billed Tropicbird
Northern Gannet
Red-necked Phalarope
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger
South Polar Skua
Osprey
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Laughing Gull
Barn Swallow
Sperm Whale
Pilot Whale (prob. Short-finned)
Common Dolphin
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Risso's Dolphin
Loggerhead Turtle
Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)
So, until tomorrow...
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