January 17 - Pelagic trip

My friend Stephanie S. and I took a pelagic trip out of Freeport, NY. The seas were very calm for most of the day and the temperature were fairly warm. It rained in the second half of the day, but thankfully Paul Guris (of paulagics.com) was able to charter a boat with a large roof.

Stephanie was able to get 5 life-birds today, and I was able to get life-looks at Common Murre.
credit: Troy Guy @ thebirdguide.com/pelagics/images/COMU_GUY_1.jpg

I saw well over a dozen of the Common Murres today, as well as, more than a hundred Razorbills with several coming very close to the boat.
Credit: Corey Finger. More of his fantastic images can be seen here: http://10000birds.com/new-york-pelagic.htm

Other highlights were the numerous Black-Legged Kittiwakes, including two immatures sporting the deep-M on their upperwings.
credit: John Sterling @ http://www.cal.net/~ani/CA%20Pelagics.htm
See more of his incredible pelagic images at the website ! !


A pair of Atlantic Puffins were seen, and a 2-second look at a Dovekie which could not be re-located. Immature & Adult Iceland Gulls were nice to see as well.

Nearer to shore we had Common Eider, Harlequins Ducks, and all three Scoter species, with White-Winged being the more common species seen today.