Hi all,
Mark Kosiewski reports from North Carolina (trip was on Sunday 2/24):
"Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS, and very high
number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the 1000 range
for Razorbills, along with several hundred Dovekies. Other great birds
included several Manx Shearwaters, a single Black-capped Petrel, an adult
Iceland Gull, and a small flock of Red Phalaropes. The best bird of trip
had to be GREAT SKUA, of which two were seen."
Mike Burchett
Ocean Pines, MD
A small group of Triangle birders, including Ed Corey, Nick Flanders, Elisa
Enders, Paul Taillie, Scott Winton, and myself, did a pelagic trip out of
Hatteras on Sunday. Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS,
and very high number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the
1000 range for Razorbills, along with several hundred Dovekies. Other great
birds included several Manx Shearwaters, a single Black-capped Petrel, an
adult Iceland Gull, and a small flock of Red Phalaropes. The best bird of
trip had to be GREAT SKUA, of which two were seen. Several Loggerhead Sea
Turtles were also seen.A bit of drama unfolded as we came upon a lone
Dovekie, hunkered down in its distinctive manner near Brian Patteson's
boat. As we passed little critter, a Herring Gull snatched it off the
surface. The Dovekie managed to wiggle away and dive, only to pop up again
amongst a trio of Great Black-backed Gulls. He was plucked from the water
again by one of these marauding gulls, and a melee ensued involving scores
of hungry birds. The Dovekie was ultimately swallowed whole by a Northern
Gannet in flight. It's rough out there.
On Saturday we hiked out to Cape Point, where there were hundreds of gulls
on the beach, but we couldn't turn up a rarity. A Manx Shearwater was
spotted from the shore. Five or six Razorbills were seen dead on the beach,
along with a freshly dead Gannet.On Monday, Scott Winton and I had four
SNOW BUNTINGS at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Details of those birds are in
an earlier post. I got back to the Piedmont just in time to miss the
Northern Lapwing, which had flown away not five minutes before I arrived.
Nature giveth, but she also taketh away.
Mark KosiewskiPittsboro, NC - See more at:
http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=361268&MLID=NzC&MLNM=North%20and%20South%20Carolina#sthash.kq7dMp3P.dpuf
day. Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS, and very high
number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the 1000 range
for Razorbills, a - See more at:
http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=361268&MLID=NzC&MLNM=North%20and%20South%20Carolina#sthash.kq7dMp3P.dpuf
A small group of Triangle birders, including Ed Corey, Nick Flanders, Elisa
Enders, Paul Taillie, Scott Winton, and myself, did a pelagic trip out of
Hatteras on Sunday. Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS,
and very high number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the
1000 range for Razorbills, along with several hundred Dovekies. Other great
birds included several Manx Shearwaters, a single Black-capped Petrel, an
adult Iceland Gull, and a small flock of Red Phalaropes. The best bird of
trip had to be GREAT SKUA, of which two were seen. Several Loggerhead Sea
Turtles were also seen.A bit of drama unfolded as we came upon a lone
Dovekie, hunkered down in its distinctive manner near Brian Patteson's
boat. As we passed little critter, a Herring Gull snatched it off the
surface. The Dovekie managed to wiggle away and dive, only to pop up again
amongst a trio of Great Black-backed Gulls. He was plucked from the water
again by one of these marauding gulls, and a melee ensued involving scores
of hungry birds. The Dovekie was ultimately swallowed whole by a Northern
Gannet in flight. It's rough out there.
On Saturday we hiked out to Cape Point, where there were hundreds of gulls
on the beach, but we couldn't turn up a rarity. A Manx Shearwater was
spotted from the shore. Five or six Razorbills were seen dead on the beach,
along with a freshly dead Gannet.On Monday, Scott Winton and I had four
SNOW BUNTINGS at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Details of those birds are in
an earlier post. I got back to the Piedmont just in time to miss the
Northern Lapwing, which had flown away not five minutes before I arrived.
