A pelagic tour

A pelagic tour for us birders is when we go out to sea to spot birds that live primarily on the ocean.  These birds have to go on various islands, typically, to lay eggs and breed.  Otherwise, they live on the open Ocean.

Wait a minute! You might say.  Is there not enough birds on solid ground for birders to see? Let me put it this way.  Is there were birds on the moon, we'll be organizing lunar trips to check them out.  We're BIRDERS!!! From the Hawaiian Islands to Madagascar, Ecuador to Australia, we'd love to see as many birds as possible.  So, going to the Gulf Stream to see few more species is almost like going next door. (I'm just getting started).

Actually, we also did see dolphins, big sea turtles, flying fishes, a pretty sunrise... did I just write "pretty sunrise"? Oh yes, we were 100 miles in the Ocean before sunrise.  That means we left at 3:00 a.m. in the night.  That means we had very little sleep...but we were all excited.

As tired as some were, as seasick as some others were, when someone cries out BIRDS, BIRDS! everyone gets out and scan the sky with their binoculars, looking for the rare bird: Black-capped Petrel, Cory's Shearwater, Audubon Shearwater, Brown Booby, Sooty Tern, Long-tailed Jaeger...we're in pelagic paradise.  I picked up eight life birds. (A life bird is a bird species you see for the first time in your life).  

Sometimes, it's just perfectly fine to contemplate the Ocean and let pleasant thoughts and ideas come over you. Would be great in perfect solitude out in the Ocean, but birders make great company and we were in very good company.   

A Brown Booby with various Terns facing us

 There were navy towers in the Ocean where birds can come and rest if they want or get their picture taken by humans.  When they see us coming, they line up in perfect row looking in the same direction as in this next picture...and they smile.  They can feel intelligent humans are around, "let's pose" they whisper.

Line up and smile for the pictures, birdies!

All...turn around! Good. The captain is watching above.

Some quick credits.  Trey McCuen put the trip together with the help of Mark McShane.  (I'm sure others have helped Trey).  Michael Brothers was the tour leader.  Trey kept good communication with everyone in the group and Michael was superb in describing the birds, pointing them out, attentive to everyone's inquisitive need about the birds.  Thanks, Trey, and everyone who helped you.

Rebecca Byrd put in a dedicated effort to compile all the data from the tour with all the birds seen, exact spots with GPS coordinates and times, sea depth, wind direction and speed... and submit to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology after sharing with birders on the tour.  What a team!

Jason Shellenberger and Jeremy Brown took some great pictures.  (I have not used these pictures for this blog post).  

Before you know it, it was time to get back to land.  That was a great pelagic trip, a first for Debbie and me, and unforgettable.