pelagic birding trips massachusetts

Pelagic Bird Watching From Gloucester, MA

Pelagic bird watching from gloucester.

7 Seas is proud of its reputation as being “the birder’s whale watch” in Gloucester.

While the whales are, of course, the main focus of our trips, many of our crew are also avid bird watchers and are always aware of any birds in the area. We make a special point to make sure that any birders on board don’t miss any rare (or common!) species that we encounter.

To learn more about the pelagic bird species we see on our while whale watching just select from the menu to the left to access all the various bird information pages contained within our site. All of the contents of these pages were written by 7 Seas Whale Watch naturalist (and birder!) S. Jay Frontierro.

Above photo: Beautiful pelagic birds that are seen in Spring and Fall in New England waters. Red-necked (formerly “Northern”) Phalaropes are by far the most common. Red Phalaropes are rare but always possible to see. Both species are shown in the photograph above (I’m sure you can figure out which species is which!) 

For birders who may be visiting from out of state (or country) and are hoping to do some bird watching around the Cape Ann/North Shore area, a couple of great resources to help guide you to some of the “birdiest” places in Massachusetts are:

Sue McGrath’s  NEWBURYPORT BIRDERS

Tom Wetmore’s  PLUM ISLAND BIRDS

And for the most recent bird sightings in all of Massachusetts you can also check-out the  MASSACHUSETTS BIRDING LIST .

Good luck and good birding!

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Welcome to WESTPORTSEABIRDS.COM!

 The entire Westport Seabirds crew had such a great time with our valued customers during our 2023 season. Thanks to all our for making this our 47th year such a memorable one!

Our 2024 schedule is now available – see 2024 schedule tab

 We  hope you will join us for one of our all day pelagic birdwatching trips to one of several deep water submarine canyons that are 30 nautical miles from the mouth of Grays Harbor, on the edge of the North American continental shelf. The outer half of the shelf and the Canyons support a vast array of marine life. In addition to regular species like Black-footed Albatross and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, our trips feature seasonal species such as Laysan Albatross, Flesh-footed, Short-tailed, and Buller’s Shearwaters, and South Polar Skua among many other offshore species. We are also looking for whales, dolphins, porpoises, fur seals and other marine life that populate this nutrient rich environment. 

About Westport Seabirds

Photograph, Monte Carlo Terry Wahl initiated trips offshore to Gray's Canyon in September of 1966 and began systematic censusing in September of 1971, which continues through the present. Westport Seabirds trips have produced the longest running database of birds counted at sea in the world and have provided the foundation for several papers on seabirds of the northeast Pacific, including m...

Information

• Reservations
• 2024 Schedule
• 2024 Trip Results
• Preparing for a Pelagic Trip
• Possible Species / Season
• Westport Seabirds Staff
• Directions to Westport (lodging)
• Sea Bird Photo Gallery
• Marine Mammals/Cetaceans Photo Gallery
• 2023 Trip Results
• 2022 Trip Results
• 2021 Trip Results
• Birding in Washington State
• Past Years Trip Results
• Seasickness
• COVID 19 SAFETY PLAN

Other Links

Image gallery, 2024 schedule now available.

All of our trips go offshore to one of three deep water canyons approximately 28-35 miles offshore. These canyons are just beyond the edge of the continental shelf and reach water depths in excess of 2,500 feet.

Read more...

Possible Species

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Copyright © West Port Sea Birds . All Rights Reserved

Birding Hotspots

Massachusetts pelagic birding.

Nantucket, Massachusetts, US

Tuckernuck Island (restricted access)

296 species

Muskeget Island

196 species

Plymouth, Massachusetts, US

Kingston Bay

148 species

Barnstable, Massachusetts, US

Pleasant Bay (Outer Cape Cod)

141 species

Dukes, Massachusetts, US

Nomans Land Island NWR (restricted access)

140 species

Essex, Massachusetts, US

Stellwagen Bank--NW Corner

128 species

Pasque Island

118 species

East of Chatham

Stellwagen Bank NMS

Stellwagen bank--sw corner.

111 species

Stellwagen Bank--Race Point Waters

108 species

Nantucket Sound

104 species

About this Location

There are several different birding boat tours, whale watches, and pelagic trips that leave from Massachuestts ports. For pelagic trips, familiarize yourself with  eBird's pelagic protocol and use the appropriate personal locations or eBird hotspots

The eBird pelagic protocol applies to checklists that are made farther than two miles offshore on oceans, seas, or large lakes. Choose the Pelagic Protocol option from the ‘Other’ menu of Observation Types. Please note that we still have much to learn about seabird distribution, so we encourage you to  add photos and notes to document your sightings on your checklists! 

If you’re moving: Count for up to 60 minutes on each checklist; stopping at the 1-hour mark. Record the distance traveled (ideally with  eBird Mobile Tracks ), adjust the distance estimate for backtracking as you would a traveling checklist , and choose a location on the map for where you started that checklist period. Repeat this process throughout the trip until you return to within two miles of shore.

If you’re anchored: Keep a checklist for as long as you’re anchored, and then follow the above instructions once you start to move again.

Last updated March 27, 2024

Seabirds and Pelagic Birding Boat Trip in Cape Ann, MA March 18  (10 am) to March 20 (3 pm) [Rescheduled date] $550 ($125 single supplement) 7 participants maximum Program will be cancelled in the event of forecasted severe weather or high winds at sea Contact us to register

Cape Ann, Massachusetts, is a worldwide destination for winter birds and birders. This annual winter adventure is an outstanding opportunity to spend quality time with species rarely, if ever, seen inland. This trip is not only about discovering rare species by land and sea, but about watching, enjoying, and studying seabirds among a community of like-minded nature lovers under the leadership of a first-class guide and educator.

We’ll depart NBNC on Friday morning to head down to Gloucester, MA to search for coastal rarities such as Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, King Eiders, Northern Gannets, Harlequin Ducks, and more. On Saturday, we’ll head out on a pelagic boat trip to one of New England’s most productive marine habitats, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. With expert pelagic guides, we’ll search for hard-to-find offshore regulars like Razorbills, Dovekies, Common and Thick-billed Murres, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Atlantic Puffins, Dovekies, Scoters, and Skuas.

Our search then continues from land on Sunday as we explore nearby hotspots such as Salisbury Beach or Plum Island for species like Snowy Owls, Rough-legged Hawks, and Purple Sandpipers. We arrive back in Montpelier on Sunday afternoon.

Led by birder and NBNC Director of Natural History Programs, Sean Beckett .

Includes: 2 nights lodging, all transportation, pelagic boat fees, shared spotting scopes, and expert bird guide. Cancellation Policy: NBNC will not be able to guarantee refunds within two weeks of this program, unless severe winter weather requires us to cancel this program. COVID-19 expectations:  Participants must be fully vaccinated to attend. Masks will be required indoors and inside the van. Participants should expect indoor meals in restaurants in the Gloucester area.

Contact Us to Register

2018 and 2019 cape ann pelagic seabirding highlights and species list.

