<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Our originally scheduled trip was for the 28<sup>th</sup>,
but a poor forecast forced a cancellation and rescheduling for the following
day. Unfortunately, that meant a good portion of the original participants
couldn’t make it on the new date. With such great recent pelagic trips, the
roster quickly filled back up. We had a fun trip with so many familiar names
and faces!<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Some highlights from this beautiful, sunny day on the
Pacific: <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">The SOOTY SHEARWATER river was flowing well after we crossed
the bar. It was fantastic to be among these birds (all looking quite sharp in
fresh plumage), they were moving quickly and sometimes turning en masse into a
dense vortex. A single MANX SHEARWATER was spotted in this flow, only seen by a
few before it was lost among the shearwater whorls.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS (1901) were seen throughout much
of the day—including one amazing mass of hundreds sitting on the water. We had
to detour a bit to take a closer look at this spectacle! As we approached,
several on the boat spotted a WILSON’S STORM-PETREL among these birds—what a
treat! Luckily, we spotted a second (!!) Wilson’s Storm-Petrel later that day
to give everyone great views.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">We did have several groups of seabirds sitting on the water,
including one fair-sized flock of Pink-footed Shearwaters that exploded into
flight in all directions when two SOUTH POLAR SKUAS dropped in. Wow! <span> </span>The skuas—LONG-TAILED JAEGER (5), POMARINE
JAEGER (4), and SOUTH POLAR SKUA (9)-- put on a rather good show today, with
many seen exceptionally well by all (in fact, a late-in-the-day skua flying over
the boat failed to get most people up from their comfy seats!).<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Another rather massive natural-feeding group of primarily Pink-foots
also had about 75 PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS foraging among them. Another surprise
was what at first was called out as our 2<sup>nd</sup> FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER turned
out to be a DARK MORPH PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER. This is even more uncommon than
seeing a Flesh-footed!<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">The shrimpers we encountered were not actively pulling in
nets, but still had a good following, adding to our total of 81 BLACK-FOOTED
ALBATROSS and provided our only brief look at a LAYSAN ALBATROSS for the day.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">On the return trip, a single very cooperative molting Tufted
Puffin remained on the water as we approached, delighting all on board, as did
the bow-wave and wake-riding DALL’S PORPOISES. A surprise off-shore HARLEQUIN
DUCK was spotted from the front of the boat.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">We ended with a 6-shearwater day, which made for great
discussions on identification. <span> </span>Wonderful
views of the gorgeous SABINE’S GULL (50) and several ARCTIC TERNS (24) were had
by all.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">For a more complete list for the day, visit <a href="http://westportseabirds.com/2024-trip-results/" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">http://westportseabirds.com/2024-trip-results/</a>
or check the eBird lists for accompanying photos:<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798863" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798863</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798862" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798862</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798860" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798860</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798859" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798859</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798858" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline">https://ebird.org/checklist/S193798858</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">A great group of birders makes for an engaging day! Thanks
to Captain Phil, first mate Chris, and fellow spotters Bill Tweit and Ryan
Merrill for another great pelagic!<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Cindy McCormack for Westport Seabirds<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span> </span><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br></p><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><i>_________________<br>Cindy McCormack<br>Vancouver, WA<br>nwbirderatgmailcom</i><br></div></div></div>