The 4 June 2002 pelagic trip out of Rudee Inlet, Virginia Beach, was pretty
good by Virginia standards, and it produced as much food for thought about
distribution and migration of seabirds in our waters as it did interesting
records of birds.
Our aim was to go out to a patch of warmer water along the 330/340 line,
south of Norfolk Canyon. Five days earlier, there had been some very warm
(83-84 degree water) in the vicinity of the Canyon and the Canyons to the
North (Washington, Baltimore, etc.), but we were a little too late for this
water, which was a large cold-core eddy that was very much still connected to
the Gulf Stream. (Even three days before our trip, the Baltimore Canyon had
a big patch of 82-degree water!!) These are the sort of conditions one only
dreams of, as this water produces most of the exotic seabirds now seen
regularly off North Carolina.
As it was, we had to content ourselves to a little Gulf Stream backwash, a
large area of water about 72-73 degrees throughout most of its extent, but a
nice contrast to the 67-68 degree water adjacent it. Birds were not
especially concentrated, but the morning's birding, once we arrived, was
brisk.
Seas were only 1-3 feet, with winds of 10 knots or so from the east, so we
were able to make it 75 nautical miles offshore by 0753. None of us had
arrived so early in productive birding waters off Virginia so quickly. We
were able to bird from here up to the Norfolk Canyon until 1415, when we
turned back from the slope waters toward Rudee, arriving at 1635. All in
all, it was a very comfortable and relatively birdy trip on the very fast
(30-knot) "O Four" with Capt. Don White. Highly recommended for those who
like overstuffed chairs and sofas, entertainment centers, beds for sleeping
on the way in or way out, and a full galley, etc. The mate Nick was great in
helping us boat seven very large (up to 30-lb) mahi-mahi. The bird list
follows.
Sooty Shearwater 2 (quick looks at both on the ride out)
Greater Shearwater 6 (great looks at 2 of these, the others more distant)
Cory's Shearwater 45 (estimated; good looks)
Manx Shearwater 1 (a little more distant than we would have liked but readily
identifiable)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 550+ (almost half of these in one large roost over 30
fathoms)
Leach's Storm-Petrel 45+ (estimated; great looks; 18 in one sitting roost)
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel 1 (decent looks, considering the skittish nature of
the species; arrives in NC waters around 20-25 May in most years, so not
unexpected in warm water in VA in early June)
Pomarine Jaeger 1 (ad. light morph)
jaeger sp. 1 (probably second-summer Long-tailed, but not quite seen to best
advantage)
Blue Marlin 1 (large one in the baits in the morning)
Ocean Sunfish 5 (four in one group)
The only real "target" species that we missed were South Polar Skua (seen in
small numbers off NC this spring; easiest to find where shearwaters are
numerous) and the elusive Arctic Tern, which is probably a mid- to late May
migrant for the most part; very few are seen off NC in years with lots of
southwest winds, as in 2002. Though there was plenty of scattered Sargassum
(algae), the season isn't quite ripe for Audubon's Shearwaters or Bridled
Terns yet, but they'll be on the scene shortly.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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