Monday May 26, 2014 by Seabird McKeon

The Gulf Stream that runs off of Hatteras is an amazing place.  It brings massive pelagic fishes, cetaceans, and seabirds close to land in a way that is seldom experienced elsewhere.   This does not change the fact that this open ocean, warm water environment is, in essence, a desert.   The transparent, strikingly blue water lacks the nutrients that fuel discoloration in coastal waters, and creatures are few and far between.   Today, the Gulf Stream felt like a desert.

        Leaving the dock at dawn, we passed the breeding island of the terns, gulls, and skimmers. As with the past few days, Common Loons flew by overhead as we departed the inlet for the open ocean, and we were soon joined by Sooty Shearwaters.  Approaching the shelf-break, several Common Terns were spotted working over a drift line of Sargassum with good numbers of Portuguese Man-o-war.  We followed along the edge of the current, intersecting the transit of Cory's Shearwaters, Black-capped Petrels, and a Parasitic Jaeger as they followed the line roughly North.        
Continuing our journey to deep water, Kate Sutherland got the fish oil slick and chum blocks going, explaining that unlike in more nutrient rich waters "we are not trying to bait the birds from a different food source.  Here we just need to leave a scent trail.  If hungry birds are in the area, they will come to us."  We slowly accumulated a group of Wilson's Storm-Petrels, punctuated by brief appearances of Black-capped Petrels, Cory's, Audubon's and Sooty Shearwaters, and a Pomerine Jaeger.  Within a few hours we had a great collection of all three species of Storm-Petrel expected in the area at this season, and the spotters, Dave Shoch, Todd McGrath, Big Dave Pereksta, Bob Fogg, and Tom Johnson, did their best to get everyone onboard looks at each.        
Wrapping things up offshore, we started motoring back to the inlet, only to find numerous Sooty, Great, and Cory's shearwaters patrolling inshore waters, along with smaller, black and white shearwaters that appeared to be Manx, the 5th shearwater species observed here during the winter and spring!  Everyone had been lulled into a false sense of security when Brian came over the PA shouting "That's a Skua!" and veered the traveling Stormy Petrel II at a menacing, large, brown bird.  Most onboard were able to get looks at the large bird (photo analysis shows a large, dark Pomarine Jaeger) before it powered away, no doubt terrifying every bird in it's path.   Similar quick looks at a Loggerhead Turtle, and next we knew, were home again.        They say "you never step in the same river twice."  The same is true of the Gulf Stream, and none of us know what each day will bring out there.   You can be certain though that every day during the Spring Blitz will be an adventure!

Thanks to Sea for once again authoring the blog, and to everyone who joined us today!  Thanks also to our leaders Todd McGrath, Dave Shoch, Bob Fogg, Dave Pereksta, and Tom Johnson who helped lead the trip and get participants on the birds we saw today!

Black-capped Petrel  34
Cory's Shearwater  30
Great Shearwater  2
Sooty Shearwater  9
Manx Shearwater  2
Audubon's Shearwater  16
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  90-110
Leach's Storm-Petrel  6-8
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  6-7
Oceanodroma sp.  2
Tropical Tern sp.  3
Pomarine Jaeger  2
Parasitic Jaeger  2

