[obol] Re: How to watch seabirds
- From: Joel Geier <joel.geier@xxxxxxxx>
- To: Oregon Birders OnLine <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2015 08:23:40 -0800
Paul Sullivan wrote:
Don't listen to what those other people say about being "green." ;-)
Yes, best to go in with a positive attitude! You might even experience
those glass-like seas that I've heard stories about.
I should note, that one trip was a winter pelagic (in late February),
and was reputed to have been the roughest pelagic trip ever in Oregon.
But despite the conditions, we saw plenty of cool birds. Like Paul said,
these were once-in-a-lifetime views, a far cry from peering at tiny
flying blobs through a scope. It was also a real adventure.
Below is my trip report as I recorded it on BirdNotes (this is just the
pelagic part, nearshore birds are on a separate list -- and just the
birds that I saw and remembered, I'm sure Matt recorded more for the
official trip list).
One other way to watch seabirds, in addition to those on Paul's list, is
to travel up to Puget Sound and ride the Washington State ferries. These
have some of the same advantages and disadvantages of cruise ships
(you're high off the water and the boats go fast, but they're stable).
The ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island often has large numbers
of auklets and murrelets, plus a good variety of gulls and sometimes
small terns, though you won't see true pelagic species like albatrosses
or shearwaters.
Happy birding,
Joel
[list from www.birdnotes.net]
Pacific Ocean (pelagic), Lincoln County, Oregon (February 28, 1998)
Census type: Personal Count Counters: 1 Hours counted: 3
Notes: Winter pelagic trip organized by Greg Gillson and Matt Hunter,
with Corvallis Audubon. Approximate route was from Depoe Bay straight
out to the shelf break, then south to Heceta Banks off Newport, then
returned to nearshore and trolled up coast to return to harbor at Depoe
Bay.
Boat was the "Kanoka." Fairly rough throughout day (15 foot swells near
shore), raining some. Lots of people seasick the whole time. Binoculars
were too wet to be of much use most of day.
Nearshore sightings will be logged separately under Lincoln County -
nearshore.
Also saw a sea lion about 5 miles offshore, and the back of a whale
about two miles off Newport. One guy saw an unidentified Jaeger flying
away.
x Surf Scoter: Seen flying over water.
1 Laysan Albatross: Seen about 10 miles out from Depoe Bay, following a
large freighter; came in close to boat for great views when we started
chumming.
2 Black-footed Albatross: One about 5 miles off Depoe Bay, one seen with
Laysan Albatross.
50 Northern Fulmar: Many seen from 1 to 10 miles out, colors ranging
from sooty gray to light rusty brownish gray
2 Short-tailed Shearwater: Two seen well at place where Laysan Albatross
was seen
1 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel: Pedaling on water close to wake of boat,
very dainty, light grayish; seen by Terry Steele and myself.
5 Glaucous-winged Gull: Joined gull flock at chumming spot 10 miles out.
50 Black-legged Kittiwake: Dozens seen 1 to 10 miles out.
20 Common Murre: Seen near Heceta Bank, also some nearshore. hard to
count in waves.
1 Ancient Murrelet: I spotted this one about 5 miles off Newport, nearly
run over by the boat. Took some time for the boat to turn around and
relocate, but when we found it again it came in very close to the boat,
swimming back and forth along the rails as everyone had great looks.
5 Rhinoceros Auklet: Seen far off boat near Heceta Bank
Total number of species: 11
--
Joel Geier
Back on land thank goodness ...
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
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