NC pelagics 8/15-16 - dream yr update

GREGORY.B.MILLER@bge.com
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 15:17:00 -0400


Howdy all!

Able to get all my Gotta-Haves (no unexpected rarities):

   Cory's Shearwater
   Audubon's Shearwater
   Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
   Black-capped Petrel

Many thanks to Brian Patteson and crew!  Year list at 681.  Will update my
web page tomorrow (sleep will be in order this evening <grin>).

Got down to Manteo, NC at 1:30am Saturday morning.  Nobody had any
vacancies.  Slept 3 hrs in my truck in a parking lot near the 7-Eleven.

Hot and sunny both days.  Seas were very calm.  Gulf Stream was unusually
far out (70+ miles).

Met at 5:15am.  Went out 50 miles on Saturday.  Good numbers of Greater,
Cory's (#678), and Audubon's Shearwaters (#679) and large flocks of
Wilson's Storm-Petrels.  Had several Bridled Terns and a Sooty Tern and a
Manx Shearwater.  Only one Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (#680).  First August
North Carolina pelagic I've ever been shutout on Black-capped Petrel in
last 5 yrs.

Actually slept in a real bed Saturday evening.  Hurray!

Met at 5:15am again.  Went all the way out to the Gulf Stream on Sunday (4
hrs).  Outstanding numbers of Band-rumped Storm-Petrels (76).  Lots of
Black-capped Petrels (#681) today, too.  Similar birding as yesterday
otherwise.

Also of note, I found 3 Styrofoam Storm-Petrels (I was looking for
White-faced <grin>) and one Clorox Albatross (tried to make it a distant
Laysan's <ha-ha>).

As an aside, I performed several highly scientific tests.  Pishing does not
appear to attract any pelagic species.  Testing also included Eastern
Screech-Owl and Northern Pygmy-Owl imitations.  Neither of these strategies
worked either (Yes, I'm still tired!!!).

Many thanks to Brian Patteson for making the trek all the way out to the
Gulf Stream on Sunday.  The extra effort was very much appreciated even
though it didn't turn up anything rare.

Greg Miller
Lusby, MD