Common Tern  3
Sterna sp.  2
Bank Swallow  1

Loggerhead Turtle  1

All photos by Tom Johnson - Black-capped Petrel

Sooty Shearwater

Molting Band-rumped Storm-Petrel

Parasitic Jaeger

Sunday May 25, 2014 by Seabird McKeon

Day 5 of the Spring Blitz started with glassy inshore waters, Cpt. Brian Patteson piloting the Stormy Petrel II past the usual cast of gulls, terns, and pelicans joined by a few Common Loons still making their way North.   Almost immediately outside of the inlet, we picked up the first Sooty Shearwaters of the trip.  As we gained speed to make the run to deep water, some 30 miles offshore, the conditions were shockingly nice in comparison to the last few days. There was some concern that the birds would be less willing to fly and require more searching in such idyllic weather.  We needn't have worried, as Cory's Shearwater and Wilson's Storm-Petrel started to appear before Mate Kate Sutherland started the fish oil drip and her top-of-the-line chumming operations.  Always strong spotters, Dave Shoch, Todd McGrath, and Big Dave Pereksta started calling out  Black-Capped Petrels as they appeared on the horizon, allowing everyone onboard ample time to get in position to view or photograph some close passes in good light of this spectacular regional specialty.
Everyone was surprised by the appearance of a very confused Cedar Waxwing, which approached the boat twice before leaving again to try to find land.
Audubon's Shearwater kept their distance, but were readily identifiable as they rocketed through the loose flock of Storm-petrels that were gathering in the slick.  They were good practice for getting on a fast moving target, as the second Pterodroma species of the day was about to appear.  Hearing an excited shout of "Trindade Petrel!" the boat burst to life as the obliging, but fast, dark-morph bird gave everyone on board good looks before dashing off, quartering neatly into the light wind. Dave Shoch had a great perspective about the sightings of these birds, with 5 or 6 sightings in the last 3 days.  He pointed out that for all of the other wonderful pelagic birds seen off of Hatteras, there is somewhere else in the world you could possibly go to see the birds.  Atlantic-breeding Trindade petrels however, which nest on an island/naval base off of the coast of Brazil, are arguably best seen here.
After the appearance and departure of the Trindade petrel, everyone was ready to tackle the growing flock of storm-petrels behind the boat.  Careful studies were made of the Wilson's Storm-Petrel's distinctive appearance and behavior so that should any other species appear, it would be noted.   When a larger bird dropped into the mix, there was momentary confusion before the realization that this was a Leach's Storm-Petrel, boldly patterned, and flying with angled wings.  Soon enough we had the opportunity to compare this with the heavy molt and petrel-like flight of a Band-rumped Storm-Petrel.
Another shock was the tidy appearance of a Pomarine Jaeger who approached high and then put on a great show for the photographers, making everyone question why all the other Pomerines we see look like such deadbeats.
Off the bow, one of the California visitors picked on a large shark swimming just under the surface of the slick.   Relatively lean, with broad, long fins with white tips it was tentatively ID'd as an Oceanic Whitetip- an epipelagic predator that has been seriously reduced in the North Atlantic by the shark fin trade.
As the day wore on into afternoon a few other appearances got everyone up to the rails of the Stormy Petrel II. First an Arctic tern floated in, effortlessly buoyant in the air and with crisp field marks to allow everyone to make their own identifications.  Then a Great Shearwater, the last of our shearwaters 'expected' for the season, stopped in for snacks in exchange for photos opportunities.  A fly-by Red-necked Phalarope closed out the bird list as we started to jog back to shore.
The sargassum collection, as always, demonstrated just how amazing pelagic life can be. Once scientific samples were taken, for analysis back in the lab, everyone was invited to search through the plants looking for shrimps and crabs, and many other invertebrates perfectly camouflaged to live in the floating algae.

-Thanks to everyone who joined us today, and thanks to our leaders: Dave Shoch, Todd McGrath, Dave Pereksta, and Sea McKeon for helping out!  Thanks to Sea for preparing the blog post too (so I can get some sleep!).

Trindade Petrel  1 dark morph
Black-capped Petrel  52
Cory's Shearwater  20
Great Shearwater  1
Sooty Shearwater  25-26
Audubon's Shearwater  11
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  210-250
Leach's Storm-Petrel  1-2
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  1-2
Oceanodroma sp.  2-3
Red-necked Phalarope  1
phalarope sp.  1
Arctic Tern  1
Pomarine Jaeger  1
jaeger / skua sp.  1

Cedar Waxwing  1
Barn Swallow  1

Trindade Petrel (Dave Shoch)

 Same individual (two photos by Todd McGrath)

 Black-capped Petrel (two photos by Todd McGrath)

Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Dave Shoch)

 Leach's Storm-Petrel & Wilson's (Dave Shoch)

