September 20, 2003

7 hours out of Yaquina Bay, 20 miles west of Newport

Sunny and windy conditions offshore made for very slow headway against the waves (about 7 knots), but we were able to reach 20 miles offshore, and chum some albatrosses, fulmars, and other seabirds up to the boat. Nearshore we had good looks at some Marbled Murrelets, White-winged Scoters, and other waterbirds. Shearwaters were widespread, including nearshore, so we always had birds to look at. However, wind, and its effect of limiting us to only getting offshore 20 miles, caused us to miss several species including terns, storm-petrels, and Sabine's Gull.

We had good looks at a pale phase South Polar Skua on the return to shore. There were several jaegers during the day, Parasitic and Pomarine, but most were distant fly-bys.

We also observed a few Ocean Sunfish, including one about 7-8 feet across that we passed. The water was filled with large brown Sea Nettles, a jellyfish that looks more like a glob of algae than an animal.

Here is the list of all species seen, though conditions prevented any one person from seeing all species.

Common Loon 3
Pacific Loon 4
Red-throated Loon (few observers)
Black-footed Albatross 3
Northern Fulmar 11
Pink-footed Shearwater 189
Sooty Shearwater 211
Buller's Shearwater 5
Brandt's Cormorant 34
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Pelagic Cormorant 22
Brown Pelican 19
Canada Goose 1 (few observers)
White-winged Scoter 18
Surf Scoter 55
Peregrine Falcon 1
Surfbird 2
Red-necked Phalarope 2 (few observers)
Red Phalarope 1(few observers)
Glaucous-winged Gull 3
Western Gull 49
Herring Gull 1
Heermann's Gull 11
California Gull 37
Bonaparte's Gull 1
Pomarine Jaeger 3
Parasitic Jaeger 3
jaeger (sp.) 4
South Polar Skua 1
Common Murre 57
Pigeon Guillemot 1 (few observers)
Marbled Murrelet 12
Cassin's Auklet 36
Rhinoceros Auklet 22
Tufted Puffin 1 (few observers)
Rock Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1
European Starling 20

California Sea Lion 20
Harbor Seal 13
Harbor Porpoise 2
Dall's Porpoise 5

Ocean Sunfish 4

Sea Nettles (jellyfish) many