Virginia Beach Pelagic Trip

David Smith (lacsmith@erols.com)
Mon, 14 Sep 1998 18:20:46 -0400 

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Nine of us from Frederick County MOS joined Brian Patteson's pelagic =
trip out of Virginia Beach, VA on the same day as the Armas Hill trip =
out of Lewes, DE. Our group fared far better it seems. We eventually =
made it out 80 miles to the continental shelf drop off and birded a =
large Gulf Stream spin-off eddy. The weather was hot, sunny, and mostly =
calm. Seas were less than three feet. My list below is conservative. =
Brian was in the captains cabin above and had higher totals of =
shearwaters, Wilson's Storm-Petrels and terns for the official trip =
list. Ned Brinkly was one of the spotters on deck. Most birds (except =
terns) were floating on the water and allowed close approach before =
flying. Our list included:
Birds
Cory's Shearwater - >25
Greater Shearwater - 10-15
Audubon's Shearwater - 3
Wilson's Storm-Petrel - 20+
Leach's Storm Petrel - 1
Great Blue Heron - 2
Great Egret - 1
Sanderling - 1
Red-necked Phalarope - 15-20
Pomarine Jaeger - 1 dark juv.
Parasitic Jaeger - 1 juv. (actually observed on return to port just off =
beach of Fort Story chasing a tern)
Long-tailed Jaeger - 1 light juv.
SABINE'S GULL - juv. (obs. on water at close range; eight Va. record)
Common Tern - 10+
Bridled Tern - >15
Black Tern - >25
Northern Flicker - 1 (dead in water)
Marsh Wren - 1 (landed on boat briefly)
Connecticut Warbler - 1 (flew up to boat, then away)
Mammals
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 2
Pilot Whale - >15
Fish
Manta Ray - 1 (leaping)
Pelagic Cow-nosed Ray - 1
Ocean Sunfish - 3
Butterflies
Cloudless Sulphur

It was well worth the 14 hour boat ride!

David R. Smith



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Nine of us from Frederick County MOS = joined=20 Brian Patteson's pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach, VA on the same day = as the=20 Armas Hill trip out of Lewes, DE. Our group fared far better it seems. = We=20 eventually made it out 80 miles to the continental shelf drop off and = birded a=20 large Gulf Stream spin-off eddy. The weather was hot, sunny, and mostly = calm.=20 Seas were less than three feet. My list below is conservative. Brian was = in the=20 captains cabin above and had higher totals of shearwaters, Wilson's=20 Storm-Petrels and terns for the official trip list. Ned Brinkly was one = of the=20 spotters on deck. Most birds (except terns) were floating on the water = and=20 allowed close approach before flying. Our list included:
Birds
Cory's Shearwater - = >25
Greater Shearwater - = 10-15
Audubon's Shearwater - = 3
Wilson's Storm-Petrel - = 20+
Leach's Storm Petrel - = 1
Great Blue Heron - 2
Great Egret - 1
Sanderling - 1
Red-necked Phalarope - = 15-20
Pomarine Jaeger - 1 dark = juv.
Parasitic Jaeger - 1 juv. (actually = observed on=20 return to port just off beach of Fort Story chasing a tern)
Long-tailed Jaeger - 1 light = juv.
SABINE'S GULL - juv. (obs. on water = at close=20 range; eight Va. record)
Common Tern - 10+
Bridled Tern - >15
Black Tern - >25
Northern Flicker - 1 (dead in=20 water)
Marsh Wren - 1 (landed on boat=20 briefly)
Connecticut Warbler - 1 (flew up to = boat, then=20 away)
Mammals
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - = 2
Pilot Whale - >15
Fish
Manta Ray - 1 (leaping)
Pelagic Cow-nosed Ray - 1
Ocean Sunfish - 3
Butterflies
Cloudless Sulphur
 
It was well worth the 14 hour boat = ride!
 
David R. Smith
 
 
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