walshey
not on a register
Back from our trip to North Carolina. I really enjoyed it! The highlights were the 3 pelagic trips we took on Brian Patteson's boat out of Hatteras. 16 species were recorded once out to sea.
Common Loon, immature individuals up to 10 miles offshore
Black-capped Petrel, about 60 birds, some great looks
Trinidade Petrel, one light phase approached the boat closely on the 1st trip
Great Shearwater, about 6 on the 3rd trip. One came right up to the boat and was fed chunks of fish.
Cory's Shearwater, common, hundreds seen
Sooty Shearwater, quite scarce, only a handful seen
Audubon's Shearwater, quite scarce first couple of trips. lots around on the last one, about 70 seen, great looks.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel, common, hundreds seen, would follow the slick all day.
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, about 25-30, takes some time to get your eye in on these and pick them out of the Wilson's. By the 3rd trip I was starting to call them myself.
Leache's Storm-Petrel, about 20, never in the slick but often just resting.
Common Tern, 3 seen passing
Arctic Tern, 1 circled the boat on the 3rd trip
Bridled Tern, 4 or 5 including one 1 year bird perched on flotsam at 20 yds!
Pomarine Jaeger, about 15, some young birds came to feed by the boat, others were busy beating up Shearwaters
Long-tailed Jaeger, one on 1st trip came right in for hours to feed
Parasitic Jaeger, a few, never came in mostly busy getting North.
Away from the boat, we visited Pea Island, Alligator River, Croatan Forest and Howell's Woods. Highlights for me were some warblers I have rarely seen before and a couple of life birds, Mississippi Kite and Barred Owl.
Best birds were
Kentucky Warbler, extended views of males at Howell's Wood
Yellow-throated Warbler, likewise
Hooded Warbler, great views in the Croatan
Prothonotary Warbler, these lovely birds are really common in NC.
Yellow-breasted Chat, again quite common.
Barred Owl, one found perched in open in Alligator River.
Mississippi Kite, one feeding over/around the visitor centre at Howell's Woods.
Piping Plover, seen on Pea Island
Seaside Sparrow, seen on Roanoke Island.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, seen around a colony in the Croatan.
Many others seen for a week total of 135. Inevitably a few misses. Other days on the boat got a W-T Tropicbird and a S-P Skua was seen the day after we left. Also couldn't find a Swainson's Warbler anywhere. We tried for Black Rail on Roanoke Island but were beaten back by ferocious biting flies against which there seemed no defence.
I'll put some pictures on and a full trip list in coming days
John
Common Loon, immature individuals up to 10 miles offshore
Black-capped Petrel, about 60 birds, some great looks
Trinidade Petrel, one light phase approached the boat closely on the 1st trip
Great Shearwater, about 6 on the 3rd trip. One came right up to the boat and was fed chunks of fish.
Cory's Shearwater, common, hundreds seen
Sooty Shearwater, quite scarce, only a handful seen
Audubon's Shearwater, quite scarce first couple of trips. lots around on the last one, about 70 seen, great looks.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel, common, hundreds seen, would follow the slick all day.
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, about 25-30, takes some time to get your eye in on these and pick them out of the Wilson's. By the 3rd trip I was starting to call them myself.
Leache's Storm-Petrel, about 20, never in the slick but often just resting.
Common Tern, 3 seen passing
Arctic Tern, 1 circled the boat on the 3rd trip
Bridled Tern, 4 or 5 including one 1 year bird perched on flotsam at 20 yds!
Pomarine Jaeger, about 15, some young birds came to feed by the boat, others were busy beating up Shearwaters
Long-tailed Jaeger, one on 1st trip came right in for hours to feed
Parasitic Jaeger, a few, never came in mostly busy getting North.
Away from the boat, we visited Pea Island, Alligator River, Croatan Forest and Howell's Woods. Highlights for me were some warblers I have rarely seen before and a couple of life birds, Mississippi Kite and Barred Owl.
Best birds were
Kentucky Warbler, extended views of males at Howell's Wood
Yellow-throated Warbler, likewise
Hooded Warbler, great views in the Croatan
Prothonotary Warbler, these lovely birds are really common in NC.
Yellow-breasted Chat, again quite common.
Barred Owl, one found perched in open in Alligator River.
Mississippi Kite, one feeding over/around the visitor centre at Howell's Woods.
Piping Plover, seen on Pea Island
Seaside Sparrow, seen on Roanoke Island.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, seen around a colony in the Croatan.
Many others seen for a week total of 135. Inevitably a few misses. Other days on the boat got a W-T Tropicbird and a S-P Skua was seen the day after we left. Also couldn't find a Swainson's Warbler anywhere. We tried for Black Rail on Roanoke Island but were beaten back by ferocious biting flies against which there seemed no defence.
I'll put some pictures on and a full trip list in coming days
John