 Leach's Storm-Petrel (Todd McGrath)

Arctic Tern (Dave Shoch)

 Pomarine Jaeger (Brian Patteson)

 Cedar Waxwing - first we've recorded offshore!! (Todd McGrath)

 Boats running out in the morning (Brian Patteson)

Saturday May 24, 2014

Squalls moved through Hatteras just an hour before our meeting time this morning, the winds shifted to the north and we headed out for another windy day offshore.  There were not as many Sooties around the inlet this morning, but a Pomarine Jaeger flew across the stern before 0700 giving us hope that there would be some birds out there when we arrived!  The Gulf Stream current was again not too strong offshore, but with over 20kts of wind from the north for the day it was still a bit choppy with waves averaging 6-7 feet and the occasional bigger set moving through in short periods.

The Wilson's packed in behind the boat when we started chumming just before 0800, and like yesterday, the Black-cappeds were also flying!  Clymene Dolphins were the first surprise of the day coming in towards the boat and spending some time under the bow.  Just when they finished with us, a young (not juvenile) Red-billed Tropicbird appeared off the stern and made a nice, if distant, pass by the boat!  Wow!  Not something we expected to see on a north wind today, but much appreciated by all aboard!  Adding to our delight, a dark Trindade Petrel flew in just after 1000 passing us closely and darting around with some Sooty Shearwaters in the slick.  Excellent comparison, and good practice for our participants.  This was the first dark Trindade we have seen this spring.  By 1130 we were out over the thousand fathom (6,000 feet) curve where we encountered a small pod of False Killer Whales, another cetacean surprise for the day!  Shortly thereafter, another dark Trindade flew by, but there was no way for us to know if this was different, or the same individual from earlier - it did not make a very close pass for definitive photos.  The Trindade streak continued with a light morph coming in to the slick around 1240!  Then another (or the same) Red-billed Tropicbird was spotted by a participant (Jason Estep) taking off from the water in the distance.  This bird was flying by out over the horizon and looked for a moment like it was going to come right to the boat, but then turned away and we were not able to tell if it was the same individual from the morning.  Overall another busy day offshore with not a dull moment in the slick's activity!  Sooty Shearwaters put on quite a show for us today diving and feeding in the slick.  Tomorrow the winds are forecast to be calmer, but it still has the potential to be an excellent day offshore (as does any day you are offshore...).

Thank you to everyone who joined us and again, thank you to Dave Shoch & Sea McKeon for helping us lead the trip!

Trindade Petrel  1-2 dark 1 light
Black-capped Petrel  39
Cory's Shearwater  12
Great Shearwater  2
Sooty Shearwater  22
Audubon's Shearwater  5
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  270
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  3
Oceanodroma sp.  1
Red-billed Tropicbird  1-2
Pomarine Jaeger  2

Ruddy Turnstone  2
Sterna sp.  3

False Killer Whale  6
Clymene Dolphin  12
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin  3

Trindade Petrels (all images by Dave Shoch)

Light individual

Sooty Shearwaters (photos by Brian Patteson)

Sooty Shearwater & Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Brian Patteson)

Pomarine Jaeger - this second or third summer bird stayed with us from just after 1000 until we headed in this afternoon!  (Brian Patteson)

False Killer Whale (Pseudorca) Brian Patteson

Friday May 23, 2014

Light winds and humid air greeted us this morning at the boat...not the north wind that was promised in the forecast!  Hatteras Inlet was beautiful with just a swell, no breakers, and we headed offshore with a fairly dry boat.  After we slowed down the breeze swung around to a more northerly direction and by midmorning it was blowing as promised!  Fortunately for us there was not a strong Gulf Stream current so with the winds a little over 20kts from the north, the seas were still quite comfortable!

