[Tweeters] Highlights from my first Westport Pelagic / Proof of Hudsonian

[Ned McGarry]

When's the last time you got 15 life birds in one day?   I can remember the 
experience like it was yesterday.  Because it was!!!!

Nevermind about the occasional rain shower.  Nevermind about getting seasick 
despite the patch behind my ear.  It was a great day.

Thanks to the spotters on the Monte Carlo for a rewarding and productive 
experience!  We successfully sighted all of my 12 target birds that were 
likely to be seen including . . .

Black-footed Albatross
Northern Fulmar
Pink-footed Shearwater
Buller's Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Fork-Tailed Storm-Petrel
Parasitic Jaeger
Pomerine Jaeger
South Polar Skua
Sabine's Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Cassin's Auklet

Photos of some of these birds are available at . . . 
http://www.pbase.com/nmcgarry/pelagics

I'll leave it to someone else to provided a detailed list of all birds seen.

Returning into Westport Marina, we observed the group of Godwits there that 
included a single Bar-tailed (lifer #13) and a single Hudsonian (lifer #14). 
I wasn't sure if I got a shot with the Hudsonian's wing up, but it turns out 
I did.  http://www.pbase.com/nmcgarry/godwit

A quick visit to Bottle Beach on the way home turned up various routine 
peeps.  Also managed proximate looks at Black-bellied Plover, a few 
Pacifics, and at least one American.  The American was lifer #15 for the 
day.

______________________________________

Ned McGarry
Sammamish, WA