Laysan Albatross search trip: February 22, 2014

Laysan Albatrosses have been sighted with regularity on our late winter/early spring trips when we travel at least 25 miles offshore. Unfortunately, the last three years we have weathered-out--always a risk with Oregon pelagic trips, especially at this time of year.

Highlights and selected "late winter/early spring" birds from previous similar trips:

March 6, 2010: 2 LAYSAN ALBATROSS, 21 Black-footed Albatross, 2 Short-tailed Shearwater, 118 Black-legged Kittiwake, 8 Thayer's Gull, 33 Ancient Murrelet, 13 Rhinoceros Auklet.

February 21, 2009: 1 LAYSAN ALBATROSS, 10 Black-footed Albatross, 1 Rock Sandpiper (jetty), 159 Black-legged Kittiwake, 50 Thayer's Gull, 2 Glaucous Gull, 26 Ancient Murrelet, 114 Rhinoceros Auklet, 1 HORNED PUFFIN.

March 1, 2008: 8 LAYSAN ALBATROSS, 25 Black-footed Albatross, 1 MANX SHEARWATER, 1 Short-tailed Shearwater, 1 Rock Sandpiper (jetty), 40 Black-legged Kittiwake, 3 Thayer's Gull, 50 Rhinoceros Auklet.

March 25, 2007: 1 LAYSAN ALBATROSS, 60 Black-footed Albatross, 2 Short-tailed Shearwater, 75 Black-legged Kittiwake, 2 Thayer's Gull, 500 Rhinoceros Auklet, 7 HORNED PUFFIN.

March 18, 2006: 4 LAYSAN ALBATROSS, 60 Black-footed Albatross, 1 SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS, 8 Short-tailed Shearwater, 90 Black-legged Kittiwake, 2 Thayer's Gull, 11 Rhinoceros Auklet.

Cost for this trip is $140 per person (but $125 if you hurry!). Sign up online at:
http://thebirdguide.com/pelagics/

Deep water pelagic birding trips: April and August

Search for North America's rarest and remotest birds!

This week we came to agreement with a charter in Newport, Oregon, to schedule two deep water pelagic trips this year. These trips are designed to get offshore farther than traditional pelagic trips and search for specific rarities. These trips have a lot of traveling as we speed past the common nearshore seabirds without stopping, so they are recommended only for experienced seabirders seeking rarities. 

Saturday, April 13, 2013 (weather date May 4, 2013)
Murphy's Petrel and Parakeet Auklet search trip
These two rare species, especially Murphy's Petrels, have started to become "regular" on luxury cruises offshore Oregon 60 miles in April and May when the cruise liners travel between Long Beach, California, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Our deep water pelagic trip will look for these. We can also expect Laysan Albatrosses and perhaps Leach's Storm Petrels and Long-tailed Jaegers. Other rare birds possible include Horned Puffins and Mottled Petrels.

Friday, August 2, 2013 (weather date August 16, 2013)
Leach's Storm-Petrel and Scripps's Murrelet search trip
Interestingly, tens of thousands of Leach's Storm-Petrels nest on offshore rocks in southern Oregon but are nocturnal near their nests and spend their days feeding out beyond 60 miles, so are rarely seen near shore. The Scripps's Murrelets nest on islands off southern California and wander north with warm water, well offshore. Offshore we expect Red Phalaropes, Long-tailed Jaegers, and Arctic Terns. This first week or two of August was chosen as the peak time of reports of rare Hawaiian Petrels in northern California. It is also a good time for Cook's Petrels, whose occurrence far offshore is sporadic. Another species possible offshore are Wilson's Storm-Petrels. There are an additional ten other rarities possible (but less likely) including Red-billed Tropicbirds, Magnificent Frigatebirds, and Guadalupe Murrelets.

To find out more details about how the weather date works, and to register for either or both of these trips, please visit The Bird Guide, Inc.'s pelagic page.

Murphy's Petrel, Parakeet Auklet chase trip: May 5

Today's Portland Audubon Rare Bird Alert noted:

An April 17 offshore boat trip about 45 miles off 
Central and southern Oregon found seven MURPHY'S PETRELS, 
two COOK'S PETRELS, 18 PARAKEET AUKLETS, and a HORNED 
PUFFIN among more regular species.