Photos by Sean Beckett

Species List from Previous Cape Ann Trips

Canada Goose

American Black Duck

Green-winged Teal

Ring-necked Duck

Greater Scaup

Common Eider

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Wild Turkey

Common Loon

Red-throated Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Great Cormorant

Red-tailed Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Purple Sandpiper

Common Murre

Thick-billed Murre

Black Guillemot

Black-legged Kittiwake

Ring-billed Gull

Herring Gull

Iceland Gull

Glaucous Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Northern Gannet

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Downy Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

American Crow

Common Raven

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

European Starling

Carolina Wren

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

House Finch

House Sparrow

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Birding Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a long and rich birding history. The Nuttall Ornithological Club – the oldest bird club in North America, and parent organisation to the American Ornithologists Union – was founded in Cambridge in 1873. In 1896, the protest of two Boston Brahmin women against the use of bird feathers in the millinery trade eventually lead to the establishment of the Massachusetts Audubon Society – the oldest such organisation in the country. Ludlow Griscom – Dean of Field Ornithology – held a research position at Harvard University from 1927 until his retirement in 1955. Griscom was the first to effectively demonstrate that birds need not be collected to be correctly identified. And in 1975, the discovery of a Ross’s Gull in Newburyport attracted hundreds of birders from around North America and once and for all showed the world that birding was not just a sport for little old ladies in tennis shoes.

Massachusetts is varied in both topography and biological diversity. The mountains of Berkshire County in western Massachusetts have the highest elevation in the state (3,491); and are home to a number of northern breeding species, such as Olive-sided Flycatcher, Blackpoll and Mourning warblers, and as recently as the 1970s, Bicknell’s Thrush. There are many fine locations in the Berkshires to watch migrating hawks in autumn, and irruptive northern finches are more likely to be found in Berkshire County than in any other part of the state.

The agricultural plains and neighbouring wooded hills of the Connecticut River Valley represent a highway for migratory songbirds in spring and fall. Snow Geese pass through the valley in spectacular numbers during migration, and in 1997, two Ross’s Geese were discovered among an enormous flock of Snow Geese – the first for Massachusetts. In late August, hundreds of migrating Common Nighthawks can often be seen hunting flying ants at dusk.

Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts is the only consistent breeding location for Cerulean Warblers in the Commonwealth, and with nearby Wachusett Reservoir represents the southernmost breeding locale for Common Loons in the country. The greatest draw at Quabbin, however, is the Bald Eagle population, with several pairs breeding since 1989, and impressive concentrations of over-wintering birds every year. At Enfield lookout in Belchertown, one can almost be assured of finding a group of eagle watchers any day in the winter, all with scopes set up and engaged in lively conversation about eagle behaviour. In eastern Worcester County, Mount Wachusett and Mount Watatic are popular spring and fall hawk-watching locales.

The North Shore of Essex County features two of the best-known birding locations in the country. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (i.e. Plum Island) and adjacent Newburyport are justifiably famous for vagrants, as well as shorebirds in migration, and both waterfowl and raptors during the winter. At Cape Ann, especially in winter, one can almost always encounter birders searching the offshore waters for loons, seabirds, ducks, and gulls. Following south-west winds in spring, both Plum Island and Cape Ann periodically collect impressive numbers of migrating songbirds.

The Greater Boston area offers birders a number of options. The Blue Hills Reservation south of the city is one of the more reliable areas in the state for finding breeding Worm-eating Warblers, and the region was the location of the first breeding Black Vulture in Massachusetts (1998). A short subway ride from Logan Airport is Belle Isle Marsh in East Boston, a locality productive for both herons and shorebirds. Winthrop Beach is a fairly reliable spot to look for Barrow’s Goldeneye, King Eider, and Black-headed Gull in winter, and Mew Gulls have been reported here almost annually in recent years. Marblehead Neck and the Nahant peninsula north of Boston are famous migrant traps for songbirds, but perhaps best known is Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. Every day during spring migration one can join dozens, if not hundreds, of other birders enjoying spring migration.

The south-eastern mainland of Massachusetts includes both Plymouth and Bristol counties. In the pine-oak barrens of Plymouth’s Miles Standish State Forest, Whip-poor-wills are a common evening sound, and the barrier spit at Plymouth regularly supports breeding Piping Plovers, Common and Least terns, a few Roseate and Arctic terns, and occasionally a pair of Black Skimmers. In Halifax, agricultural fields belonging to Cumberland Farms often support Rough-legged Hawks by day and Short-eared Owls in the evening during the winter. The Dartmouth/Westport area has the largest breeding concentration of Ospreys in the Commonwealth, and is one of the few breeding areas in Massachusetts for White-eyed Vireo. Almost anywhere along the extensive shoreline of south-eastern Massachusetts it is possible to find a pleasant variety of ducks and shorebirds in season.

Cape Cod and the Islands are considerably farther south than the rest of Massachusetts, and consequently are good locations to search for southern species, such as Blue Grosbeak and Summer Tanager, during migration. At the elbow of Cape Cod is Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and South Beach, a constantly shifting series of sandbars and mud flats, that are virtually shorebird magnets. Practically every shorebird rarity ever recorded in Massachusetts has found its way to this remarkable area at one time or another. The Cape and Islands are also the breeding grounds of several species found nowhere else in the state, but access to these breeding specialities is extremely limited. Tiny Penikese Island in Buzzards Bay is home to a small colony of Leach’s Storm-Petrels, and Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls – now rare or absent as breeders on the mainland – still regularly nest on Tuckernuck Island off Nantucket. And despite the fact that Chuck-will’s-widow has never been confirmed as a breeder in Massachusetts, indications are that the species has likely been breeding on Martha’s Vineyard for over a quarter of a century.

The popularity of whale-watching makes pelagic birding in Massachusetts more accessible than in many other coastal localities. Whale-watching boats leave daily in the summer from various ports, including Newburyport, Gloucester, Boston, Plymouth, & Provincetown, and occasionally there are dedicated birding trips sponsored by local birding clubs to offshore waters.

By Bird Observer Staff

| [email protected]

Number of bird species: 501

Igoterra checklist.

A Birder's Guide to Eastern Massachusetts

Aba field guide to birds of massachusetts, birds of massachusetts, massachusetts birds: an introduction to familiar species, massachusetts breeding bird atlas, cape cod bird festival, wing island bird banding station, cape cod museum of natural history, allen bird club, athol bird & nature club, audubon society in massachusetts, boxborough birders, brookline bird club, cape cod bird club, eastern massachusetts hawk watch, essex county greenbelt association, essex county ornithological club, forbush bird club, hampshire bird club, hoffmann bird club, manomet centre for conservation sciences, massbird.org, massachusetts audubon society, massachusetts avian records committee, massachusetts land trust coalition, menotomy bird club, merrimack valley bird club, millers river environmental center, nasketucket bird club, nature conservancy in massachusetts, paskamansett bird club, south shore bird club, sudbury valley trustees, trustees of reservations.

