Pelagic trip report:

Saturday, September 30, 2006
10 hours
From Newport, Oregon offshore to Perpetua Bank, 32 nautical miles off Cape Perpetua, Oregon.

Sunday, October 1, 2006
10 hours
From Newport, Oregon, 30 nautical miles off Yaquina Head, Oregon.


South Polar Skua. One of 23 birds counted this day, smashing the previous
high record of 8 birds. 30 September 2006. Photo by Angus Wilson

Boat: Misty
Captain Robert Waddell

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

Guides: Greg Gillson, Tim Shelmerdine, Troy Guy, Tom Snetsinger

Our dual pelagic trip weekend was a great success! Saturday was a bit breezier and slightly foggy, early. Sunday's glassy seas and blue skies were amazing. The deep water off Perpetua Bank had few birds Saturday, so we looked at the temperature charts and headed WNW Sunday, rather than WSW. We found a couple of black cod fishing vessels, hauling in cages of fish, and attended by a couple dozen albatrosses.


Tufted Puffin. 1 October 2006. Photo by Jay Gilliam

Most of the species were the same both days, but there were some notable differences in numbers. For instance, we had a record 23 SOUTH POLAR SKUAS on Saturday, but only a typical 4 on Sunday. On the other hand Saturday had a very low 15 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, but a better, but still below average, 40 on Sunday.


Manx Shearwater. 30 September 2006. Photo by Jay Gilliam

The rarity of the weekend was the MANX SHEARWATER on Saturday. This is only the second photographic record from Oregon. The glassy seas and close-up of the TUFTED PUFFIN was a highlight for many on Sunday.


Humpback Whale. 1 October 2006. Photo by Jay Gilliam

We had at least 5 HUMPBACK WHALES both days, a bit better views on Sunday. On Saturday we had 1400 FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS, but only one poorly seen individual on Sunday. On the other hand, the smooth seas allowed us to tally 100 CASSIN'S AUKLETS on Sunday, whereas we spotted on 6 on Saturday, even though I expect the same number were present each day.

I want to thank all the photographers for graciously allowing me to use their wonderful photographs.

Species list:

Perpetua Bank pelagic trip from Newport, Oregon (September 30/October 1)

Green-winged Teal 3/0
Northern Pintail 150/0
Greater Scaup 0/80
White-winged Scoter 25/30
Surf Scoter 60/80
Harlequin Duck 12/10
Common Loon 6/3
Pacific Loon 0/5
Red-throated Loon 0/6
Western Grebe 5/15
Horned Grebe 0/2
Red-necked Grebe 0/1
Black-footed Albatross 15/40
Northern Fulmar 15/25
Pink-footed Shearwater 60/125
Sooty Shearwater 85/350
Buller's Shearwater 125/65
MANX SHEARWATER 1/0
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel 1400/1
Leach's Storm-Petrel 1/0 (seen by few)
Brown Pelican 100/20
Brandt's Cormorant 120/300
Double-crested Cormorant 40/25
Pelagic Cormorant 25/35
Peregrine Falcon 1/0
Ruddy Turnstone 1/0
Black Turnstone 2/5
Sanderling 35/12
Red-necked Phalarope 1/0
Phalarope (sp.) 0/10
South Polar Skua 23/4
Pomarine Jaeger 40/80
Parasitic Jaeger 15/35
Long-tailed Jaeger 3/15
jaeger (sp.) 15/50
Heermann's Gull 45/30
Mew Gull 40/15
California Gull 200/70
Herring Gull 1/2
Western Gull 60/50
Glaucous-winged Gull 1/0
Sabine's Gull 14/8
Common Murre 130/350
Pigeon Guillemot 4/15
Marbled Murrelet 6/45
Cassin's Auklet 6/100
Rhinoceros Auklet 45/150
Tufted Puffin 0/2

Blue Shark 2/1 [Addendum: Some of these sharks were Soupfin Sharks]
Ocean Sunfish 4/3
Humpback Whale 5/5
Gray Whale 0/1
Northern Fur Seal 2/0
California Sea Lion 10/8 (not counting 50+ on breakwater)
Harbor Seal 8/4
Dall's Porpoise 10/6
Harbor Porpoise 15/8

Photos from Saturday, in approximate order

Photos from Sunday, in approximate order