Friends,
For anyone who might be interested, I've uploaded a LOT of photos from a trip
to NC in late May/early June. I did the last 6 days in a row on the spring
blitz Brian Patteson (Seabirding) runs every year. Weather was great, though
wind was lacking several days. Diversity was exceptional most days, with 15 or
more pelagic species seen. I have broken the images down by day, so many
species are shown multiple times, randomly. It is haphazard this way, but you
can almost follow along on the trip.
I had a very small target list (European Storm-Petrel, Bermuda Petrel,
White-tailed Tropicbird), and feel lucky to have had White-tailed Tropicbird on
2 of the 6 days, for an ABA bird. There was only one Bermuda seen all spring, 2
days before we started, and no European Storm-Petrels at all. The very last day
was the most exciting rarity wise, with Fea's Petrel finally (they had several
early in the spring) and great looks at both White-tailed and Red-billed
Tropicbird's. It was an exceptional spring for jeagers and Arctic Tern off NC,
at times we had all 3 jaegers behind the boat at once!
I drove over with a friend from TX, (and met fellow TN birder Rick Shipkowski
on the boat for a couple of days) so I have a few photos posted from
landbirding along the way, including my first ever trip to the Roan Mountain
area which was great.
Many here are familiar with Brian's trips off the Outer Banks, heck we even
have a couple of TN Birders who guide for Brian when they go! But, if you've
never been, and handle boats well at all, it is a must. These trips are a
fascinating way to get out to what is essentially an alien environment for us.
Also, as far as east coast trips go especially, the run out is a lot shorter
due to the Gulf Stream coming in very close to the Outer Banks, often you have
to run several hours just to get out to where you start birding.
For those with time on your hands.....the gallery is here: NC trip spring 2015
by Michael Todd
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| NC trip spring 2015 by Michael ToddNC trip spring 2015 |
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Good Birding!!
Michael ToddMcKenzie, TNbirder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/mctodd