These species were seen from a cruise ship, as we are learning is typical far offshore from mid-April to mid-May. We already have a 10 hour pelagic trip set up for May 5th. Even with this slower charter fishing boat, we can still reach 45 miles offshore and spend over an hour there in a 10 hour trip. 

One of the Murphy's Petrels was off Lane County and one off Lincoln County in the 2 hours the cruise ship was off these counties late in the evening (eBird data). Most of the good birds from the Rare Bird Alert were seen about noon in southern Oregon, only 20 miles offshore, but still in 500 fathoms of water (3000 feet deep), as the cruise ship traveled on the 125 degree W longitude line.

Our pelagic trip is in Lincoln County quite near the Lane County border. It was originally scheduled to chum for seabirds 25 miles off Newport, then head southwest 15 miles to 32 miles off Yachats, staying on the edge of the shelf where seabirds are most abundant. However, with this report, I have decided to chase the Murphy's Petrels and Parakeet Auklets by heading 45 miles straight off Newport to 500 fathoms and spending an hour in "cruise ship lane" waters there. We still expect to see all of the species from our original schedule, except for nearshore species (we'll forgo Marbled Murrelet search near shore, for example).

No guarantees, of course, but Parakeet Auklets are probably better viewed from the smaller boat. We have been out during this time on charter boats without seeing Murphy's or Cook's Petrels or Parakeet Auklets (we have seen Horned Puffins). But usually we only go 25-30 miles offshore to the edge of the shelf at 100-200 fathoms. The cruise ships always stay pretty close to 45 miles offshore from Newport. So we don't really know how close these birds may be. We'll spend pretty close to 5 hours in slope waters of 100-500 fathoms.

I'd make this a 12 hour trip, but we only have 10 passengers right now (16 is break-even to pay for just the boat for 10 hours). But if we can get 5 more passengers I'll bump the hours up to 12. We'll still be going at a loss, but for 2 more hours of deep water birding, I think it's worth it! Cost will remain at $150 per person whether or not we decide to go for 10 or 12 hours. I have to let the charter know right away if I want to change the length, so contact me soon if you want to attend.

As always, sea conditions (wave height and spacing) play a big role on whether the trip even departs. Last week we had excellent seas. This week is a bit rough, which would probably keep us from traveling fast enough to get out as far as we wish. The forecast for next Monday (4 days ahead--as far as NOAA predicts--and mostly unreliable) looks good again.

Other species to expect: Black-footed and perhaps Laysan Albatrosses, Sooty, Pink-footed and perhaps Manx, Short-tailed, and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Fork-tailed and perhaps Leach's Storm-Petrels, Parasitic, Pomarine, and Long-tailed Jaegers, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, perhaps Arctic and Common Terns, Sabine's Gull, Rhinoceros and Cassin's Auklets, perhaps Tufted Puffins, perhaps Ancient Murrelets.

Again, Saturday, May 5, $150 per person, 10-12 hours departing at 7 AM from Newport Tradewinds. Sign up on The Bird Guide's pelagic page: http://thebirdguide.com/pelagics/

"Winter" pelagic trip: March 10, 2012

Winter seas off Oregon are frequently too rough for pelagic trips. Fortunately, though, winter birds continue into spring.

So, such winter specialties such as LAYSAN ALBATROSSES, SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, and ANCIENT MURRELETS are regular in March, when seas average a bit calmer.

March is also the peak of abundance of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS.

Several rare species have also been found in March, including SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSSES, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, MANX SHEARWATERS, and HORNED PUFFINS.

So, our first trip of the year is a "winter" trip on Saturday, March 10, 2012.

Since 2001, we've scheduled 11 trips in March. Of those, two trips weathered-out, and one trip was shortened due to rough seas. That's a success rate of about 77%, which isn't that different from our September and October success rates.

Here are the frequencies and high numbers for the target species in March:

Species	Frequency	High number
Short-tailed Albatross	22%	1
Laysan Albatross	78%	8
Short-tailed Shearwater	78%	10
Flesh-footed Shearwater	33%	1
Manx Shearwater	22%	2
Black-legged Kittiwake	100%	225
Ancient Murrelet	67%	33
Rhinoceros Auklet	100%	500
Horned Puffin	22%	7

April has more birds overall, as migration starts up. But SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER is significantly less likely in April as compared to March. Nevertheless, you may want to consider our April 7, 2012 trip as having a good chance for several of the winter specialties, too. Visit The Bird Guide, Inc.'s web page to sign up for this pelagic trip.

