Spring Pelagic Results 1999

As you will see by studying the following charts, each trip is different, and even consecutive trips may produce very different bird lists, even when they visit the same localities offshore. Where there were hundreds of birds one day, there may be only a handful the next. Birds follow food offshore, and when their food source disappears, they do too. With this in mind, we cannot overstress the value of signing up for more than one pelagic trip when you come to the Outer Banks, particularly if you do not have many opportunities to visit the area. While it is rare, we are occasionally weathered out, and a second trip is good insurance for getting offshore during your visit. But even when the weather is good, another trip means that you have a better chance to see the birds that you want to see, particularly if you are looking for the less common species. Remember also, when you look at the following charts, that just because one or two Band-rumped Storm-Petrels were seen on one day does not mean that everyone on the boat saw them to their satisfaction. We always do our best to get everyone onboard "onto the birds", but in some cases the birds fly away quickly. While we do use fast boats and, in some cases, we can successfully pursue fleeing birds, there are some days when the sea conditions limit our movements and ability to get closer. With these things in mind, don't be discouraged, but do have realistic expectations before you get on the boat. And don't forget to study beforehand; pelagic birds often fly by for a close look, but they may not stay long enough for the trip leaders to point out all of their field marks.

Click here to read the Spring Report.

Location

MNC

MNC

MNC

HNC

HNC

HNC

MNC

HNC

HNC

Date

5/22/99

5/23/99

5/28/99

5/29/99

5/30/99

5/31/99

6/4/99

6/5/99

6/6/99

Common Loon

4

2

3

3

3

1

      

Black-capped Petrel

36

37

18

289

267

255

43

58

63

Trinidade Petrel

1 or 2

1

  

1

  

2

    

2

Fea's Petrel

    

1

    

1 or 2

1prob.

    

Cory's Shearwater

7

7

7

37

104

181

43

15

188

Greater Shearwater

          

7

22

14

104

Sooty Shearwater

1

  

4

1

13

18

3

7

6

Manx Shearwater

          

1

    

1

Audubon's Shearwater

6

21

5

39

45

32

19

45

100

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

108

87

167

199

145

196

171

238

153

Leach's Storm-Petrel

10

4

4

14

  

41

13

7

62

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel

16

6

2

6

5

1

1

6

7

Oceanodroma sp.

          

3

    

9

White-tailed Tropicbird

    

1

        

1

  

Northern Gannet

    

1

    

2

1

  

1

Red-necked Phalarope

5

    

2

          

Pomarine Jaeger

2

1

2

    

6

2

  

8

Parasitic Jaeger

          

2

    

1

Long-tailed Jaeger

          

2

      

Jaeger sp.

  

1

      

3

  

1

1

South Polar Skua

          

1

    

2 or 3

Skua sp.

1

                

Common Tern

14

14

5

7

9

  

2

  

1

Arctic Tern

  

1

  

1

1

        

Roseate Tern

            

1

    

Commic Tern

        

2

  

1

  

1

Bridled Tern

1

1

2

  

3

1

2

    

Black Tern

          

1

    

1

Prob. = Probable, thought to be this species, but due to distance, lighting conditions, brevity of observation or a combination of these factors, not identified to species with 100% certainty (i.e., Trinidade Petrel prob. = dark Pterodroma, Fea's Petrel prob. = P. mollis/feae/madeira complex).

HNC= Hatteras, NC; MNC= Manteo, NC