It has been 30 years since Maine Audubon’s annual pelagic trip from Bar Harbor started, and the frequent feedback is: 1) people want better weather or 2) people want more opportunities to get offshore. We haven’t made in progress in controlling the weather, but we have partnered with FLUKES: International Whale Tours to offer an exciting new trip on Sunday, August 16, to the waters off Brier Island, Nova Scotia and Lurcher Shoals. August is one of the best times for maximum seabird numbers (especially shearwaters) and diversity of whales, and we’ve chosen a route to access one of the most productive areas in the Gulf of Maine.
How does this compare to the annual “Bar Harbor Pelagic” ?
– A longer day on the water allows for greater distance and new locations.
– August should have larger numbers of shearwaters (many start migrating south around the time of our September trip) and a greater chance for warm-water species like Cory’s Shearwater (or rarer!). September typically sees higher numbers of Pomarine Jaegers but August is peak timing for Long-tailed Jaegers in the Gulf of Maine.
– Both trips depart from Bar Harbor and use the Bar Harbor Whale Watch’s Friendship V, a 112-foot jet-powered catamaran that is arguably the best pelagic birding platform anywhere (fast and smooth!)
We’ll still be offering the September “Bar Harbor Pelagic” each year, but will continue looking to offer novel opportunities to adventurous birders with more “exploratory pelagics.” Pelagic birding trips offer some of the greatest opportunities for unusual discoveries and this trip to Lurcher Shoals has great potential. Learn more and register for the August 16 trip here: maineaudubon.org/events/brier-island-lurcher-shoals-pelagic-trip/
