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

Wednesday May 21, 2014 - Setting the Bar for Spring 2014...

Breezy this morning and forecast for more wind as the day continued;  translation: uncomfortable day for humans good day for birds.  We departed with 16 participants at 0545 precisely.  Just outside of the inlet there was a nice flight of Sooty Shearwaters to greet us and start the day!  Excellent views were had as we slowed for a few minutes, then continued our drenching journey offshore.  There were birds on the way out, Sooty & Cory's Shearwaters plus a few Wilson's Storm-Petrels.  Black-capped Petrel and Pomarine Jaeger were added to the list shortly after slowing down.  Chum was out but birds were slow coming into the slick in spite of the wind - we finally had excellent views of Black-capped Petrels and Wilson's Storm-Petrels plus some nice looks at Cory's.  Just after 0930 a Great Shearwater flew into the slick and it was hungry!  We decided to drift for a bit and see what we could chum up - after that everything happened rapidly.  First there was a distant, small gadfly petrel in the glare, maybe a Bermuda Petrel or Trindade?  The conditions allowed the birds to move quickly and also allowed us to see many arcing on the horizon - not always the easiest to get close, long views of them.  A second summer Pomarine Jaeger came in to harass our Great Shearwater, then, a Fea's Petrel flew by way back in the slick.  A few people got on it, but then less than five minutes later, a European Storm-Petrel showed up close to the boat in our flock of Wilson's!!  We drifted, changing positions to keep up with or revisit the chum, for over an hour;  the European SP (one or more...) stayed with us for almost two hours.  We added a couple of Leach's Storm-Petrels to the list plus another Pomarine Jaeger and many more Black-cappeds and Cory's.  Band-rumped Storm-Petrel appeared in the slick once we got moving again, and for the rest of the day, everyone was able to get focused on these too.  Just before noon an intermediate Trindade Petrel flew across the slick!  Not exactly close, but close enough for most people in the right place to get a good look at it.  Suddenly, as we sat on the slick for a moment, a petrel zipped past the starboard bow - it was a Bermuda Petrel!  Close!  The bird just seemed to hover close by, above the horizon until everyone was on it, then it proceeded back towards the stern and away.  Excellent views!  Overall a great day - proving once again that some of these windy, choppy, rough days churn up some amazing things!  2013 did not turn up a Euro, so we were very happy to see one (or two, or three...) today - plus it was great to have a better look at a Cahow than we had in 2013!

Thanks to everyone who joined us especially our young birders Chloe (14) & Nolan (11) Walker from TN!  Brian & Kate led the trip, so I guess we can thank ourselves - plus Will Whitley who came along today to help pilot the boat.

Bermuda Petrel  1
Light morph Trindade Petrel  1
Fea's Petrel  1
Black-capped Petrel  35
Pterodroma sp.  1
Cory's Shearwater  34
Great Shearwater  2-3
Sooty Shearwater  60
Audubon's Shearwater  2
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  95-105
European Storm-Petrel  1-2
Leach's Storm-Petrel  3
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  2-4
Red-necked Phalarope  7-8
Pomarine Jaeger  4

Ruddy Turnstone  9
swallow sp.  1 (likely a Bank Swallow)

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin  2
dolphin sp.  about 15

All photos by Brian Patteson - excellent job!
Bermuda Petrel (three photos)

Black-capped Petrel

Great Shearwater with Wilson's Storm-Petrel

 Great Shearwater in flight

 Great Shearwater feeding in the slick

Sooty Shearwater

 Sooty Shearwater and Wilson's Storm-Petrel

European Storm-Petrel with a Wilson's in the foreground

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel

Two of the Pomarine Jaegers we saw today

Saturday May 17, 2014

Saturday morning the winds were still gusting to over 20 knots offshore from the west northwest.  Our 13 participants climbed aboard, eager to get offshore even if it might be a bit breezy!  The forecast was for the winds to shift a little more to the north over the day, but ended up with the westerlies enduring, though the winds fell out a bit by the afternoon.  We were lucky to find that the swift moving Gulf Stream current was farther offshore, so while the conditions were a little choppy thanks to a confused sea from a front that passed through on Friday into the evening - they were not as challenging as they could have been!  The sun was shining and the wind was cool, sometimes even chilly - refreshing out there in the warm water.

Just inshore of the shelf break we slowed when the first Black-capped Petrel of the day darted by in the sun glare!  The chumming began and we all searched in earnest for a sighting - distant views of Cory's Shearwater, an Audubon's zipping across the stern, one Wilson's Storm-Petrel hanging out way back in the slick...not what we were hoping for!  We did, however, have a couple Leach's Storm-Petrels show well in the slick and around the boat.  As the morning progressed, we were able to find some little groups of activity.  There was scattered sargassum, disorganized by the swell (SE) and wind waves (WNW) making it tough to find cooperative Audubon's, but there were good numbers around and soon everyone had a good look at these small black and white shearwaters.  It's possible they were not able to feed much on Friday with the weather that moved through so they were eager to forage Saturday!  Black-capped Petrels on the other hand, have probably been feeding at night in the bright moonlight and were a bit more difficult to entice close to the boat.

