[MASSBIRD] NH Audubon fall Pelagic Birding Trip
Jon Woolf
Listfolk,
Today is summer, but soon it will be fall, which
means it'll soon be time for NH Audubon's fall Pelagic Birding
Trip.
Like last year, we're going out on the day after Labor Day.
This year, that's September 3rd. Otherwise, the plan should be
quite familiar:
WHAT: NH Audubon Fall Pelagic Birding Expedition
WHEN: Tuesday, September 3, the day after Labor Day.
WHERE: From Rye Harbor into offshore waters and out to Jeffreys
Ledge
WHERE TO MEET: Dockside at Rye Harbor, 7:30AM
The plan hasn't changed from previous years: depart from Rye
Harbor about 8:00AM aboard the MV Granite State, and
spend the day at sea, returning to port between 5:00 and
5:30PM. We'll search the waters along Jeffreys Ledge for
whatever seabirds (and other interesting things) we can find.
Steve Mirick will lead and narrate, while our hosts are Pete
Reynolds and his expert crew of whale and bird-watchers.
What can we expect to see? Well, previous fall trips have
produced shearwaters of all four expected species (Great, Sooty,
Cory's, Manx), along with Northern Gannets, Wilson's
Storm-petrels, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, Common Terns, and
several jaegers of at least two and maybe three different
species. All are equally likely this time, and we might well
add a few more. Past September pelagic trips have also found
many different species of cetaceans: Fin, Minke, Right, and
Humpback whales, Harbor Porpoises, Atlantic White-sided
Dolphins, and once a real rarity: a Sperm Whale on the outer
edge of Jeffreys Ledge.
What to Bring: Binoculars and bird guide, of course. Bring a
lunch if you like. A digital camera if you have one -- these
trips often produce spectacular photo opportunities for birds,
whales, and dolphins. Weather on the open water is
unpredictable: sometimes hot, sometimes rather chilly. Prepare
for both. Certainly bring sunscreen and sunglasses. Bring
motion-sickness pills if you're vulnerable to seasickness. Granite
State's seating is mostly wooden benches, so a seat
cushion might be a good idea if you have trouble with sitting on
hard surfaces.
We need a minimum of 30 people to pay for the trip. We've set a
maximum of 50 so that the boat doesn't get too crowded. Cost is
$70 for NH Audubon members, $90 for non-members. To sign up,
contact Massabesic Audubon Center (phone 603-668-2045, email
m...@nhaudubon.org). Contact either MAC or me with any
questions you might have.
Thanks to all who have made these trips a success over the
years, and to those who join us in future.
See you on board!
-- Jon Woolf
Manchester, NH
(Massabesic Audubon Center Programming Committee)