Nature giveth, but she also taketh away.
Mark KosiewskiPittsboro, NC - See more at:
http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=361268&MLID=NzC&MLNM=North%20and%20South%20Carolina#sthash.kq7dMp3P.dpuf
A small group of Triangle birders, including Ed Corey, Nick Flanders, Elisa
Enders, Paul Taillie, Scott Winton, and myself, did a pelagic trip out of
Hatteras on Sunday. Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS,
and very high number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the
1000 range for Razorbills, along with several hundred Dovekies. Other great
birds included several Manx Shearwaters, a single Black-capped Petrel, an
adult Iceland Gull, and a small flock of Red Phalaropes. The best bird of
trip had to be GREAT SKUA, of which two were seen. Several Loggerhead Sea
Turtles were also seen.A bit of drama unfolded as we came upon a lone
Dovekie, hunkered down in its distinctive manner near Brian Patteson's
boat. As we passed little critter, a Herring Gull snatched it off the
surface. The Dovekie managed to wiggle away and dive, only to pop up again
amongst a trio of Great Black-backed Gulls. He was plucked from the water
again by one of these marauding gulls, and a melee ensued involving scores
of hungry birds. The Dovekie was ultimately swallowed whole by a Northern
Gannet in flight. It's rough out there.
On Saturday we hiked out to Cape Point, where there were hundreds of gulls
on the beach, but we couldn't turn up a rarity. A Manx Shearwater was
spotted from the shore. Five or six Razorbills were seen dead on the beach,
along with a freshly dead Gannet.On Monday, Scott Winton and I had four
SNOW BUNTINGS at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Details of those birds are in
an earlier post. I got back to the Piedmont just in time to miss the
Northern Lapwing, which had flown away not five minutes before I arrived.
Nature giveth, but she also taketh away.
Mark KosiewskiPittsboro, NC - See more at:
http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=361268&MLID=NzC&MLNM=North%20and%20South%20Carolina#sthash.kq7dMp3P.dpuf
A small group of Triangle birders, including Ed Corey, Nick Flanders, Elisa
Enders, Paul Taillie, Scott Winton, and myself, did a pelagic trip out of
Hatteras on Sunday. Highlights included at least a dozen ATLANTIC PUFFINS,
and very high number of alcids in general. Unofficial estimates were in the
1000 range for Razorbills, along with several hundred Dovekies. Other great
birds included several Manx Shearwaters, a single Black-capped Petrel, an
adult Iceland Gull, and a small flock of Red Phalaropes. The best bird of
trip had to be GREAT SKUA, of which two were seen. Several Loggerhead Sea
Turtles were also seen.A bit of drama unfolded as we came upon a lone
Dovekie, hunkered down in its distinctive manner near Brian Patteson's
boat. As we passed little critter, a Herring Gull snatched it off the
surface. The Dovekie managed to wiggle away and dive, only to pop up again
amongst a trio of Great Black-backed Gulls. He was plucked from the water
again by one of these marauding gulls, and a melee ensued involving scores
of hungry birds. The Dovekie was ultimately swallowed whole by a Northern
Gannet in flight. It's rough out there.
On Saturday we hiked out to Cape Point, where there were hundreds of gulls
on the beach, but we couldn't turn up a rarity. A Manx Shearwater was
spotted from the shore. Five or six Razorbills were seen dead on the beach,
along with a freshly dead Gannet.On Monday, Scott Winton and I had four
SNOW BUNTINGS at Jockey's Ridge State Park. Details of those birds are in
an earlier post. I got back to the Piedmont just in time to miss the
Northern Lapwing, which had flown away not five minutes before I arrived.
Nature giveth, but she also taketh away.
Mark KosiewskiPittsboro, NC - See more at:
http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=361268&MLID=NzC&MLNM=North%20and%20South%20Carolina#sthash.kq7dMp3P.dpuf
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