Abbreviations Key

IBA Sampsons Island

Massachusetts state forests and parks, nr fresh pond reservation, nwr mashpee, nwr monomoy, nwr parker river, nwr silvio o conte national fish and wildlife refuge, national wildlfe refuges in massachusetts, wma burrage pond, wma leadmine, wrf cape poge, wrf long point, ws broad meadow brook sanctuary, ws daniel webster wildlife sanctuary, ws ipswich river, ws moose hill, ws mount auburn cemetery, ws north river, ws stony brook, ws wachusett meadow, ws wellfleet bay wildlife sanctuary, arlington birds, essex river cruises, 2009 [05 may] - andrew birch, 2010 [01 january] - stephanie & jonathan hill, 2016 [10 october] - james p smith - new england, captain farris house, clark tavern inn b&b, inn at cape cod, isaiah hall b&b inn, isaiah jones homestead b&b - sandwich, nobnocket boutique inn - martha's vineyard, birds of new england, central massachusetts bird update, lisa shea's birding in massachusetts, marj rine's birding pages, alexander dunn - the daily bird new england, gregory billingham - forays into the world of birding, james smith - pioneer birding, tom pirro - birding north central massachusetts, artist - catherine mcclung, gallery - migration productions, photographer - jim fenton.

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Pelagic Birds

Nov 1, 2020

Pelagic birds are birds that spend a large portion of their lives on the open ocean.  They can be found thousands of miles offshore, but can get blown on to land during high winds and storms.  The only other time they come inland is to breed.  At the Cape Wildlife Center, we can get many of these birds as patients during hurricanes and winter storms.  They are usually found stranded on land, exhausted, thin and sometimes injured from the winds and the fall. The species we see include Northern Gannets, Shearwaters, Murres, Petrels, Fulmars, Razorbills, and Dovekies.  These birds vary greatly in size and description from each other, but they all live on open water, dive for food, and are excellent swimmers.  They have exceptionally long thin wings that allow them to fly for long periods without rest.  Some can stay in flight for many days or weeks and can also sleep in flight.  They have a special salt gland that extracts salt from the seawater they drink so it doesn’t accumulate to toxic levels.

This is the time of year that we start seeing these injured birds appear.  Most common injuries include fractures, abrasions, ruptured air sacs, head injuries, emaciation, and fishing gear entanglement. The oil and debris on the ground can do major damage to their feathers.  It is critical that their feathers are grown in and they are waterproofed before release.  Waterproofing is needed especially for any bird that spends long periods of time on the water.  These birds are very difficult to treat in captivity so we try to get them healed and into our seabird pool to be prepped for release as soon as possible.

Because Pelagic birds stay mostly out to sea, many people have never experienced seeing one unless it is injured, or they have seen one while boating.  

I want to introduce to three species of Pelagic birds that happen to be my favorites.  The first is the Northern Gannet, a large, startling white  bird with beautiful blue eyes and a long, thin grey bill.   This is probably the  Pelagic bird we admit the most at CWC.  When not as sea, they nest on both sides of the Atlantic in colonies of  up to 60,000 pairs . The nearest one is in Bonaventure Island in Quebec.  Visiting there is a trip of a lifetime.  Gannets are streamlined for plunge diving, and can dive from 36-200 ft, and hit the water  at 72 mph to get their prey.  They swallow their prey (fish)  whole underwater.  You will never see them flying with a fish in their mouth like an osprey.   We have successfully treated many Gannets and have been able to release them back in the wild, which always requires a boat trip.

Shearwaters are a group of Pelagic birds that belong to the Petrel family.  They are a medium-sized long winged bird.  They fly close to the water, skimming the wave tops .  They dive for food (fish), and can dive up to 230ft while feeding.   They leave the ocean to breed on islands or coastal cliffs.

Dovekies are a tiny, black and white member of the Auk family, about 7” long.  They are the smallest of the Auks, and look like little penguins.  They nest above the Arctic Circle and  come down south in winter as far as New England.  They also dive deeply , about 90ft, to hunt for food which includes zooplankton, crustaceans and small fish. 

While treating Pelagic birds is always a challenge, it is also a privilege to be able to see them, and possibly hep them to go back to the ocean to be elusive once again.

A pelagic bird we have never seen at the center is an Albatross, but I want to mention it because it holds a few unique records.  The oldest recorded living bird is a Layson albatross named Wisdom who was banded in 1956 and lived at least to the age of 65 successfully raising chicks.  The wandering Albatross has the longest wingspan of any bird , 8-12 feet tip to tip.  The Gray Headed Albatross has the fastest level flight  of 79 mph.   Fascinating birds.

To see some Pelagic birds, you can take a Pelagic Bird cruise from a number of places, including Chatham Mini-Pelagics that leaves from the Chatham Fish Pier.   These types of birds are a must see for any birder.

To learn more about the Cape Wildlife Center or help in their mission, visit www.capewildlifecenter.com or call 508 362-0111. 

Caryn Ritchie is the volunteer coordinator for the Cape Wildlife Center and holds both a Massachusetts wildlife rehabilitator’s license and a federal permit to rehabilitate migratory birds.

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Cape Cod Birds

 chatham mini-pelagics.

Close encounters of the pelagic kind aboard the “Kittiwake”

We are sad to report that the Chatham Mini-Pelagics have ended. Captain Kenny Eldredge has retired and put the “Kittiwake” up for sale. It was a great run and we thank everyone who participated – you contributed to our growing knowledge of the distribution and abundance of seabirds off of Chatham. Perhaps at some point in the future another option for pelagic trips will develop, but none is available presently. Thanks again and good birding!

Are you tired of seeing seabirds only as distant specks at the horizon, or fighting for elbow room at the railing of a crowded 100-foot whale-watching boat? Does your stomach rebel at the thought of a three-foot swell? Have you never done a pelagic trip before because you’re unsure how you may fare on an 8-10 hour trip? Then a “mini” pelagic trip off Chatham may be just what the pelagic doctor ordered! Why?

• We only go when the weather is good — no need to worry about a rough ride. Your comfort and enjoyment are the top priorities.
• We take a maximum of just 6 people, so there’s plenty of room for everyone.
• We chum with fresh fish guts, bringing the birds into point blank range — on some trips the birds are literally close enough to touch! The photo-ops are unsurpassed!
• No depost required and no payment until we’re safe and sound back at the dock. We trust you — if you sign up we trust you will show up!

The trips are run on an irregular basis from June — October. There is no schedule. We go on short notice (usually 3-4 days), when the Captain has an opening in his charter fishing schedule, when the weather looks favorable, and when we can round up at least five participants. If you’re interested in a trip, get in touch through the contact form below and let us know a general time frame. We’ll add you to our contact list and let you know when a trip is scheduled. If you have a group of 5-6 people and would like to schedule a trip, let us know.

Jaegers are seen on most trips, with Parasitic being by far the most numerous, peaking from late August into October, when they frequently put on spectacular aerial displays chasing terns and small gulls.  We also see Long-tailed and Pomarine jaegers on occasion, and have found South Polar Skuas twice, though they are quite rare in these relatively inshore waters.

A few non-breeding Common Loons are usually present during the summer and by September southbound migrants become numerous. And later in the fall strings of migrating scoters and eider can be a feature.

A photo gallery of images from past trips is here . And a spreadsheet (pdf format) of the trip lists from the 2011 – 2014 seasons can be downloaded here .

These trips are organized and lead by Blair Nikula , a native Cape Codder with over four decades of seabirding experience. He has no financial interest in these trips; his only interest is in getting offshore to see (and photograph) some birds!

