Maine Audubon’s annual pelagic out of Bar Harbor ran on Sunday, September 17th this year. In the week building up we’d been monitoring wind (which was calm) and seas (which had dissipated) from the hurricanes moving over the Atlantic. We even used a larger boat this year, Bar Harbor Whale Watch’s 130ft AtlantiCat which would take the predicted waves better and offer a new platform for the trip. Fortunately all threats from storms were gone but unfortunately thick fog had moved in and severely limited our visibility throughout the trip.
Despite the low numbers we still managed a decent diversity of birds for the trip. True pelagic species were limited with around 15 Great Shearwater, but good comparisons on Wilson’s and Leach’s Storm-petrels flying together. A molting Northern Fulmar also gave a great show as it sat on the water just off our bow. A single Pomarine Jaeger, seventeen Northern Gannets, an immature Razorbill, nine Atlantic Puffins, and both Red and Red-necked Phalaropes rounded out our pelagics this year.
Other avian highlights were several passerines caught offshore in the fog that would circle the boat. We strapped two evergreens to the back of the top deck which actually enticed one immature Cedar Waxwing to stop and rest in for awhile. A Red-eyed Vireo made several passed around the boat and even looked like it was trying to land on floating seaweed mat. A single Cape May Warbler also joined the list giving its high pitched ‘sip’ note as it circled the boat.
One of the most amazing highlights of the trip was a close encounter with a large and growing pod of pilot whales. We first found a group of 10+ but it quickly grew to 80 or so individuals that came very close to the boat. Close enough we could even hear a couple! Young pups and a few spy-hopping whales really put on a show for us.
Pilot whales – Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017 from Doug Hitchcox on Vimeo.
In past years we’ve had other interesting mammals like Red Bats, or insects including Monarchs, Red Admirals, or Wandering Gliders (Pantala flavescens) but I think this is the first year we’ve identified a moth out to sea. Fyn Kynd identified this Master’s Dart (Feltia herilis) that landed on the boat (Doug Suitor’s shoulder specifically) while we were about 35 miles from shore.
Many thanks to Jan Pierson and Zack Klyver for narrating the trip, all the guides who helped spot and get others on birds, Chris Bartlett for bringing the spruces, Joe Roy for chumming, the captain and crew from Bar Harbor Whale Watching, and especially to all the participants for making this trip run!
eBird users can add the segmented checklists to their accounts by clicking on the “Add to my eBird” links below. ONLY click on the red links if you were on this trip, otherwise you can still view the lists using the blue “view” links.
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment I – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment II – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment III – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment IV – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment V (SE of Grand Manan Banks) – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment VI – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment VII (NE of Grand Manan Banks) – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment VIII – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment IX – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment X – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment XI (Pilot Whales) – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment XII – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment XIII – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment XIV (The Ballpark) – View – Add to my eBird
Maine Audubon Pelagic 2017–Segment XV – View – Add to my eBird
-Doug
