Pelagic trip report:
Saturday, October 1, 2005

From Newport, Oregon offshore to Perpetua Bank, 32 nautical miles off Yachats, Oregon.

Boat: Misty
Captain Robert Waddell

The Bird Guide, Inc.
http://thebirdguide.com/

Guides: Greg Gillson, Tim Shelmerdine, Stacy Strickland, David Mandell

Highlights of our trip included...

FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER: 2
The first bird flew aggressively into the boat as we first put out our chum on the underwater bank called the Chicken Ranch, about 25 miles off Newport. It didn't stay long, however. We were able to sneak the boat up on another individual several times that swam in a flock of mixed shearwaters off Perpetua Bank, about 35 miles west of Yachats.

SOUTH POLAR SKUA: 4
Including adults of light, intermediate, and dark phase. The light phase adult circled the boat tightly for about 5 minutes. The dark phase adult circled the boat several times over about a 5 minute period, but not as closely or frequently. Three of the 4 birds appeared at the boat immediately after pouring out fish oil.

Other highlights included all three JAEGERS, a loose flock of at least 40 FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS, a small OCEAN SUNFISH we netted for close looks and photos before releasing, several bow-riding DALL'S PORPOISES, a black RISSO'S DOLPHIN that was seen by only a few (apparently a younger animal), at least 9 NORTHERN FUR SEALS, most engaged in their "jug-handle" resting pose, a couple of sitting SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS that weren't really very cooperative in showing their subtle field marks, about 65 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, a few HARLEQUIN DUCKS in the bay, lots of other common stuff and beautifully sunny weather with a perfect slight breeze.

SPECIES                  BAY   NEAR    AT SEA
                               SHORE
Surf Scoter                     120
White-winged Scoter               2
Harlequin Duck            5
Common Loon               3
Pacific/Red-throated Loon 1
Red-throated Loon                 1*
Horned Grebe              1
Western Grebe                     8
Black-footed Albatross                  65
Northern Fulmar                        350
Flesh-footed Shearwater                  2
Pink-footed Shearwater                  60
Sooty Shearwater                       150
Short-tailed Shearwater                  2
Buller's Shearwater                     50
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel                40
Brandt's Cormorant       35      35     
Double-crested Cormorant 50             
Pelagic Cormorant        15      35      
Red-necked Phalarope                     1
Red Phalarope                            3*
phalarope sp.                            5
South Polar Skua                         4
Pomarine Jaeger                         12
Parasitic Jaeger                         3
Long-tailed Jaeger                       2
Heermann's Gull           2       1      1
Mew Gull                  3      
Ring-billed Gull          1      
California Gull          10       5     10
Herring Gull                             6
Glaucous-winged Gull      2              3
Western Gull             50     100    250
Sabine's Gull                            7
Common Murre              5      35     
Pigeon Guillemot                  2
Cassin's Auklet                          5
Rhinoceros Auklet                       45

Harbor Seal              20
Risso's Dolphin                          1*
Dall's Porpoise                         10
Harbor Porpoise                   20     
California Sea Lion      40        5
Northern Fur Seal                        9
Ocean Sunfish                            3
Blue Shark                               4

* = seen by few