Saturday June 25 pelagic trip from Marathon.

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Posted by Larry Manfredi on 08:37:56 06/26/05

Twenty-two birders enjoyed a beautiful day on the offshore waters of Marathon; the seas were less than 2-feet. We had lots of sun and a nice breeze to cool things down a little. The offshore waters were almost classy calm affording all twenty-two birders excellent looks at all of the pelagic species encountered, all except one probable species. The winds have been blowing lightly out of the south and southeast for a week or more according to the captain, this moved the Gulf Stream much closer to shore then usual. We left the dock about 8:30 a.m. and headed in the direction of the Marathon Hump 23 miles away. Last year as we traveled through the Mangrove lined channel a few lucky birders were able to observe a MANGROVE CUCKOO fly behind the boat across the channel. We did not see one on this trip but we could hear some distant BLACK-WHISKERED VIREOS singing. It did not take long for us to get out to the reef where the water changes from the green color of the inshore water to the beautiful blue color of the deeper offshore water. As soon as we were in this beautiful blue water eagle-eyed Brennan Mulrooney called out our first of many WILSON S STORM-PETRELS. We observed two birds flying near a boat with a dive flag displayed, this prevented us from coming any closer than 200 feet. We still were able to get pretty good looks at the birds. As we traveled farther we had a couple of Least Terns flying a diving and we encountered more WILSON S STORM-PETRELS. There was a lot of Sargasso Weed where we saw the first of many BRIDLED TERNS, we also observed a Sailfish just under the surface of the water. We later saw what was either a Marlin or another Sailfish swim away from the boat. We also saw a bull Dolphin fish jump several times out of the water that I estimate at around 30 pounds! Along one of these weed lines we had at least two distant views of CORY S SHEARWATER. Later we had many excellent views of AUDUBON S SHEARWATER including a flock of nine sitting in the water allowing close approach.

We had many large flocks of BRIDLED TERN and a few SOOTY TERNS in the area of the Gulf Stream and a few small flocks of AUDUBON S SHEARWATER, as we moved farther out we hit a dead zone with not many birds. When we came in sight of the Marathon Hump, which is easy to see with a dozen or more fishing boats present, we encountered more birds. Here in this deeper offshore water there were more SOOTY TERNS, which out numbered the BRIDLED TERNS, which were more common closer to shore. We were able to see up to three BROWN NODDIES the only ones of the trip in this area. We found a good area to stop the boat where we mixed our bucket of chum to help bring some birds to us. Within about 20-minutes after putting out our chum we had a WILSON S STORM-PETREL come to within about 15 feet of the back of the boat! A little later we had up to 4-WILSON S STORM-PETRELS in view at the same time. We also had a few BRIDLED TERNS come close to the boat. We had hoped for BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL or perhaps a LEACH S STORM-PETREL but we were not lucky for these two species.

After a couple of hours of drifting and chumming we started our journey back to the dock, we had a pretty constant supply of birds in view the entire day. Many more CORY S SHEARWATERS were seen with a few sitting in the water allowing close approach. At one point on the way back there was a probable BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL but it did not come close enough to be sure. At the same time of this sighting, eagle-eyed Brennan Mulrooney saw a white bird sitting on the water about a quarter of a mile away. He saw the bird fly up off the water and gain altitude to about 100 feet above the water. Some of the rest of us were able to see the bird up high but we were not able to see it well enough to know what it was. My best guess is that it was a TROPICBIRD SPECIES! Tropicbirds will sit on the water like this bird did, if we were only able to get closer to the bird to be sure, DARN IT!! The bird did not fly like a tern and was flying very high; it was flying away and at right angles to the boat. There was no way to chase it with a 79-ton wood boat that travels at 10-miles an hour! Oh well I guess the best bird of the day got away from us.

As we got closer to shore we had some more CORY S SHEARWATERS sitting in the water with one GREATER SHEARWATER the only one seen on this trip. It was great seeing these birds sitting side by side for a nice comparison.

Here is a list of birds seen:

CORY S SHEARWATER 17
GREATER SHEARWATER 1
AUDUBON S SHEARWATER 33
WILSON S STORM-PETREL 21
Probable Band-rumped Storm-Petrel 1
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD 3
Probable tropicbird 1
Least Tern 7
Royal Tern 1
BRIDLED TERN 96
SOOTY TERN 40
BROWN NODDY 3

White-crowned Pigeon, Common Myna as well as many Magnificent Frigatebirds were seen on the drive down.

I have two more trips scheduled for July and August for those interested.

