Cost: $100 per person for BBC members/$120 per person for nonmembers
**IMPORTANT: EACH PERSON IN YOUR PARTY MUST SUBMIT THIS REGISTRATION FORM SEPARATELY**
When/where: Saturday, November 18, 2023 (rain date for bad weather Nov 19, 2023) pelagic trip on the Helen H leaves from Hyannis, Massachusetts at 7:00 a.m. We plan to return to Hyannis around 4:00 p.m.
Cancellations: Due to weather conditions, the captain of the Helen H sometimes cancels the trip if the sea conditions are too rough. We have a scheduled rain date of Nov 19, 2023. Please keep your calendar open on both days. We will keep you informed as soon as we know about the status of the trip. The captain will typically make a decision about weather once the marine forecast becomes available – Tuesday/Wednesday before the trip, but it can be cancelled even later than that.
If you can’t make the trip, please let us know. Unless you have cancelled your registration one month before the trip, we will have to charge you. If there is someone on the waiting list who can take your place, we can issue you a refund.
What should I bring: Since the weather varies greatly from trip to trip, bring an assortment of rain and warm clothes; sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat; water and snacks; anti-nausea pills; and cameras and binoculars.
The boat: The Helen H, a 100 foot aluminum deep sea fishing boat powered by a fast 2700 Horsepower engine, is a Coast Guard approved deep sea fishing boat. The cabin has several fixed tables and benches, while the deck and sides have many long benches. Between the bow, deck and sides, there are many places to view birds. There are two toilets on the boat.
The birds: Every trip is different, and November can offer a range of species. Often there are spectacular congregations of sea ducks in Nantucket Sound – tens of thousands are possible. It is a real wildlife spectacle. Winter gulls may be around (Iceland, Glaucous, Lesser Black-backed, Black-legged Kittiwake), as may Northern Gannets and Northern Fulmar. As we get to the Nantucket Shoals, a shallow, sandy-bottomed area southeast of Nantucket, there should be lingering shearwaters (Manx, Great, Cory’s, Sooty) and storm-petrels (Wilson’s and Leach’s) with the possibility of jaegers (Parasitic, Pomerine) or even a skua. Alcids are tough but possible, depending on the year. There are opportunities to see a number of other sea creatures as well – whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, Mola-mola, Tuna, and Portuguese Mano-war.
News Categories
Upcoming Field Trips
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Millennium Park
Boston - Millennium Park Canoe Launch 300 Gardner Street, Boston, MA, United StatesJoin us to look for birds in a unique urban habitat that often draws numerous uncommon and rare birds. Birders of all levels will enjoy this trip. The trails are flat and easy to walk. We may offer optional 30-60 minute trip extensions to adjacent locations such as West Roxbury High School Marsh and/or Brook [...]
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CANCELLED – Sconticut Neck and West Island, Fairhaven
Fairhaven - Sconticut Neck and West Island 209 Huttleston Ave,, Fairhaven, MA, United StatesThis trip is CANCELLED due to weather conditions.
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Belle Isle Marsh and Vicinity
East Boston - Belle Isle Parking Lot 1399 Bennington Street, Boston, MA, United StatesLed by DCR staff. We will search on foot up to one mile, on flat, easy terrain for snowy owls and other raptors, native sparrows, finches, waterfowl, and other birds. This is a traveling program by car or bike. Prepare for ticks. Ages: Adults and kids 8 years+ with adult chaperone. Binoculars recommended. ADA/Reasonable Accommodations [...]
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Early Birders @ Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Boston
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Race Point Beach
Provincetown - Race Point BeachLet’s start the year with some awesome birds! We will bird from the beach close to the parking lot. We may walk the beach depending on participants interest. Several species of alcids are possible as well as gannets, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls and three loon species. Dress for cold windy weather. We may try other [...]






