Gulf of Mexico
Pelagic Birding
Trip
Reports
May 23, 2004
This pelagic trip was into the waters of the Northeastern
Gulf of Mexico. We left the port of Destin, Florida at 5am; winds
were very light with clear to only slightly cloudy skies, and the
sea was incredibly calm, with 1.3 foot seas at 100 miles offshore.
A 12 hour tour netted a total of 8 - 10 species. As this area is very
new to pelagic birding, probables are included.
Birds seen at sea:
Audubon's Shearwater (5)
Sooty Shearwater (Probable, 1)
Greater Shearwater (Probable, 1)
Wilson's Storm-petrel (3)
Band-rumped Storm-petrel (28)
unidentified Storm-petrel spp. (3)
Parasitic Jaeger, light phase Adult (1)
Common Tern (3)
Black Tern (8)
Bridled Tern (4)
Other birds seen offshore included several Laughing
Gulls (at distances of up to 50 miles from shore), 2 flocks of probable
Cattle Egrets (9 birds total), and several sightings of Barn Swallow.
A Common Loon was seen in the Destin Pass as we made our way to sea,
and a Gray Kingbird was chattering overhead at the docks.
Other wildlife observed included Bottlenose Dolphin
(both the inshore, and a large pod (25+) of the offshore variety),
2 possible Clymene Dolphins, a Leatherback Sea Turtle (est 5-7 feet
long), a 7-8 foot Hammerhead Shark, and many Portugese Man-o-War.
Overall, this was a very good trip, with many sightings occuring at
or below the horizon due to extremely gentle weather conditions. Four
of the Audubon's Shearwaters were flushed off the surface at a range
of less than 100 yards.
August
22, 2004
The destination for the day was De Soto Canyon, a
deep water area - over 1000ft - starting about 60 miles off shore.
This area has not been birded before. The tour left Destin Harbor
at 5am, and as first viewable light was a little after 6am, no inshore
species were seen on the way out. The trip to the canyon took 5 hours
as opposed to 4 1/2, as a mechanical problem had forced a change in
boats. Skies were clear, and the day became hot, with no wind. Seas
were calm, with swells about one foot. As we approached and well within
the canyon we laid out three chum slicks with popcorn, mashed herring,
herring oil, and "catch trash" - the remains of fish brought
in to the docks for several days. We stayed at each slick for 15-30
minutes, and motored to the next site to start a new slick. Then we
turned around, and visited each slick as we came back out of the canyon.
Bird numbers overall were low. Despite a significant
upwelling centered just to the west of the canyon, and a good temperature
gradient present to the northeast of the canyon, we could no find
blue water. The water was a murky green-brown, with many dead water
hyacinths, a result of the influx of huge amounts of freshwater entering
the Gulf due to heavy rains over the previous few days. This created
a further vertical cline with two different water salinities, and
birds were few and far between. Big game fisherman were needing to
travel to 140 miles offshore to find fish, highly unusual.
Despite the low numbers, the birding was still good,
and portends well for future trips into the area when water conditions
are better.
Birds seen at sea:
Black Tern (15)
Common Tern (1)
Dark-backed (Sooty/Bridled) Tern (2, seen at distance)
Laughing Gull (1)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (4)
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (10+)
Cory's Shearwater (4)
Red-billed Tropicbird (1), immature molting to adult plumage. The
streamers were only just longer than the tail.
White-tailed Tropicbird (1), immature
Both tropic birds courteously flew slowly to, and over, the boat
for us.
Numerous common terns and gulls were seen in-shore as we returned
to the harbor, and a barn swallow was seen well off-shore.
A 25-30' Whale Shark was present in our first chum
slick as we returned from the canyon. All on board had lengthy and
excellent views of this, the largest living fish, directly along side
the boat just under the surface. Mola mola fins broke the surface,
again in our chum slick. Spotted dolphins surfed the boat's bow wave
on several occasions, and bottlenosed dolphins were also seen.
contact 850 586 BIRD or monkpiper@aol.com
for more information or to book a trip
