[SEMCO] sighting list for Seabird & Whale Tales 2006

[Carol Carson]

Hello: Just wanted to send Wayne Petersen's sighting list from our 
recent Seabird & Whale Tales trip conducted on Sunday, June 11th.

Best, Carol "Krill" Carson
President, New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance


Seabird and Whale Tales Trip Summary
June 11, 2006

Compiled by Wayne R. Petersen

Weather and itinerary: The June 11 Seabird and Whale Tales trip 
departed from Plymouth at approximately 8 a.m. under sunny skies and 
10-15 mph NW winds.  Temperatures were a comfortable 65-70 degrees F.  
Glare and modest chop from the wind made viewing conditions somewhat 
challenging for the first half of the trip, but once we rounded Race 
Point in Provincetown and headed for the waters off Chatham, conditions 
gradually improved.  By mid-afternoon diminishing winds and partial 
overcast made viewing conditions considerably better.  On the return, a 
magnificent chum slick dutifully prepared and doled out by Krill Carson 
produced some modest concentrations of seabirds.

Overall seabird numbers where quite impressive for early June, most 
notable being the numbers of Northern Gannets and Sooty Shearwaters.  
Without question, the seabird highlight of the day was the sighting of 
two sub-adult Long-tailed Jaegers, a species rare in Massachusetts 
inshore waters at any season.  Also, spectacular and close range views 
of feeding Humpback and Fin whales was especially memorable, as was the 
overall total of individual cetaceans observed.

The species list that follows includes approximations of the birds and 
mammals that were seen and identified by the trip leaders once the trip 
left Plymouth Harbor.  It does not include any species seen in the 
harbor other than four Piping Plovers seen on Plymouth Beach.

Birds:
Common Eider – 1
Common Loon – 4
Greater Shearwater – 80+
Sooty Shearwater – 750+
Manx Shearwater – 8+
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel – 300+
Northern Gannet – 700+
Piping Plover – 4
Parasitic Jaeger – 11
Long-tailed Jaeger – 2
Laughing Gull – 100
Herring Gull – X
Lesser Black-backed Gull – 1
Great Black-backed Gull – X
Common Tern – 300
Black Tern – 2

Cetaceans:
Humpback Whale – 12 including 2 mother and calf pairs (Echo, Apostrophe 
and calf, Nuages, Dusky)
Fin Whale - 9+ - (including one mother and calf pair)
Minke Whale - 6
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin - 20+

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