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DOVEKIE FALLOUT; Upcoming Pelagic trips



Dear Carolinabirders,

Please feel free to pass this message along to anyone who may find it of
interest.

I just returned to Hatteras from the Southern Ocean to find that we
experiencing a siginificant incursion of Dovekies here on the Outer
Banks, the like of which has not been seen for many years.  Last Friday,
at least four birds were picked up alive between Oregon Inlet and
Hatteras Inlet, apparently put ashore by what was not a particularly
powerful low pressure system.  A number of others were spotted on the
sea over the weekend, so it is likely that the numbers offshore far
exceed anything that we?ve witnessed in recent years.  There have also
been many Razorbills seen from shore, and I received a good report of a
puffin seen by a local charter boat captain at sea several miles south
of Hatteras yesterday.  While Razorbill and puffin are both regular
winter visitors at least south to Virginia on a annual basis,  Dovekies
are not.  In fact it has been FIVE YEARS since we have seen more than a
handful of Dovekies on any of our winter pelagic trips here.

So if you want to see a Dovekie, now is the time.  Don?t wait until next
year because they may well not be around next winter.  We have space
available for more participants on pelagic trips from Hatteras on Feb.
15 (16)  and from Virginia Beach on Feb. 22(23) and March 1(2).   All of
these trips also offer a good chance to see Northern Fulmar, Manx
Shearwater, Red Phalarope,  GREAT SKUA, and Black-legged Kittiwake, in
addition to the aforementioned alcids.  Each weekend represents a
Saturday trip with an obligatory Sunday weather date, and the price of
each trip is $100/person.  Hatteras trips usualy don?t exceed ten hours
duration, but the Va. Beach trips may last 12-14 hours because of the
much longer ride to the shelf edge there.  Each of these trips will be
led by myself and other experienced, skilled seabirders.  For more
details, including directions and suggestions on how to prepare, please
visit our website at http://www.seabirding.com/. or phone me at (252)
986-1363.

I hope that you will take advantage of this rare opportunity to search
for Dovekies with us during what could be one of the biggest flights in
recent memory.

Brian Patteson
Hatteras, NC, USA
brian@patteson.com