Peter Flood, another local birder with over two decades of seabirding experience, also occasionally leads or otherwise assists on these trips, as does Peter Trull, a veteran of over 2,000 whale watch trips!

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Birdist Rule #55: Go on a Pelagic Birding Trip

I’m going to start with the bad stuff, so we can push through and get to the good stuff. Pelagic birding—taking a boat way out into the ocean to find birds that can only be seen there—can be a real ordeal.  

a) You have to get up very early in the morning. Likely even earlier than regular birding *screams silently*.

b) There’s a chance you’ll get seasick.

c) You could be stuck on a boat from sunup to sundown. If that's the case, you’re going to get burned. Or more likely frozen (trips run year-round).

Okay, that’s all of it. Just six sentences worth of difficulties! But those six sentences—especially the one about possibly getting seasick—have kept lots of birders away from exciting and unique birding experiences.

Now here are 57 sentences about why you should go pelagic birding. You get to see birds that you can’t see anywhere else. You get to check out other cool stuff like whales and sharks and flying fish and sea turtles. There’s a higher-than-typical chance that you’ll find a very rare bird. You feel like you’re a pirate, or like you’re in Treasure Island . You get to hang out with really good birders. You’re never stuck in traffic. You get to eat ginger snaps.

For me, it’s the rare birds that clinch it. I’ve taken pelagic trips off Maine, Delaware, North Carolina, Louisiana, California, and Alaska, and have seen birds that elicit envious groans from even the most seasoned birders. On my first pelagic trip, near Maryland in 2006, someone pointed out a Cape Verde Shearwater—maybe the second-ever U.S. sighting. We hoisted a Bermuda flag after spotting an ultra-rare Bermuda Petrel last year off Cape Hatteras. 

It’s not just the rare ones either; all of the birds you see on the high seas are cool. There are lots of species that have evolved to spend nearly their entire lives on the open ocean, making landfall only to breed on remote island crags. These birds aren’t like their landlubber cousins: They’re built to fly long distances over endless miles of waves.  I’ll never forget the sight of a Black-footed Albatross whizzing in and out of the Pacific fog, dwarfing the gulls and shearwaters in the boat’s wake.

You’ve probably read about how albatross wings are perfectly tailored to soaring over the water with little effort, but they aren’t the only birds that can do that. Slightly smaller avians called shearwaters and petrels are commonly encountered offshore (depending where you are); with their elegant swooping and gliding, they’re just as dazzling as albatrosses. There are even adorable birds to be found offshore, like the storm-petrels, which sometimes feed by dancing on the surface of the water .

Albatross, shearwaters, petrels, storm-petrels—and I haven’t even mentioned the predatory jaegers and skuas, or cold-water divers like puffins, razorbills, and other alcids. The point is, it’s worth getting on a boat to see a ton of cool birds. Let me tell you how to do it.

Everyone’s worried about seasickness. I’m with you. I’ve been seasick on a pelagic trip before (though only once), and it’s really not fun. But it’s also avoidable. The first thing you need to know is that the bigger the boat, the less chance you have of getting seasick. Larger ships feel like they’re barely moving—even when they’re going a trillion knots. That’s why people on cruise ships aren’t constantly barfing over the railings.

Luckily, there are monster boats that will get you out to sea for a day only: whale watches. A whale watch is the perfect way to begin pelagic birding because a) the boats are big, b) lots of coastal cities have regularly scheduled trips, and c) you get to see some dang whales! When I lived in Portland, Maine, I would jump on the local whale watch boat again and again each summer because it was cheap and always gave me a shot at seeing some great birds (Maine’s first-ever Yellow-billed Loon was seen from that boat, if I’m not mistaken.)

There are some downsides to a whale watch cruise, though. For one, the goal of the boat isn’t to find birds, so you’re pretty much on your own for spotting and identifying species. Second, the boats are crowded with looky-loo tourists who will crowd the decks and generally do annoying tourist stuff. If you really want a birding experience, you have to upgrade to a birding-specific pelagic.

That’s where you have to do your research, because there are only a handful of companies that run regular pelagic trips. (The American Birding Association puts out a helpful directory each year.) Shearwater Journeys is the most famous outfitter on the Pacific side (Anjelica Huston played a thinly veiled homage to real-life trip leader Debi Shearwater in the 2011 film The Big Year , except her name was Annie Auklet). On the Atlantic, a trip to the Gulf Stream with Patteson Pelagics out of Cape Hatteras is a true adventure. They turn up rare species as much as anyone in the United States. I’ve also had great luck with See Life Paulagics , which runs out of Delaware, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. Many local Audubon chapters will run once-a-year pelagics out of their regions, so check your local Internet listings for that info.

Trips generally run a couple hundred bucks, depending on the time of year and how long the boat plans to be out. The really hardcore ones run multiple days, ensuring plenty of time over weird undersea features—the Gulf Stream or seamounts or continental shelves—that draw good birds. They’re also pretty low-frills, because birds are the one and only priority. (Actually, there isn't a single frill.) Here’s another tip: Bring your binoculars and a camera, but don’t bring a scope. Even in calm seas there will be too much movement.

And speaking of movement, seasickness is slightly more of a concern on some of these smaller boats—but there are all kinds of medical and folkloric measures on how to avoid it. My advice: Do whatever you need to do. If it happens anyway, it’ll make for a funny story. Or just file it under “worst hangover ever.” In addition to the incredible birds you can see on a pelagic trip, part of the fun is that you can tell all your non-birding friends what a crazy person you are for jumping on a small boat and wandering out into the middle of the ocean. Pelagic trips are a unique part of the adventure of birding, and a little barf just makes it all the more memorable. 

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12Hr Marine Mammal & Pelagic Bird Watch

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: 12 Hours
• User Ages: Ages 18+

Venture out 40-60 miles into the offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean!

This marine mammal and birding tour in Cape May, New Jersey is led by our team of experienced marine mammal naturalists and researchers, as well as a pelagic bird naturalist. While offshore, we chum for pelagic birds to get that perfect photo opportunity! The American Star has a heated indoor cabin for you to relax while you scout out the beauty of our marine life. eBird checklists are created by our team of experts and shared after the trip.

Possible sightings include:

• Marine Mammals: Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, Minke Whales, Right Whales, Pilot Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins and more!
• Pelagic Birds: Shearwaters, Jaegers, Northern Gannets, Fulmar, Phalaropes, Kittiwakes, Loons, (October-November: Razor Bills, Murres, and Dovekies, Winter: Puffins)
• Other Species: Sharks (Hammerhead, Thresher, Great White), Sea turtles (Loggerhead, Leatherback, or Green), Oceanic Sunfish, False Albacore, Tuna, Jellyfish and more!

Please note, trips are subject to varying weather and sea conditions. Trips will only sail in favorable weather conditions. Captain will make the final decision if the trip is sailing 48hrs prior to the scheduled cruise.

Prepaid Reservations Only! Due to the special nature of this trip, we are not able to offer the marine mammal guarantee.