We headed offshore, almost reaching the thousand fathom curve, but the sargassum thinned as we moved farther out and life was no where near abundant as what we'd had closer inshore.  By the time we got back into the sargassum, it was a bit more organized and holding some birds!  We found a nice group of Black-cappeds, Cory's & Audubon's Shearwaters, and even a lone Pomarine Jaeger harassing the feeding group!  Following this feeding group for a while paid off in terms of a lone, white tern flying ahead and occasionally dipping down to the group for a morsel...when we got closer Brian was able to identify our first Arctic Tern of the season!  This was a nice surprise and the bird was cooperative enough to allow good views and photo ops.  A small group of offshore Bottlenose Dolphins joined us before we picked up to head home - overall, a very satisfying day to be offshore!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the trip, and thanks to Jeff Lemons for helping us lead it!  Updated May 19, 2014 to add photos - all by Jeff Lemons.

Black-capped Petrel  28-29
Cory's Shearwater  18
Sooty Shearwater  1
Audubon's Shearwater  54
Wilson's Storm-Petrel  40-50
Leach's Storm-Petrel  3
Arctic Tern  1
Pomarine Jaeger  1

Bottlenose Dolphin  15
caught 2 Mahi mahi

Arctic Tern

 Black-capped Petrel

 Black-capped Petrel

 Cory's Shearwater

 Leach's Storm-Petrel

Discovery Series - April 27 & 28

April 2014 marks the beginning of the Discovery Series - the first trips were planned for April 27-28;  as the weekend approached, we studied the forecast with dismay.  With severe storms moving through Friday night, we ended up canceling Saturday's trip on the Skua that morning since the winds were already strong and predicted to be blowing as hard as 25 knots from the northwest offshore!  The Stormy Petrel II was standing by for the trip on Sunday and we (finally) pulled out of our slip just before 0600 that morning.  The winds were stiff from the southwest as we headed offshore.  Northern Gannets still lingered around the inlet but we did not encounter much life until we slowed down in the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream around 0800.  Unfortunately, the conditions were not what we had hoped for and many of the species we were targeting in late April were much farther offshore than we would reach on our day trip due to the strong, westerly winds that began Friday night.  We did find excellent numbers of cooperative Black-capped Petrels (both types, but mostly white-faced), one Audubon's Shearwater that darted by early in the morning, and a good number of Wilson's Storm-Petrels.

April and May are months when there are several species of seabirds moving just offshore headed to the north.  Our April Discovery Trips were to target seabirds in this offshore migration during a time when there is a good likelihood of easterly winds.  Jaegers, Leach's Storm-Petrels, and Sooty Shearwaters are just a few of the species passing offshore in the spring.  Easterly winds will sometimes bring them close enough to shore that they can be seen from locations such as Cape Point in Buxton (just east of us in Hatteras).  Anyone who was with us on our early spring trips in 2009 understands what I'm talking about!  South Polar Skuas and Pomarine Jaegers were feeding like storm-petrels in the slick on May 20th following a hard blow!  http://youtu.be/zqDqNUzeJZw

We actually had southeasterly winds on Friday, but there were not enough participants to run a trip that day.  Then we had the dreaded westerlies for a couple of days.  Sunday night into Monday the winds were going to shift east / southeast meaning that some of those birds offshore might be a little closer then.  No trip was scheduled for Monday, but we decided to go out just to see what the day might bring.  We plan to run the Discovery Series trips primarily on the Skua, but have not actually taken a group out birding on her since the December 28 trip with Neil Hayward for Great Skua - a hastily organized outing!  So it made sense to give her a trial Gulf Stream run, see how well the chum would work on this low profile boat, and if it happened to coincide with the perfect day for birds...well, we would be there!  There were some Gulf Stream eddies where we began chumming offshore, so the water temperature fluctuated between 74 and 76 degrees and there was not any current running.  The winds were light from the southeast and it was overcast for most of the day.  Black-capped Petrels started the day off with a bang, arcing in towards our slick in just a little over a hundred fathoms!  Just before 1000 we decided to drift a bit with the chum and were rewarded with a Northern Fulmar that came right in to the boat and circled us with a couple more Black-cappeds.  Finally the birds from the east showed up - a couple of Pomarine Jaegers appeared suddenly!  Less than an hour later we had at least eight Poms in view close by.  For the rest of the day we just motored around and took time to stop and drift - it was excellent for photography even if the light was uncooperative!  The birds just come much closer to the smaller boat, as we knew was the case from past experience.  It was no problem to get frame filling images with 200 and 300mm lenses. We hope to take others offshore this year to experience the same up close excitement.  Our next trips in the Discovery Series will be June 27 (one space left), 28 & 29th.

Thank you to everyone who made our trips possible this past weekend!  Here are some photos from Monday's trip (by Brian Patteson unless otherwise noted!) - the trip lists are on the website.

 Northern Fulmar

Black-capped Petrel (white-faced individual)

 Black-capped Petrel (white-faced individual)

 Audubon's Shearwater

 Audubon's Shearwater

 four photos of Pomarine Jaegers

Pomarine Jaeger & Black-capped Petrel (photo by Kate Sutherland)

 Northern Fulmar harassing a Pomarine Jaeger