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Some people had looks at a Cory's Shearwater early and a Leach's Storm-Petrel as well. I missed both!!! I've seen them before, but would've liked them for my year list!!
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We had PLENTY of Wilson's Storm-Petrels!! Especially after we chummed with some dogfish livers. They really came in in droves after that was in the water!
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At times we had a hundred Storm-Petrels around the boat, but the night-hawk like flight of the Leach's failed to be seen, nor the elusive Band-rumped Storm-Petrel! Bummer
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Despite the smell, the deckhands got right in there and cut it all up sans gloves!!!
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We got some great looks at Great Shearwaters!! People still have a hard time not saying Greater, but it doesn't really matter anyway!
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Here's one with some Wilson's Storm-Petrels behind it
We had some excitement when from the upper deck came shouts of "Tropical Tern Tropical Tern!!!" What was meant by this was a brown backed Tern of Tropical origins, namely a Sooty or a Bridled Tern. I got on the bird right away, but it was a little far out for me to get a telling look at the head. I saw the back color well, and the white under parts, but for my lifer Bridled Tern, I wasn't willing to call it. Bummer!!! Someone got a photo, and the leaders were able to confirm the ID as a Bridled Tern, but I'm conservative with my lifers. I don't count heard only lifers either! I'm a birdwatcher, I like to see them. Heard only for a daily list is different, that's about noting detections, but a life list for me is a special thing, and I want to see my lifers well!
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Seen well, like this Great Shearwater!!
Even though the trip didn't yield too many rarities it was still a great time, and provided 40 birders the chance to get to know each other in close quarters and put faces to the names floating around on the net, and a chance to get really familiar with hard to see pelagic birds, and only a couple people puked. We also saw lots of cool Fin Whales and dolphins, and a Basking Shark and a huge Logger-head Sea Turtle. But as Jan would say NFF!!
The day ended with a wonderful sunset over Block Island, and we said our goodbyes.
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Birding is wicked fun!!!
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