Larry Manfredi
Homestead, FL
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http://www.southfloridabirding.com

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Comments:	: Twenty-two birders enjoyed a beautiful day on the offshore waters of Marathon; the seas were less than 2-feet. We had lots of sun and a nice breeze to cool things down a little. The offshore waters were almost classy calm affording all twenty-two birders excellent looks at all of the pelagic species encountered, all except one probable species. The winds have been blowing lightly out of the south and southeast for a week or more according to the captain, this moved the Gulf Stream much closer to shore then usual. We left the dock about 8:30 a.m. and headed in the direction of the Marathon Hump 23 miles away. Last year as we traveled through the Mangrove lined channel a few lucky birders were able to observe a MANGROVE CUCKOO fly behind the boat across the channel. We did not see one on this trip but we could hear some distant BLACK-WHISKERED VIREOS singing. It did not take long for us to get out to the reef where the water changes from the green color of the inshore water to the beautiful blue color of the deeper offshore water. As soon as we were in this beautiful blue water eagle-eyed Brennan Mulrooney called out our first of many WILSON S STORM-PETRELS. We observed two birds flying near a boat with a dive flag displayed, this prevented us from coming any closer than 200 feet. We still were able to get pretty good looks at the birds. As we traveled farther we had a couple of Least Terns flying a diving and we encountered more WILSON S STORM-PETRELS. There was a lot of Sargasso Weed where we saw the first of many BRIDLED TERNS, we also observed a Sailfish just under the surface of the water. We later saw what was either a Marlin or another Sailfish swim away from the boat. We also saw a bull Dolphin fish jump several times out of the water that I estimate at around 30 pounds! Along one of these weed lines we had at least two distant views of CORY S SHEARWATER. Later we had many excellent views of AUDUBON S SHEARWATER including a flock of nine sitting in the water allowing close approach. : : : We had many large flocks of BRIDLED TERN and a few SOOTY TERNS in the area of the Gulf Stream and a few small flocks of AUDUBON S SHEARWATER, as we moved farther out we hit a dead zone with not many birds. When we came in sight of the Marathon Hump, which is easy to see with a dozen or more fishing boats present, we encountered more birds. Here in this deeper offshore water there were more SOOTY TERNS, which out numbered the BRIDLED TERNS, which were more common closer to shore. We were able to see up to three BROWN NODDIES the only ones of the trip in this area. We found a good area to stop the boat where we mixed our bucket of chum to help bring some birds to us. Within about 20-minutes after putting out our chum we had a WILSON S STORM-PETREL come to within about 15 feet of the back of the boat! A little later we had up to 4-WILSON S STORM-PETRELS in view at the same time. We also had a few BRIDLED TERNS come close to the boat. We had hoped for BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL or perhaps a LEACH S STORM-PETREL but we were not lucky for these two species. : : After a couple of hours of drifting and chumming we started our journey back to the dock, we had a pretty constant supply of birds in view the entire day. Many more CORY S SHEARWATERS were seen with a few sitting in the water allowing close approach. At one point on the way back there was a probable BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL but it did not come close enough to be sure. At the same time of this sighting, eagle-eyed Brennan Mulrooney saw a white bird sitting on the water about a quarter of a mile away. He saw the bird fly up off the water and gain altitude to about 100 feet above the water. Some of the rest of us were able to see the bird up high but we were not able to see it well enough to know what it was. My best guess is that it was a TROPICBIRD SPECIES! Tropicbirds will sit on the water like this bird did, if we were only able to get closer to the bird to be sure, DARN IT!! The bird did not fly like a tern and was flying very high; it was flying away and at right angles to the boat. There was no way to chase it with a 79-ton wood boat that travels at 10-miles an hour! Oh well I guess the best bird of the day got away from us. : : : As we got closer to shore we had some more CORY S SHEARWATERS sitting in the water with one GREATER SHEARWATER the only one seen on this trip. It was great seeing these birds sitting side by side for a nice comparison. : : : : Here is a list of birds seen: : : : : CORY S SHEARWATER 17 : GREATER SHEARWATER 1 : AUDUBON S SHEARWATER 33 : WILSON S STORM-PETREL 21 : Probable Band-rumped Storm-Petrel 1 : MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD 3 : Probable tropicbird 1 : Least Tern 7 : Royal Tern 1 : BRIDLED TERN 96 : SOOTY TERN 40 : BROWN NODDY 3 : : White-crowned Pigeon, Common Myna as well as many Magnificent Frigatebirds were seen on the drive down. : : I have two more trips scheduled for July and August for those interested. : : : Larry Manfredi : Homestead, FL : E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net : http://www.southfloridabirding.com : : : : : : : :
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