Trip summaries:

October 2021 , October 2022, November 2022, December 2021, February 2023, November 2023

• Chevron down Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there parking available onsite? – Yes, we have free parking available onsite in our designated Whale Watch parking lot. An attendant will be there to guide you to the appropriate free parking lot.

Are there bathrooms on the boat? – Yes, the American Star is equipped with 4 restrooms onboard.

Are there food/drinks available onboard? – Yes, we do have a full galley, bar, and gift shop onboard that accepts cash or credit card. However, for this extended trip we do advise bringing any food/drink that you require for the day.

Do I need to wear a life-jacket onboard? – No. We have life-jackets for every passenger onboard and they are used for emergency purposes only. The United States Coast Guard annually inspects all safety equipment onboard the American Star, and your captain will give a detailed safety briefing as your cruise departs.

Is the boat wheelchair accessible? – Depending on tide conditions, there may be several steps to get onboard the American Star. Standard manual wheelchairs can be lifted onboard by mates, however, due to their weight, power wheelchairs cannot be accommodated.

Will I get seasick on this cruise? – The American Star is 100ft long and very stable in our Atlantic Ocean conditions. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, we recommend taking precautions with Dramamine, Bonine or Sea Bands. These are available at the dock.

Is there shade on the boat? – The American Star was custom built for sightseeing with passenger comfort in mind. There is a spacious inside cabin available to keep you out of the elements as well as numerous shaded areas outside on deck.

Will the boat be crowded? – The American Star is a 100ft long vessel custom built for sightseeing. It has seating for over 250 passengers. This cruise is drastically limited in capacity to allow plenty of room onboard!

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• Hour Glass 24 Hours

24hr Marine Mammal & Pelagic Bird Watch

This trip is led by our team of experienced marine mammal naturalists and researchers, as well as a pelagic bird naturalist. While offshore, we chum for pelagic birds to get that perfect photo opportunity!

• User Ages 13+ , All ages
• Hour Glass 6 Hours

6hr Mini Pelagic with Cape May Bird Observatory

Step aboard the American Star in partnership with the Cape May Bird Observatory for this half day (~6 hours) exploration of the inshore Pelagic Zone off Cape May, NJ for Pelagic Birds and Marine Mammals.

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• Hour Glass 2 Hours

Dolphin & Bird Watch

Step aboard the American Star and start your day with a 2hr cruise featuring Cape May’s mascot, the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Extreme pelagic birding: no pain, no gain.

7 comments:

Awesome post! Truly epic stuff out there. It's been fun to watch different accounts and posts of this trip pop up around the interwebs, but this is by far the best and most full narrative I've seen so far, and it was a truly great read. Appreciate you sharing your sightings from all the pitching and rolling, pitching and rolling. I'd take throwing up while after birds a great sign of dedication, nothing more and nothing less : )

Fantastic! I'm going on a pelagic trip in Sept, and I'm looking forward to it.

This is an awesome post, I've never been on a Pelagic trip but this is making me drool!

Wow, what a fabulous experience ... with the exception of the sickness. I've read a few narratives on Pelagic trips and it certainly sounds like an adventure I would like to take. Fantastic post! Congratulations on the Barolo Shearwater sightings!

Thanks for the comments. Maybe I should have titled the post "Pelagic Birding Makes Me Hurl" :-)

Sounds like a great trip. I just went out with Paul Guris from Freeport NY last weekend and got 3 lifers - Leach's SP, Cory's Shearwater, and Pomarine Jaeger. Most of the other birders on board were talking about the Mass trip with envy! Being 85 - 100 miles off the coast is really terrific.

I love that feeling of getting off a pelagic and thinking, "I'm not gonna EVER do that again!" And, three days later a friend says, "Hey, let's go on XXX pelagic. We could see XXX, XXX and XXX." Suddenly, a pelagic sounds like a GREAT idea. Booked.

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Excellence in Pelagic Birding

Formerly 'Extinct' Bird Shows Up in Massachusetts Waters

If you listen regularly, you know that I occasionally report on the so called Extreme Pelagic birding trips run by the vaunted Brookline Bird Club. Well, those wacky, ocean going birders were at it again this past weekend, when, on a quest for rare seabirds, they steamed out of Hyannis aboard the Helen H. 

On their overnight tour of the continental shelf waters 140 miles southeast of Hyannis, these salty surveyors turned up some real doozies. But while sightings of Brown Booby, White-faced Storm-Petrel, Black-capped Petrels, and South Polar Skua were worth the price of admission, one bird put the other sightings to shame. Because until its rediscovery in 1951, the Bermuda Petrel had been presumed extinct for centuries.

First, while the name of this uber rarity is officially Bermuda Petrel, many, including even younger birders, still defer to the traditional Bermudian name of Cahow. I realize this is a hard to pronounce word, so let me use it in a sentence: “Having seen the world’s second rarest seabird in Massachusetts waters, I can’t help but wonder Ca-how the ca-hell those Brookline Bird Club birders got so lucky.” Hopefully that helps.

Given that this is among the world’s rarest birds, it’s reasonable to scrutinize the report. So how did they know it was a Bermuda Petrel – did photos reveal it to be wearing tiny pink shorts smartly paired with a blue blazer? More likely it was the neck, rump, and underwing pattern, which together distinguished this species from the more common but still very rare Black-capped Petrel that was also flying around the boat. Both species are what’s known as “gadfly petrels”, fast-flying, lone-wolf seabirds of deep offshore waters, all of which are very popular among the seabirding crowd.

The Bermuda Petrel was given up for extinct by the time the pilgrims landed in Massachusetts. While the species once apparently numbered in the hundreds of thousands across the Bermuda archipelago, the usual suspects when it comes to island extinction events – cats, rats, dogs, hogs, and humans - ate them into presumed extinction by the 17th century. A few sightings and specimens in the early 20th century were tantalizing hints that reports of their extinction were greatly exaggerated. But it wasn’t until 1951, when seven pairs were confirmed nesting on a few tiny Bermudan islets, that the Bermuda Petrel was officially exhumed from the extinction list and reanimated as a species.

The tiny remnant population has since survived nest site competition with other seabirds, egg shell thinning from DDT, and storm surges flooding their nesting burrows. A man named David Wingate almost singlehandedly brought the species back from extinction over the last five decades using a combination of artificial burrows, translocations, and hand feeding, as well as reforestation of one of the nesting islands. His successor, Jeremy Medeiros, has continued the recovery efforts, and has recently placed tracking devices on some birds. Results indicate that they range across most of the North Atlantic, and at least occasionally may visit the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England waters. Despite that, there is only one previous record for the state, in some far flung shelf waters that are, at best, sort of in Massachusetts, but also sort of in Nova Scotia.

Since there are only estimated to be a few hundred Bermuda Petrels in the world I suspect I am not going to see this bird anytime soon. But I take comfort in the simple fact that they still exist on the planet, something that is still not assured over the long term. But for now, at least, we can say that, whoever said “extinction is forever” didn’t ask the Bermuda Petrel.

