Leaders: Peter Flood, Liam Waters, Keenan Yakola
BBC trip organizers: Naeem Yusuff, Bobbie Hodson, Sebastian Jones
Data compiled by P. Flood; eBird lists and trip report by S. Jones
Nearly cancelled due to weather and the approaching Tropical Storm Franklin, we braved fog, rain and occasional bumpy waters and were rewarded. 56 hardy birders departed Hyannis early Monday morning aboard the Helen H, heading out beyond the Nantucket Shoals to Veatch, Nantucket and Atlantis Canyons before dropping anchor at the latter for the night. The next morning we continued west through occasional showers before heading north between Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and back to port by 5pm.
Trip highlights included:
3 White-faced Storm-Petrel
1 South Polar Skua
At least 6 Long-tailed Jaegers
4 Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
2 Leach’s Storm-Petrel
At least 78 Audubon’s Shearwater
We were also treated to a number of migrating shorebirds (Red Knot, Least, Semipalmated and Spotted Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs) and a few passerines including a Prothonotary Warbler, bizarrely the second year in a row one had approached the Helen H while anchored overnight.
Other wildlife seen during our trip included:
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Manta Ray sp.
Fin Whale
Bottlenose Dolphin
Common Dolphin
Mola Mola
Thanks to the overnight fishing efforts of the crew and some trip participants, we were fortunate to have the option of taking home some delicious Yellowfin Tuna once we returned to port.
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