Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 22:44:33 -0500
Reply-To: Bob Zaremba <bobzarem@PRODIGY.NET>
Sender: Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Bob Zaremba <bobzarem@PRODIGY.NET>
Subject: GOS Pelagic Trip Results from Sunday
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
The Sunday GOS Pelagic trip went very well today. I'll post the highlights
tonight and a more detailed trip report in a few days. There were 12
participants on the boat today, and I think everyone had a good time. We
spent most of the day within 25 miles from shore, checking the reefs and
live bottom areas. As you would expect for a winter pelagic, we had big
numbers of Common Loons and Northern Gannets. These were the most abundant
birds seen all day. Early in the morning, we were lucky to come up on a
group of RED PHALAROPE close to the boat, so everyone got great looks at
them. Over the course of the day, we saw a lot more small flocks but none
as close to the boat. The birding highlights of the day came on our way
back to the dock. Captain Steve Amick found a nice group of birds over some
bait fish about 6 miles from shore. The group was predominately Common
Loons, Northern Gannet and Bonapartes' Gulls, but as we approached we also
were able to pick out three MANX SHEARWATERS in the group. We were able to
get good photos of these birds. The next surprise was a PARASITIC JAEGER
that quickly flew past the boat. We also had a nice group of about 175
BLACK SCOTER and one SURF SCOTER fly by while we were admiring the Manx
Shearwatrers. Steve made a second pass on the large group of birds, and
this time we noticed a smaller loon in the large group of Common Loons. We
got closer and were able to photograph a PACIFIC LOON in the big group!
Very cool! As we continued in, we passed numerous RED-THROATED LOONS. On
the way back to dock, we made a pass on the rock jetty in the channel and we
found 8 PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the rocks. This was a great find, since there
hadn't been any found on the beach or the jetty near the Tybee Lighthouse
all weekend. Along with the Purple Sandpipers were large number of Ruddy
Turnstones, Sanderlings, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, and the expected other
species. We could also see a very large number of WHITE PELICANS over on
the SC side of the river.
This turned out to be a great trip and several of the participants were able
to record life and state birds!
Thanks go out to Bill Lotz and Russ Wigh for organizing the trips, Pierre
Howard for his leadership on the boast, and of course to Steve Amick and
Johnny (the mate) for doing a great job of getting us on the birds.
Bob Zaremba
Marietta, GA
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