Date: 8/16/25 2:53 am From: Barbara Volkle <barb620...> Subject: [MASSBIRD] Pelagic Trip offshore Southern Maine to MA - 8/13/25
Thanks to Steve Mirick for this report.
Barbara Volkle Northborough, MA <barb620...>
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Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2025 08:57:30 -0400 From: Steve Mirick <smirick...> Subject: Pelagic Trip offshore Southern Maine to MA - 8/13/25
I was an invited guest yesterday aboard the "Gulf Challenger". The UNH vessel was conducting research with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Researchers were collecting core sediment samples and studying water samples trying to understand algae blooms and the harmful effects they can inflict on other life forms within ecosystems.
We cruised offshore from Portsmouth Harbor NNE to Boon Island Light and then again NNE to a point 28 miles southeast of Cape Elizabeth. We then cruised due SSW for 2 hours and about 30 miles through NH waters to a point a few miles east of Jeffrey's Ledge in MA. We then cruised home forming a large triangle. We canceled a 3rd collection site due to rough seas. Interestingly, in all my years offshore from NH, this was my first visit to some of these waters east of Jeffrey's Ledge! We did not slow down or alter course for birds.
Weather was pretty bad. The first leg was rather peaceful, but the 2nd leg, the 2 hour cruise from Maine south to MA, was directly into a 20 knot wind and standing 3 to 4 foot seas that created a terrible bone crunching ride and waves crashed repeatedly over the bow. Impossible to use binoculars or camera and difficult to avoid wet salt spray which engulfed the boat constantly. The final leg was better, but was still very difficult at times.
Sadly, despite the terrible weather, it was apparent that there were not a lot of birds. 14 scattered Cory's Shearwaters and 4 Great Shearwaters were the only shearwaters found. In fact, the 1 hour ride back across Jeffrey's Ledge in NH produced ZERO shearwaters! Wilson's Storm-Petrels were a nice companion along the trip. The highlight was a nice somewhat close Parastic Jaeger.
Total birds noted OFFSHORE PAST ISLES OF SHOALS ONLY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- shorebird sp. 4 PARASITIC JAEGER 1. The highlight of the day. Nice views as it flew past the boat relatively close. Laughing Gull 4. All juveniles. American Herring Gull 46 Great Black-backed Gull 35 Common Tern 7 Wilson's Storm-Petrel 142 CORY'S SHEARWATER 14 - Scattered birds. All seen well enough were ID'd as Cory's rather than Scopoli's. GREAT SHEARWATER 4 shearwater sp. 7 - Brutal conditions made it impossible to ID a few. Double-crested Cormorant 1. Strange experience when a single Cormorant flew in and landed by the boat 28 miles southeast of Cape Elizabeth.
Marine Mammals - ZERO!!!! No whales or dolphins at all. Again, the conditions were not helpful and we could have easily passed whales or dolphin without notice.
In harbor or nearshore birds -------------------------------------- Common Eider 14 Bonaparte's Gull 14 Great Blue Heron 2 Double-crested Cormorant - X Bald Eagle 1 Fish Crow 1 Barn Swallow 6 European Starling 30 Northern Mockingbird 1
