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Feb. 15, 2003 Hatteras Pelagic Trip Results; Upcoming Trips



Dear Carolinabirders,

After several days of dire predictions for the weather last Saturday, we
ended up with quite a pleasant day- warm, very little rain, and light
winds.  The pelagic birdlife was a bit sparser than I had anticipated,
though we did see most of the expected species, albeit in low numbers.
We found our first Great Skua just about three miles from Hatteras Inlet
and within a mile of the beach,  It came in to feed in our chum slick,
so everyone had a great look before it continued on its course down the
beach.  We headed around Cape Point and offshore at Avon, trying to stay
in the narrow band of cold water that was shrinking by the minute as
warm Gulf Stream water pushed its way inshore.  This change was an
unfortunate result of a strong current offshore and the southwesterly
winds.  Consequently, Dovekies were hard to come by, but after a few
somewhat distant fly-bys, we came upon a close pair on the water.  They
were so close that we had to reverse to keep them ahead of the boat!
Needless to say everyone enjoyed crippling views.  They were a lifer for
many aboard, and a still a treat for those of us who had seen them
before.  John Fussell, whom I believe has seen more species of birds in
North Carolina than anyone else, remarked that they were the first
Dovekies he had seen in the state since 1966, when he caught one from
his surfboard!

With the Dovekies behind us, we continued on our way northward, reaching
our farther point from Hatteras around the Point, a submarine canyon
which is actually closer to Oregon Inlet (38 miles vs. about 50 from
Hatteras).  We had high hopes for finding a puffin around there, but
what we found was warm 65 degree water and very few birds save for a few
Red Phalropes which zipped by at a high rate of speed, and many
Bonaparte?s Gulls.  We did find a nice aggregation of Common Dolphins
though, right along the hundred fathom curve at the Point, and they
delighted everyone when they came charging at the boat to ride the bow
and stern waves.  After that it was a long steam back to Cape Point with
very few birds.  Back at the Cape we found a  rather small lone Humpback
Whale and enjoyed close looks at it right off the beach, where less than
a week before I had seen a half dozen Humpbacks.  I suspect they might
have headed up the beach following the retreating cold water.  We also
saw several Razorbills during the afternoon between Avon and Cape Point,
and they were all heading north or northeast (in contrast to all of the
skuas, which were heading southwest).  The gannets, however,  had no
problem following us south all the way to the inlet and seemd to take a
much greater interest in the chum when the wind shifted to the north.

It was rather noteworthy that some of the birds which had been so
plentiful last year off the Outer Banks were scarce or nowhere to be
found-  Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Red Phalarope, and
Black-legged Kittiwake.  That just goes to show that each year is
different, and you can?t always count on seeing what are often the
commonest of birds.  I think the Dovekies were the first in about five
years though, and I would love to know how many were present offshore a
week or two prior to our trip when the water was much colder.

The water will be colder off Virginia Beach this weekend and next
weekend though, as the Gulf Stream is too far offshore at that latitude
to have as much of an impact on the shelf waters.  We have not been
offshore from Virginia since December, but I anticipate good condtions
for  Dovekies and Atlantic Puffins, the latter of which are consistent
winter visitors at least as far south as the Norfolk Canyon.  Great
Skuas are also regular there, though they tend to keep farther from
shore up there than they do off Hatteras.  At this point we still have a
few spaces on our pelagics trip from Va. Beach on Feb. 22(23) and March
1(2).   Both trips are $100/person, and this includes a very long day
offshore on the Nancy Anne with Capt. Kevin Seldon, who has been running
our winter trips up there since 1995.  I will be aboard for both trips
along with other experienced leaders to help newcomers see the birds,
and there will be plenty of chum for bringing them close.  More details
about the trip can be found on our website-http://www.seabirding.com/.
If you are interested in one of these trips, let us know by replying to
this e-mail, or give me a call at (252) 986-1363.   These will probably
be our last pelagic trips until May.

Birds, Cetaceans, and other Sea Life of Note off Hatteras Feb. 15, 2003

Common Loon- 5 offshore, many others inshore
Manx Shearwater- 1
Northern Gannet- hard to count, a few thousand probably, with a higher
percentage of immature birds than are often seen at this season
Red Phalarope- 3
Great Skua- 3- about average here
Lesser Black-backed Gull- 3- quite low considering the numbers ashore
Little Gull- one among the Boneys
Bonaparte?s Gull- a few thousand- all the way out to the Gulf Stream
edge
Razorbill- 59- more than last year, but not many for here really, some
years we have hundreds
Dovekie- 8- the first in five years?

Manta Ray- 5- some great looks
Loggerhead Turtle- 1
Humpback Whale- 1
Common Dolphin- around 100- all at the shelf break
Bottlenose Dolphin- many dozens all close to shore

I hope that some of you can join us in Virginia Beach!

Thanks,

Brian Patteson
Seabirding
Hatteras, NC
brian@patteson.com