Wind against the current is typically good for storm-petrels and today we had more Wilson's than we have seen yet this spring!  It was also an excellent day for Black-capped Petrels - they were around and in the slick all day, in their element.  The entire day there were birds around us and it was a sight to behold!  Sooty Shearwaters were also still present and we had up to five at a time following and diving in the slick.  Cory's were not as numerous as the past couple of days, but we still had some nice views.  Audubon's again proved to be a bit difficult to see well, but they were out there in the scattered sargassum.  Band-rumped Storm-Petrels were also in attendance with our first molting individual of the season seen today.  At quarter to eleven a light Trindade Petrel flew by in the sun glare, not giving a good look and headed away to the northeast.  We were lucky to have one fly into the back of the slick later in the afternoon (spotted by Dave Shoch) that gave us a great view, flying by close more than once for everyone to see!  Overall it was another great day offshore and tomorrow looks like it could also measure up - we'll see!

Thanks to everyone who joined us today, and thanks to our leaders Dave Shoch & Seabird McKeon for helping everyone get on the birds!

Light Trindade Petrel  1-2

Black-capped Petrel  67 counted (possibly more seen)

Cory's Shearwater   8

Great Shearwater  1

Sooty Shearwater  19-21

Audubon's Shearwater  10

Wilson's Storm-Petrel  240

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  4-5

phalarope sp (prob. Red-necked)  5-6

Pomarine Jaeger  1

Red Knot  1

Ruddy Turnstone  2

Black-bellied Plover  1

Common Tern  2

Bottlenose Dolphin  about 10

Afternoon Trindade Petrel (photo by Dave Shoch)

 Two more shots of the Trindade Petrel (Brian Patteson)

Black-capped Petrel (Dave Shoch)

 and another (Brian Patteson)

Two photos of Sooty Shearwater (Dave Shoch)

Wilson's Storm-Petrel  (Brian Patteson)

Pomarine Jaeger - second summer (Brian Patteson)

Common Tern (Dave Shoch)

Thursday May 22, 2014

Sooty Shearwaters were just outside of the inlet again today and a Cory's Shearwater also flew by before we reached cruising speed.  Still breezy this morning making it a challenge to get as far south as we were yesterday when we started out - today we slowed just a couple miles to the north at 0806.  Black-capped Petrels began flying by and Wilson's Storm-Petrels were slowly gathering in the slick when a huge bird flew towards us in the sun glare!  South Polar Skua - first of the season!  This individual stayed with us for awhile following in the slick and occasionally harassing our "customers".  We drifted a bit and finally had our first Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (non-molting) come in to the slick.  Just after noon a jaeger was spotted chasing a Black-capped back in the slick, the bird flew down the slick and close to the boat - gorgeous view of a Parasitic Jaeger!  Shortly after that Brian spotted a young (first summer) Bridled Tern on a board that we were able to get fairly close to before it flushed, then we were treated to excellent views as it flew around!  At 1259 a tern showed up in the slick, we had already seen a couple of Common Terns, but this turned out to be a young Arctic Tern (second or third summer bird)!!  We put out some chum and it came in, showing well for everyone multiple times!  Just after that we were observing a couple of Sooty Shearwaters diving a little ways back in the slick on chum - and a Fea's Petrel flew in!  This bird was a little closer than the one we saw yesterday, so it was a treat!  It did not respond to the chum, though, and moved on after the initial attraction...  Interestingly enough, we have seen a fair amount of sargassum but good looks at Audubon's Shearwater have eluded us yesterday and today!  We had more luck with them today than yesterday - at least a few flew by fairly close to the boat, but none foraging like we had last Saturday.

Another excellent day and we thank all eight participants for coming out with us - plus we thank ourselves for leading a great trip!  Tomorrow is another day with some different winds, so we'll see what we find!  We added four species to the Blitz List today: Bridled Tern, Arctic Tern, South Polar Skua, & Parasitic Jaeger.

Fea's Petrel  1
Black-capped Petrel  54
Cory's Shearwater  16
Sooty Shearwater  30
Audubon's Shearwater  15
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  135-175
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  3-4
Bridled Tern  1
Arctic Tern  1
South Polar Skua  1
Parasitic Jaeger  1

shorebird sp.  5-6
Common Tern  2

Bottlenose Dolphin  7

three images of the South Polar Skua