Hi all,
To support Mike Boatwright's Big Year, three of us joined Mike offshore today
on a fishing trip out of Rudee Inlet, Virginia Beach aboard the comfortable
Super Sport. Though breezy from the southeast for most of the morning, we had
a most enjoyable day. Some of the highlights were the pelagic species -
Pomarine Jaeger - 3 (one light-morph adult; one dark morph not aged; one 4CY)
Parasitic Jaeger - 3 (one light-morph not aged; one 2CY light morph; one not
aged light)
Manx Shearwater - 47 (more than twice as many as I've seen off the state - in
flocks!)
Greater Shearwater - 8 (up to 2 followed the boat in until we reached clear
sight of land)
Black-legged Kittiwake - 92 (31 tarrock; 59 adult; 2 age uncertain)
Razorbill - 10-12 (just off Virginia Beach)
Also of interest were:
Thayer's Gull - 1 fresh (!) juvenile, perfect plumage, with the boat for 4
hours! photos
Northern Gannet - 250+ (all ages; one juv. stayed close to the boat for 3
hours)
Herring Gull - 300+ (all ages)
Great Black-backed Gull - 13
Laughing Gull - 100+
Bonaparte's Gull - 200+
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 (1 ad., 1 juv.)
Red-breasted Merganser - 1 female about 35 miles out
duck sp. 5
Red-throated Loon - 1
Common Loon - 40+
Among the gulls following the boat were two that did not fit neat categories
- one that resembled a first-winter European/Scandinavian Herring Gull
(perhaps!), another that seemed a dead-ringer for a first-winter Thayer's but
for the
barred tertials. We took photographs of these, but it's not certain that
they'll be instructive. The photos of the 'perfect 10' juv. Thayer's should be
spot-on, however.
Other wildlife include a dark sea turtle, a Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish), a
breaching 250+ lb. Bluefin Tuna, and many fishermen.
These trips cost 105 clams and run 12 hours. All the species noted above
were seen at a pebble's toss from the boat - great views. Capt Fred Feller gave
us run of the top deck, which was good for viewing. Though I would not expect
the big three (puffin, skua, Dovekie) on this inshore fishing trip, at least
not normally, it could produce murres or a wandering Yellow-nosed Albatross
some day. We looked hard for Little Gull among the Bonaparte's, to no avail,
but
enjoyed the day very much. Mike ended up with five new ones for the year,
which brought him to 332 for the year 2004 in Virginia. Woo-hoo! You all out
there who have heard about unusual birds be sure to give him a jingle - just
over 4 weeks left in his year. Evening Grosbeak is still AWOL!
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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