Grand Manan Pelagic Birding

Date:  August 30, 2008
Leader:  Jim Wilson (with Captain Peter Wilcox and Mate Durlan Ingersoll from Sea Watch Tours)

The much-anticipated voyage from Grand Manan to the Grand Manan Banks took place yesterday with a calm sea and comfortable temperatures. Forty-one enthusiastic birders were on board including First Mate Durlan Ingersoll. We sailed out of Seal Cove at 10 AM and got home about 6:15 PM. (Trip map, based on GPS route, courtesy of Richard Blacquiere).

Everything cooperated yesterday except the herring, which have been scarce around Grand Manan this summer and seemed even scarcer once we arrived at Northeast Bank around 12:45 PM. When herring are abundant there are loads of seabirds: when they aren't, the birds are scarce or absent. That was the case yesterday.

But despite a general lack of seabirds there were some of many species, so we were treated to great looks at most of the expected seabirds and to some that were new to certain birders. The most unexpected bird of the day wasn't an exotic seabird from the south - it was from the north, as noted below.

Here's a short estimate of the number of birds seen while we were at sea:

COMMON LOON (Plongeon huard) = 1

GREATER SHEARWATER (Puffin majeur) = 55

SOOTY SHEARWATER (Puffin fuligineux) = 10

WILSON'S STORM-PETREL (Oceanite de Wilson) = 100 (picture, below)

NORTHERN GANNET (Fou de Bassin) = 60

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Cormoran a aigrettes) = 1

SANDERLING (Becasseau sanderling) = 3

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Phalarope a bec etroit) = 20

RED PHALAROPE (Phalarope a bec large) = 8

POMARINE JAEGER (Labbe pomarin) = 5 (pictures, below)

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL (Oceanite cul-blanc) = 25

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (adults) (Goeland brun) = 3 (pictures, below)

Note the yellow legs, particularly in contrast with the pinkish legs of the nearby Herring Gulls in the picture below.

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Mouette tridactyle) = 30

COMMON TERN (Sterne pierregarin) = 1

DOVEKIE !! (Mergule nain) = 1

COMMON MURRE (Guillemot marmette) = 1

RAZORBILL (Petit Pingouin) = 35

ATLANTIC PUFFIN (Macareux moine) = 12

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Colibri a gorge rubis) = 1

Birds such as the RED PHALAROPE and LEACH'S STORM-PETREL are usually hard to see closer to Grand Manan but at the Banks we had no trouble finding some of each.

The most surprising bird came on the return voyage after a shout from Kenneth Edwards that he thought he had seen a DOVEKIE on the water a few moments before. Captain Wilcox quickly turned the boat and we went back to search. After a bit of scanning we spotted it and eventually all got decent looks at this tiniest of the alcids, a bird in summer plumage that should have been in the sea somewhere off the west coast of Greenland at this season. Several of the group got photos, which I believe may be the first pictures of a Dovekie in New Brunswick waters during the summer months.

There have been occasional summer sight reports of this species over the years, but the possibility always exists that some were chicks of other alcids such as Razorbill or Common Murre. I note there was also one photographed off the coast of Maine this summer for another very rare record of this northern species that nests in Greenland and usually migrates to our latitude only as early as late October.

 

The eight relatively uncommon RED PHALAROPES (picture, below) provided good looks to most and several of the LEACH'S STORM-PETRELS were attracted to some "potent" (that's one word) fish oil provided by Durlan from the dregs of a local lobster bait box.

Aside from the birds we were treated to close looks at a cruising BASKING SHARK on our way down and to two of four HUMPBACK WHALES on our return (top two pictures, below).

 

 

In addition we spent some quality time with a group of perhaps 60 WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS that swam close to (and under) the boat and provided great photo opportunities (rather blurred picture, below).

 

As I said to several people on the trip home, I've been going on various voyages to the waters off Grand Manan for 30+ years and every one is a unique experience. This one was no exception and although the birds were not as numerous as most years, it had many delightful moments that serve to illustrate once again just how rich a gem the Bay of Fundy is to sea life.

I'd like to have another 30 to enjoy!

I think everyone had a good time and the time and effort was well worth it.

Jim Wilson