Learn more about the Nonsuch Expeditions which includes the CahowCam project, here:  www.nonsuchisland.com  

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New York’s Magic Pelagic

Pelagic birding trips appeal to my inner explorer. Searching for wildlife on the high seas offers a special kind of thrill, an opportunity to break from more typical, terrestrial efforts and visit a realm beyond the boundaries of humanity’s collective comfort zone. The inhabitants of this habitat are inherently fascinating in their adaptations and lifestyles. Truly monumental surprises can occur at literally any time. The potential rewards for a traveler who braves the wind and waves are tantalizing enough to draw even chronically seasick landlubbers outside the shelter of the harbor time and time again. Every outing presents a chance to discover something new about how marine organisms navigate Earth’s vast network of ocean currents. Simply summed up, birding by boat is a lot of fun! The best trips involve a great deal of careful planning, but these ventures are especially vulnerable to the whims of fate, random chance, and luck both good and bad. No two pelagic tours are identical, even on back-to-back days or annual journeys to the same location. This year’s voyage from Brooklyn with See Life Paulagics was an especially memorable expedition.

Foolishly, I had failed to sign up for any 2018 pelagic trips until quite recently. I initially wasn’t sure about the when and where of my tentative summer travel plans, and I knew that August was going to be a busy month. A week-long seawatching binge at the end of July got me craving some proper maritime birding, so I started to explore the remaining options available to me. I was able to book a place on the upcoming Brookline Birding Club overnight pelagic out of Hyannis, Massachusetts in September. Many close friends have regaled me with amazing stories about these tours, but I also know that the two-day trips from Cape Cod often get weathered out due to extreme conditions. Not wanting to put all of my eggs in one basket and risk missing a chance to bird at sea this year, I also reached out to the Paulagics team about availability. Though I was initially put on the waiting list, last minute dropouts allowed me to secure a spot aboard the Brooklyn VI once again . Sunday evening found me standing at the docks in Sheepshead Bay, bags packed and ready for a full day at sea.

The forecast called for a choppy, blustery overnight ride out to the continental shelf. The captain decided we would first head east along the sheltered coast of Long Island until we reached Suffolk County, then turn south and travel with the wind to avoid getting battered around too much. Most folks were competing to get priority seating within the cabin so they could be protected from splashes and spray, but I much prefer to sleep in the fresh air on the upper deck. Once I established my sleeping space up top, I spent some time catching up with the many familiar faces who had also boarded the ship. Brendan Fogarty, Taylor Sturm, Tripper Paul, and Jay McGowan joined me at the table, and we began discussing our expectations and hopes for the next 24 hours. The eponymous leader of See Life Paulagics, Paul Guris, was accompanied by established guides Doug Gochfeld and Sean Sime along with special guest Tom Johnson. I’d last seen Tom a few years prior when I worked in Maine, and I was glad to have his pelagic prowess and rarity magnetism along for the ride. Doug brought an interesting teaser topic to the table, asking all of us what our most likely state bird would be. We bandied about the names of several species, ranging from near guaranteed to total pipe dream, in a fun conversation that only increased the anticipation of what the morning would bring. When we eventually decided to try and get some rest, I settled into my bed roll and let the motion of the ocean rock me to sleep.

I snoozed in several short bursts over the course of the night, but any session of honest REM sleep aboard a moving boat is a victory. Around 4 AM I awakened, comfortable and mostly dry, to gather up my sleeping gear and move it to the cabin below. Other birders slowly started to stir as the sky gradually began to lighten, and we reached our destination 120 miles offshore at the break of dawn. The action got kicked off right away. We spotted a few birds before we even came to a stop, including several storm-petrels and our first Black-capped Petrel of the day. Once we slowed down, the deckhands immediately set to work starting a chum slick off the stern of the boat. Storm-petrels and shearwaters quickly arrived to inspect the source of the powerfully irresistible stench, an olfactory beacon luring them in from miles around. It wasn’t long before we’d tallied multiple species: Wilson’s, Leach’s, and Band-rumped Storm-Petrels along with Great, Cory’s, and Audubon’s Shearwaters. Black-capped Petrels proved to be especially abundant. These long-winged gliders belong to the genus Pterodroma , a group of masterful flyers that stand out even among the impressively talented competition in the seabird world. They use a dynamic soaring pattern that harnesses the wind to effortlessly sail long distances with great speed and maneuverability. We watched in awe as the petrels circled the boat, arcing up high above the sea as they twisted and turned in the breeze.

After a few hours of chumming, we moved along towards the eastern edge of the Hudson Canyon’s mouth to set up another slick. On our way there, we came across a cooperative group of Risso’s Dolphins. Non-avian marine life is often quite sparse on pelagic trips in New York waters, so we were thrilled to enjoy such good looks at these bizarre sea creatures. I’m always happy to see a new species of cetacean! Storm-petrels continued to flit past and even followed the ship for a bit, and the larger seabirds occasionally rocketed by as we kept motoring onward. We also saw a few small groups of Red-necked Phalaropes migrating south.

When we finally reached the Canyon’s edge, the crew once again began dutifully flinging meat and oil into the ocean. Within moments, the seabirds homed in on the scent of our offering and began appearing from downwind. We sifted and scanned through the expected species, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Brendan was the first to spot something unusual. “There’s a bird crossing the bow…it’s dark and it looks very interesting!” he called out. Tom’s booming voice followed, with a shout that ripped through the idle chatter of the searchers on deck. “ TRINDADE PETREL! ”

Every single person on board leapt to action and scrambled to get their eyes on the bird. This was the kind of sighting we’d all been dreaming of. The Trindade Petrel is another species of  Pterodroma like the Black-cap, an expert aerialist with jaw-droppingly smooth and swift flight trajectory. The name comes from the Portuguese word for “trinity,” roughly pronounced “ trin-DAH-jee .” It shares the title with one of the islands in an archipelago off the coast of Brazil where it nests. Unlike the Black-capped Petrel, which breeds in the Caribbean and regularly spends summers along the Atlantic continental shelf, the Trindade is a rare visitor to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. In New York state, there have only been two prior records of this species. The first was in August 1933 , when “a strange looking duck” was discovered on a farm near Ithaca after a powerful hurricane displaced the unfortunate creature far away from its typical home range. In August 2012 , another individual was photographed from a cruise vessel some 200 miles offshore, just barely within the border of the Empire State’s waters. The gorgeous, graceful bird wheeling around the Brooklyn VI was only the third documented occurrence of the species in New York, and the first to be seen by a group of birders on a pelagic tour. The scene was rampant, ecstatic chaos. To our surprise and delight, the petrel remained with with us for about 4 minutes, an eternity in the world of seabirding. It circled the boat repeatedly, passing incredibly close and putting on one hell of a show. The views and photo opportunities were simply unparalleled. What a treat that the rarest bird we found should also be the most confiding! It doesn’t get any better than this.

After the Trindade Petrel finally departed, it took a long time for the high to dissipate. Everyone on the boat was buzzing with energy, including the seasoned and well-traveled guides who wouldn’t have dared get their hopes up for a new experience on the trip. Even though the encounter with the mega rarity was the indisputable highlight of our voyage, the fun didn’t stop there. The hits just kept on coming as we moved up the boundary of the Hudson Canyon. Trying hard not to be outdone by their fancy cousin, Black-capped Petrels continued to put in a remarkable showing. We ended up tallying about 20 individuals over the course of the day, a contender for a state high count record. Two dark-colored, distant terns turned out to be Bridled Terns, a new species for my own state list and my 500th bird observed in 2018. While trying to catch up with them for a better look, we were distracted by a young Pomarine Jaeger that took interest in the morsels tossed overboard by the deckhands. It flew around and over the boat multiple times, very close, very low, entertaining us as it searched for the choicest chunk of chum. We later crossed paths with a second older jaeger as well.

