Our trips:
| Premier Perpetua Bank: Albatross Hotspot |
| Oregon Shorebird Festival: Introductory Pelagic Trip |
| Special: Seabirds of Oregon |
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Premier Perpetua Bank: Albatross Hotspot
Consistently outstanding! Since 1995 The Bird Guide, Inc. has been leading trips to Perpetua Bank and the phenomenal number of albatrosses found in the eddies around this under water sea mount. Black-footed Albatrosses are found here all year and are common from March to October. Laysan Albatrosses are found in low numbers on about half of our trips from October to May. Short-tailed Albatrosses are rare, but increasing. We have seen singles from October to March, and expect to see them occasionally. On the other hand, Shy Albatrosses have appeared twice for us at Perpetua Bank. This southern hemisphere albatross is not expected anywhere in the North Pacific. To find birds twice at Perpetua Bank shows just what a magnet this area is to albatrosses! Our trips aren't just for albatrosses, though. We have refined our route and timing to detect the most species and highest number of birds, including rarities. We encounter commercial fishing boats frequently that attract hundreds, and even thousands, of seabirds, which we leisurely scrutinize at point blank range! Marine animals, including whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, and fish are often spotted. Our expert seabird guides help you spot and identify all the birds and marine life present. Your fantastic trip starts in Yaquina Bay with abundant waterbirds and chance for rocky-type shorebirds on the jetties. Then, on the large, 56-foot charter vessel, you move along shore briefly, viewing Marbled Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots, and other nearshore specialties, including Gray Whales. Soon we're heading offshore, while your pelagic guides point out birds flying by or sitting on the water ahead. Our first chum stop is in a canyon 33 miles off Newport, where deep water rarities are possible. After we're satisfied here we head south 10 miles to Perpetua Bank sea mount. At this outstanding underwater feature we'll chum albatrosses and other birds right up to the boat for you to observe and photograph! Take a Virtual Perpetua Bank Pelagic Trip!
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Oregon Shorebird Festival: Introductory pelagic trip
Especially for beginners! The Bird Guide, Inc. is proud once again to host the pelagic trip for the Oregon Shorebird Festival. This shorter trip on a large 50-foot boat should allow all to get a taste of a typical pelagic trip, while offering quite a few of the seabirds possible on longer trips. Expected seabirds include Black-footed Albatross, Parasitic Jaeger, Sabine's Gull, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Sooty & Pink-footed Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, Pomarine Jaeger, Red-necked Phalarope, Cassin's Auklets, and more! As with all our trips, on-board guides will point out birds and other marine life and describe identification and natural history. You do not have to participate in the Shorebird Festival in order to attend the pelagic trip. Contact Dawn Grafe of the US Fish & Wildlife Service for more information on the Oregon Shorebird Festival in Charleston. |
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Seabirds of Oregon!: Special trip for the Accoustic Communication by Animals Conference
Designed especially for the Conference on Accoustic Communication by Animals! Travel by boat up to 20 miles offshore, enjoying and photographing seabirds and marine mammals. Seabird guides will point out birds and explain their identification and natural history. This half-day trip starts in Yaquina Bay with Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, California Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals. We motor along shore toward the Yaquina Head seabird colony watching for Brown Pelicans, Heermann's Gulls, and endangered Marbled Murrelets among the numerous Common Murres. We'll look here for Harbor Porpoises and Gray Whales. As we move offshore we should spot Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters, Rhinoceros Auklets, and Red-necked Phalarope. Finally, as we reach about 20 miles offshore we will search for the tiny Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels and perhaps catch a glimpse of the huge Black-footed Albatrosses. If we're lucky, we may have Dall's Porpoises ride our bow waves and, if seas are calm, we might spot Blue Sharks and the very odd Ocean Sunfishes. Other seabirds and marine mammals are possible. This field trip was specially designed for you by The Bird Guide, Inc., which has been leading birders offshore to spot seabirds for 15 years. Trip is $95 per person. 6:00 am to noon. Meet on the pier outside of Newport Tradewinds on Newport's historic bayfront at 5:30 am for sign-in and orientation. Note: We must have 22 minimum participants, with priority to Conference attendees, first-come, first-served. However, in order to fill the boat we will take public participants on the waiting list, and start filling open spaces about June 1. If you are on the public waiting list, do not send payment until requested. Thank you. |
Questions? Greg Gillson