Laysan Albatross search trip: March 12, 2011

The Bird Guide's annual Laysan Albatross search trip is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 2011.

This first trip of the year is designed to get our pelagic season off to an exciting beginning. Besides these wonderful albatrosses, frequent birds include Ancient Murrelets, Short-tailed Shearwaters, Thayer's Gulls, and high numbers of Rhinoceros Auklets and Black-legged Kittiwakes!

As of January 31, 2011, the boat is about half-full--there are still about 15 spaces open. This trip will be sold out soon!

This 10-hour trip costs $150 per person from Newport, Oregon. Check on The Bird Guide's pelagic web pages for more information.

See last year's trip results.

New half-day pelagic trip from Newport, Oregon!

Tufted Puffin, a target species on our new half-day pelagic trips. Photographed off Newport, Oregon August 10, 2008 by Greg Gillson.

This spring we inaugurate a new half-day pelagic trip from Newport, Oregon.

The first trip is Saturday, April 3, 2010.

The second trip is Sunday, May 16, 2010.

Designated as a Manx Shearwater search trip, this exciting nearshore trip will spend time getting good looks at all of Oregon's breeding alcids, as well as swing out a few miles to study flocks of shearwaters.

Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemots, Marbled Murrelets, Cassin's Auklets, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Tufted Puffin are expected on every trip as we cruise just offshore along the scenic Oregon coast.

Marbled Murrelet, a federally threatened, but locally common, nearshore species. Photographed off Newport, Oregon February 21, 2009 by Greg Gillson.

Besides these target species we expect several loons, grebes, scoters, cormorants, and sea ducks, in season. Marine mammals should include California and Steller's sea lions, harbor seals, harbor porpoises, and gray whales. On-board guides will point out birds and explain identification and natural history of both birds and mammals.

But wait! We're not finished! After a couple of hours traveling along shore we swing out several miles in search of flocks of shearwaters. Sooty Shearwaters, Pink-footed Shearwaters, and Northern Fulmars are expected on every trip. Short-tailed Shearwaters (spring) and Buller's Shearwaters (fall) are also expected, in season. Common Terns, Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers, and possibly Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels can be expected from time to time.

The target bird, whether along shore or a bit farther out, is the rare Manx Shearwater. This common Atlantic species has been seen along the North American West Coast the past 15-20 years. In recent years Oregon has averaged over 6 birds per year spotted from shore. We expect to have a very good chance of spotting this species by boat from April-May and September-October off the central Oregon coast. This trip spends its entire time in prime Manx Shearwater habitat.

Oregon's first photographically documented Manx Shearwater (right), and a Short-tailed Shearwater (left). Photographed off Newport, Oregon March 1, 2003 by Steve Shunk.

This trip has abundant birds in view at all times. This leisurely trip is suitable for first-time ocean birders, the budget conscious, nature photographers, and rarity searchers.

The trip departs at 7:00 a.m. and returns to port at noon. Cost is $85 per person.

Find out more and sign up on The Bird Guide's pelagic web site.

Laysan Albatross search trip: Saturday, March 6, 2010

Laysan Albatross

The date of our first trip of 2010 is now set.

Saturday, March 6, 2010 will be an 11-hour Perpetua Bank trip with Laysan Albatross as the target species. This wonderful bird has been spotted on 7 of 8 February and March Perpetua Bank trips, with a high of 8 birds.

This early March date gives us the best sea conditions of "winter." Expected winter seabirds in addition to Laysan Albatross include Short-tailed Shearwater (6 of 8), Thayer's Gull (5 of 8), Black-legged Kittiwake (8 of 8), and Ancient Murrelet (5 of 8).

Rarities in the past have included Short-tailed Albatross (twice), Manx Shearwater (twice), Flesh-footed Shearwater (twice), Leach's Storm-Petrel (once), Glaucous Gull (twice), and Horned Puffin (twice).

The common regular species include Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, California Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Gull, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Cassin's Auklet, and Rhinoceros Auklet.

We may see Rock Sandpiper on the jetties as we make our way along the bay. Peregrine Falcons are also regularly spotted in the bay while we are on the boat. Three species of loons, 3 species of scoters, 3 species of cormorants, Red-necked and other grebes.... This is a fun time to take a pelagic trip.

Please visit the Bird Guide's pelagic web site for the most up-to-date information and price.