For a refreshing change of pace, the birds weren’t the only stars of the show out at the shelf this time. In addition to several more groups of Risso’s Dolphins, we also came across a trio of Offshore Bottlenose Dolphins, multiple large congregations of Pilot Whales, and an energetic pod of acrobatic Striped Dolphins. The captain turned the ship around to go back for a Portuguese Man o’ War that we passed, making sure that everyone had a chance to get a good look at the bizarre, floating organism. Fish sightings included the caudal fin of a mystery billfish, a small unidentified shark, a 9-foot long Blue Shark that was cut loose by the crew after it took their bait, the remora and pilotfish accompanying the large predator, and a Mahi-mahi that the mates fished up. Long-time recurring customers of New York Paulagics remarked that this was an especially noteworthy trip for marine life of all varieties, with great numbers and diversity across the board. The deep offshore waters felt so alive!

By early afternoon, we’d finished our run up the length of the Canyon, and we knew it was time to start heading back to port. I took a brief power nap to recharge my batteries: it had been a long and exhausting morning after a night with very little sleep. Once I awakened, I got to take part in one of my favorite parts of a successful pelagic excursion, swapping stories and jokes with the leaders and other passengers over cold drinks. Quality company and engaging conversation during the quiet stretches help to make a good pelagic great, and this outing was already exceptional. I really appreciated the opportunity to spend some meaningful time with friends who I don’t get to see that often. Everyone was still riding high on the adrenaline rush of the incredible discoveries we’d made over the course of the day. All those who’d been on the fence about coming or unsure if they would get a spot were equal parts relieved and thrilled that they were a part of this trip. We kept our eyes out for any additional surprises on the way in, and we managed to add a new species to the trip list when we passed a Sooty Shearwater. A handful of other shearwaters and storm-petrels put in brief appearances as we moved across the borders from Suffolk to Nassau to Queens. We rounded Breezy Point and entered Brooklyn waters just after sunset, returning to the dock almost exactly 24 hours after we’d left. My legs wobbled and quaked as I staggered back onto dry land, sunburnt and sleep-deprived but loving life. I profusely thanked Paul and the other guides, the captain and his crew, and all of my friends who helped to make the 2018 Brooklyn Paulagic a roaring success. This trip was one for the record books, and I was just glad I got to be onboard for all the excitement!

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• Book Whale Watch

  The American Princess Cruises “NY’s #1 WHALE WATCHER” is proud to announce our “15th SEASON” of WHALING ADVENTURES HAS BEGUN!!!    We expect this season to be yet another AWESOME ONE ( 2023 season~ 95+% sightings!)  So come hop aboard and experience an American Princess Adventure! * WHALE WATCHING IS WHAT WE DO*

12-hour pelagic bird & marine wildlife trip – 2/10/24.

 Set sail with the American Princess for a Special 12-hour Pelagic Bird & Marine Wildlife Trip!

This trip is planned to cover the pelagic zone out to 30-50 miles.

Birds seen regularly at this time of year on this type of trip include Dovekie (a trip like this set the NY state record of 7,000+), Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, possibly Thick-billed Murre, Northern Fulmar, Black-Legged Kittiwake, Iceland, Glaucous, and Lesser Black-Backed Gull, and Northern Gannet. Of course we’re always hoping for an uncommon but occasionally seen Great Skua.

Possible cetaceans include Common Dolphin, occasionally Harbor Porpoise, and Humpback, Fin, and Minke Whales. If the water gets cold enough Atlantic White-sided Dolphin is also possible.

The plan is to head offshore towards good structure that attracts marine life. We will chum and attract a flock of gulls which, in turn, attracts other species like Fulmar and Razorbill.

Photography opportunities can be excellent particularly for Northern Gannets and gulls but sometimes also for Fulmar and alcids. Be sure to bring a shorter lens or zoom since the Gannets have 6 foot wingspans and often come close to the boat.

• All sales are final and non-refundable (cancelling then transferring reservation to another person is allowed only in the event the spot is filled) • Our captains and crew work diligently to make every trip a success. • Cruises are Rain or Shine • There is a 24-hour cancellation policy • In the event of a cancellation, customer is responsible for making another reservation • Check our WEBSITE ALERTS for cancellations & daily cruise status • Ticket purchases are good only for the 2024 – Special 12-hour Pelagic and Marine Wildlife Trip • Your proof of purchase (Paypal receipt/Credit Card receipt/voucher) will serve as your ticket • You do NOT need a PayPal account to make purchases through PayPal • Coolers and outside alcoholic beverages are prohibited • Passengers subject to search (as permitted by the US Coast Guard) • Captain’s recommendation: Due to NYC traffic we advise that you plan to arrive 90 minutes before the departure time • All trips are subject to availability and American Princess Cruises reserves the right to cancel any trip at any time

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Celebrate your special event with a cruise aboard New York’s American Princess yacht, which is available for charter all year round. We offer various types of New York Cruises including a wedding cruise, engagement cruise, bridal shower cruise, 4th of July fireworks cruise, New Year’s Eve cruise, Coney Island Fireworks Cruise, birthday party cruise, sweet 16 cruise, mother’s day cruise, father’s day cruise, anniversary cruise, surprise party cruise, retirement party cruise, graduation party cruise, bon voyage cruise, Halloween party cruise, costume party cruise, Valentine’s Day cruise, religious cruise, bar/bat mitzvah cruise, confirmation cruise, burial at sea cruise, fundraising cruise, charity cruise or a corporate event cruise.

In addition, the American Princess boat can be chartered for thematic cruises such as a nature cruise, historic cruise, tugboat enthusiast cruise, whale watching cruise , dolphin watching cruise, seal watching cruise, bird watching cruise, fall foliage cruise, harbor fortification cruise, Jamaica Bay wildlife ecology tour and cruise, sightseeing cruise, lighthouse cruise, food and wine tasting cruise, special wreck cruise and floating harbor wreck cruise.

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Special Pelagic Bird Cruise

With Expert Bird Guide Derek!

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: Approx. 4.5 hours

Calling all Birders!

Join us on these special cruises dedicated to off-shore birding: a collaboration with Freeport Wild Bird Supply offering half-day “mini-pelagics!” We’ll seek out the rare and common seabirds that occur in our nearshore waters, but we will always have the hope to expect the unexpected. Derek will team up with our expert naturalists to spot, identify, and point out pelagic seabirds. Chumming efforts will provide opportunities to attract the birds in for better photo ops and viewing! While we’ll stop to look at any whales and whatever other interesting sea life we encounter along the way, it is the feathered wildlife we’re searching for, and will be focused on.

