Posted by Toe on December 04, 2015 at 04:36:09
It's not often I get to pick up a county bird, and even less often one that's a county bird for Larry M as well. We did a really short notice pelagic trip yesterday with what seemed like a good forecast, but turned out to be much rougher conditions. We started out off Elliot Key and the strong north current took us past Fowey Rocks light. While off Fowey in 750' of water we drifted upon a Red Phalarope that was very cooperative. Unlike their relative the Red-necked Phalarope, which migrates past our shores to waters farther south, and is sometimes seen inland during migration, the Red Phalaropes typically winter much farther north off the Atlantic Coast. This was my first in the county, although I've seen it off Jacksonville. It was a life bird for some on board. We also had Brown Booby in good numbers, Audubon Shearwaters, Pomarine Jaeger, and another jaeger that stayed to far to ID.