[Tweeters] Westport Seabirds Trip Report June 19, 2021 – Birds and Mammals

[Bill Tweit]

Nice job Gene.  Thanks.  Bill
Bill Tweit


On Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 2:03 PM Gene Revelas <grevelas at integral-corp.com>
wrote:


> Hi Tweets,

>

>

>

> We enjoyed another fun day on the water with Westport Seabirds last

> Saturday, June 19th.  We had NW wind at the marina so we knew that we would

> have a bumpy ride out across the bar and nearshore.  However, the forecast

> called for nicer conditions offshore, so we put our trust in the forecast

> (and Captain Phil Anderson) and headed out at 5:30 am in full, summer

> solstice daylight.  We had a nice mix of 18 birders onboard, about half of

> them from Washington, and the others from South Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio,

> and Idaho.  The seas were bumpy and confused from the harbor mouth to about

> the 50-fathom line so the birding was physically challenging but the birds

> were there.  In the harbor and along the inshore transit, we recorded

> Pigeon Guillemots, a couple of Heerman’s Gulls, Brown Pelicans, the three

> Cormorant species, one Pacific Loon, many California and

> Western/Glaucous-winged hybrid Gulls (most in heavy molt), Common Murres

> (low numbers all day), many Rhinoceros Auklets, the first of two flyby

> Tufted Puffins, Sooty Shearwaters, a Northern Fulmar (surprisingly far

> inshore), and four, spouting Gray Whales.

>

>

>

> Further offshore and to the Grays Canyon edge, the seas and our ride did

> improve.  We added the first of many (161) Cassin’s Auklets for the day,

> and our expected tubenose species; Black-footed Albatross, Pink-footed

> Shearwaters, and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels.  We got an all too brief look

> at one “Comic” Tern that was likely an Arctic, but Common could not be

> ruled out.  During a quiet stretch, three Ancient Murrelets appeared right

> next to the boat.  It was an adult and two, cute, still-flightless chicks

> swimming as hard as they could.  I personally could not recall seeing ANMU

> chicks previously on a Westport trip.  We also added two of the 12 Humpback

> Whales we would for the day, including a half dozen repeatedly breaching

> and tail and flipper slapping at a distance.

>

>

>

> In deep water over the canyon, we added more Black-footed Albatross and

> Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, and our first of four Leach’s Storm-Petrels, two

> of which cooperatively came into our chum and provided great comparison

> with the Fork-tails and close photo ops.  About 40 crowd-pleasing Pacific

> White-sided Dolphins joined us at one point, riding our bow wave and wake

> for a bit.   A very large, not-so-cute, Ocean Sunfish was also a

> spectacle.  When we turned east to head home, the ride improved further

> with the following sea, the skies were cloudy but bright, and the marine

> mammal show continued.  We saw the six, active humpbacks noted above, two

> Minke Whales (not annual on Westport trips) that surfaced only twice but

> were seen and photographed by the folks looking their way, and some more

> White-sided Dolphins.

>

>

>

> We did not add any more seabird species on the return trip, but we did add

> Harbor Porpoise and Stellers Sea Lion to the mammal list.  Finally, an

> adult Peregrine Falcon sitting with the gulls on the top of Westport Jetty

> was a nice ending to a great day.  As always, the Monte Carlo was crewed

> expertly by Phil and Chris Anderson, the spotters were Bill Tweit, Bruce

> LaBar, and Gene Revelas.   Our 2021 season continues into October and

> openings are getting scarce, so please visit the Westport Seabirds website (

> westportseabirds.com) soon for trip schedules, information, and

> availability if you are interested in joining us this year.

>

>

>

> Happy and safe birding!

>

> Gene Revelas

> Olympia, WA

>

> *Gene Revelas*

> Tel: 360.939.9618 | Cell: 360.870.4950

> *INTEGRAL CONSULTING INC.*

>

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