Yesterday, Lysle Brinker and I led the second 1/2-Day Portland Pelagic, sponsored by the Wild Bird Center of Yarmouth and See-Life Paulagics. We enjoyed cool, but fairly calm conditions with, very pleasant seas (1-2 swell at most, light chop. Ed Hess, Luke Seitz, and Bill Sheehan worked as spotters, while Dan Nickerson and Robbie Lambert did the dirty-work of chumming.

The weather was great, the guides were ready to go, and the participants were excited as we boarded the boat, dark and early, at Long Wharf in Portland. We enjoyed a wonderful sunrise over Outer Green Island, and then spent some time sorting through the Common Terns there, looking for Roseate. We then headed farther offshore, steaming southeast to Pollock Nubble, and then south to Boomerang Ledge. Unfortunately, unlike our July trip, birds were frightfully few and far between.

Sunrise over Outer Green Island and Junk of Pork.

Co-leader Lysle on the bow.

In fact, it seemed that the term "biological desert" could be applied most of the time, with the dullness interrupted now and again by a spurt of activity, or a single “good” bird. The tubenose total was particularly poor, although the quality of the looks at Manx Shearwater and one of the Greater Shearwaters made up for some of this. The apparent Parasitic Jaeger was very close, but as most subadult jaegers do, it generated a bit of discussion. Jaeger identification, especially of non-adults, can be very contentious, as much of what we use to sort out the species is rather subjective and/or subtle. This bird, however, was photographed, so the play was under review. This morning, I received photos of the bird from Kirk Rogers, and after further review, the play stands as called on the field.

Apparently Saturday’s strong cold front and NW winds really "swept the area clean" of tubenoses, which unfortunately happens this time of year. Marine mammals were also limited to scatted Harbor Seals and 5 total Harbor Porpoise. A real highlight, however, were 2 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish), one of which was only a few feet off the boat, and providing amazing looks and photo ops.

A really funky fish.

After finding little offshore, we turned inshore, and eventually even into Casco Bay for hauled out Harbor Seals (50+ Mink Rocks, 100+ Inner Green Island), gulls, guillemots, cormorants, etc. We motored north to Half-way Rock, and continued NNE to just south of Bailey's Island. We then turned south, and followed the inner edge of the outer islands of Casco Bay including the west sides of Eagle and Inner Green Islands, the outside of Outer Green Island, and then around Ram Island. While we didn’t expect tubenoses in so close, it was spectacular scenery, history, and at least there were birds to look at!

Halfway Rock.

At least we had gulls coming into the chum now, pulling them off of Halfway Rock. I sure didn't want to take that bait home!

The looks at Manx Shearwaters, the one Greater Shearwater – that was being chased by the Parasitic Jaeger in fact – and the Mola Mola were definitely highlights of the trip. But, overall the proverbial needles were few and far between in the proverbial haystack today

But, this is the nature of pelagic birding. It is certainly searching for needles in a very vast haystack. Sometime you hit it – as we did in July. Other times, you don’t – as in yesterday. However, calm seas and pleasant weather made for a very enjoyable day, for me at least. A slow day of birding on the water is a heckuva lot better than most other things that I could have been doing (like work!)

The following report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org):
Location: offshore
Observation date: 8/19/07
Number of bird species: 30

Common Eider X
Black Scoter 1
Common Loon 9
Greater Shearwater 2
Manx Shearwater 4 - 2 very close birds; great looks.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 1 - I'm not sure if I've ever seen ONE
Wilson's Storm-Petrel!
Northern Gannet 18
Double-crested Cormorant X
Great Blue Heron 3
Osprey 6
Northern Harrier 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Ruddy Turnstone 18
Least Sandpiper 19 - Plus 11 Unidentified Peep and 4 unidentified shorebirds.
Parasitic Jaeger 1 - Subadult bird harassing Greater Shearwater. Very close to boat, crippling views. Some debate on id (Parasitic vs Pom), awaiting photos to be sent...stay tuned.
Laughing Gull 45
Bonaparte's Gull 4
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Common Tern 150 - 100+ over Outer Green Island
Black Guillemot 56
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Yellow Warbler 1
American Goldfinch 1