I put the November 21st pelagic on the Oregon Pelagic Tours schedule
knowing it was likely to be canceled. Somewhat to my surprise, we not only
made it out on the ocean, but had some of the best conditions of the fall.
Our trip started well, with a LONG-TAILED DUCK in Yaquina Bay, along with
loons, grebes, cormorants and other ducks. Once out on the ocean we worked
near shore and checked off several MARBLED MURRELETS, before heading
offshore. We had our largest concentration of birds in a feeding flock nine
miles out, and had great views of SOOTY and SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS,
allowing us to practice our identification skills with these two very
similar species. The feeding flock also yielded an unidentified jaeger, one
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, and gulls, including BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. We
saw most of the species we might expect in winter, including only one
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, CASSIN'S and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and another target
bird, ANCIENT MURRELETS. The wind waves died down in the afternoon, and we
had a pretty easy trip in. It was a good day to be out on the ocean.
Interested in joining us in 2016? Our schedule will on the OREGON PELAGIC
TOURS website soon.
Cheers,
Tim