June 2, 2023 8:00am Click here to Book this Date! This year’s edition of our early season “mini-pelagic” will be sponsored by Zeiss Sport Optics and tickets must be purchased through the external link provided. The trip will be lead and narrated by Derek, but this one-of-a-kind outing will also feature special guests, including Rich Moncrief, Nature and Observation Manager for Zeiss. Rich will be bringing a wide range of Zeiss products for everyone to try out, and offering a special discount if you just can’t put them down. You can read about more details on the booking link! Derek’s Trip Report June 2021 Derek’s Trip Report June 2022

July 10, 2023 1:30pm Click here to Book this Date!  In the heat of summer, Derek will be onboard for this special Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eiders, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings will likely include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Sorry, no chumming this time. Derek’s Trip Report July 2021 Derek’s Trip Report July 2022

October 16, 2023 9:00am Click here to Book this Date! This fall excursion gives a chance at some very sought after pelagic species, such as Great Skua. More likely species include Northern Fulmar; Black-legged Kittiwake; Pomarine and Parasitic Jaeger; Shearwaters – Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and possibly even Manx; Razorbill and Atlantic Puffin; Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, and much more. Other possible, if unlikely, species at this date include South Polar Skua, and maybe even an early Dovekie. Derek’s Trip Report October 2020 Derek’s Trip Report October 2021 Derek’s Trip Report October 2022

Good To Know

We’ll leave the dock promptly at departure time for a 4-5 hour trip. Snacks and beverages are available for purchase, but you are welcome to pack your own food and water. Be prepared for light rain or showers, and bring plenty of layers for staying comfortable outside. Likewise, with any boat trip, weather cancellations for wind or waves (especially in fall) are always possible.

Derek Lovitch, of Freeport Wild Bird Supply , guides extensively in Maine, and has led tours throughout North America from Alaska’s Pribilof Islands to Hawaii. His second book, – Birdwatching in Maine: A Site Guide – describes 201 birding sites in Maine including Cap’n Fish’s Cruises!

Related Cruises

• Hour Glass 2.5 hours

AUDUBON PUFFIN & SCENIC CRUISE

See how the National Audubon Society has reestablished a puffin colony on Eastern Egg Rock, as well as lighthouses and other points of interest.

• Hour Glass Approx. 3.5 hours

BOOTHBAY HARBOR WHALE WATCHING CRUISE

See whales, dolphins, sharks, seals, and more at Maine’s prime whale feeding grounds and enjoy a tour of the Boothbay Harbor region!

• Hour Glass Approx. 4+ hours

WHALE WATCH & PUFFIN COMBO CRUISE

Spend an afternoon packed with the wonders of nature on this incredible tour. See puffins at Eastern Egg Rock and whales at the feeding grounds.

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Pelagic Birding - US East Coast

• Thread starter PyrrhuloxiaIsAmazing
• Start date Feb 22, 2014

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Pyrrhuloxiaisamazing, teenager with big birding dreams.

• Feb 22, 2014

Hey, I live in Connecticut, USA. I want to see more pelagic (Procellariiformes, etc.) birds and I would like to know where this could be done. On the Atlantic Coast of the US, does anyone have ideas about where to see birds like this?  

Registered User

Don't know about the CT chapter, but both the NY as well as the NJ Audubons arrange for periodic pelagics. Note the trip is not cheap, because pushing a boat 50 miles offshore burns a lot of fuel, so finding enough birders to fund the excursion is a challenge. At Cape May, they use the Lewis ferry to provide a poor mans pelagic and I'd guess the Block Island ferry might be the equivalent for CT.  

Well-known member

• Feb 24, 2014

Paul Guris is the man to speak to. His website is getting a make-over but there should be some info there http://www.paulagics.com/ Paul runs trips out of NY, NJ and Delawear, best time for Procellariiformes would be one of his late summer trips, cheers, Rob  

Member since 2007

PyrrhuloxiaIsAmazing said: Hey, I live in Connecticut, USA. I want to see more pelagic (Procellariiformes, etc.) birds and I would like to know where this could be done. On the Atlantic Coast of the US, does anyone have ideas about where to see birds like this? Click to expand...

• Feb 25, 2014

Yeah, I have heard Hatteras is a great spot. But it might cost a lot to go down there. The place in Massachusetts is much better.  

• Jun 12, 2014
• I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway

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Welcome to Scilly Pelagics: pelagic trips operating out of St. Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. You'll find information about our pelagic trips and our studies of seabirds observed off Scilly and across the world. You can book pelagics and purchase our multimedia guides and clothing. 

Scilly Pelagics is managed by Bob Flood and Joe Pender. We provide expert knowledge about seabirds, seabirding, seamanship and where to find seabirds and ocean wildlife in Scillonian waters. We offer an unsurpassable service in the British Isles for pelagic birding. Scheduled trips and private charters are available.

In partnership with

July/August 2024 Birder Special Pelagics

What we offer....

Birder Special Pelagics

Scilly Pelagics was launched in 2006 to cater for the ever-growing interest in seabirds and other wildlife regularly found in Scillonian waters. Scilly Birder Special Pelagics are a long weekend – Friday to Monday inclusive – to see and photograph as many specialities as possible, in particular Cory's and Great Shearwaters and Wilson's Storm-petrel.

Sapphire Pelagics

Operated by experienced seaman and skipper of  MV Sapphire  Joe Pender, Sapphire Pelagics offers short-range pelagic trips combining seabirding with a shark-tagging programme. A team of experienced local birders and shark taggers will be on board to help with spotting, identification and distributing chum, the key ingredient to attracting sharks and seabirds.

Multimedia ID Guides

Multimedia Identification Guides to North Atlantic Seabirds is a unique series of books and DVDs covering the detailed identification of all Procellariiformes occurring in the North Atlantic. The series includes Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel; Pterodroma Petrels; Albatrosses & Fulmarine Petrels; and Shearwaters. This groundbreaking collection is a vital addition to any seabirder's library.

Our new range of quality embroidered Scilly Pelagics clothing includes

caps, polos, and hoodies all available in grey and navy blue.

Polos (men's and women's) and hoodies available in various sizes. 

Scilly Pelagics clothing range 

Pelagic Customer Reviews

Quotes from twitter....

Just had the absolute best day, watching common dolphin bow-riding during the Scilly Pelagic. Also, the 19+ Wilson’s Storm-petrels were OK! SB

@scillypelagics thank you so much for the last two days. Great birding. Trips so well organised and call-outs and directions are superb. Great fun, tremendous views. Anyone reading this, go do it! BU

Superlative seabirding today with @scillypelagics. BD

Just the best of birding experiences. Wilson’s Storm-petrel, Great Shearwater, Cory’s Shearwater …just some of the highlights of the Scilly Pelagics weekend, enjoyed with my son. Brilliant @scillypelagics. ST

A fantastic 3 days with so many highlights. Thx for an unforgettable experience. SC

One of the best, if not the best birding trips I’ve been on. RK

You could nearly touch the shearwaters. Absolutely fantastic. Can’t wait for next year. GM

Had a brilliant day on Sunday. Life-ticked Wilson’s. Huge numbers of Great Shears, loads of Cory’s, all point-blank views. Thanks guys. MB

Trip of a lifetime. BP  

Genuinely the best birding experience of my life! Thank you so much. AT

Absolutely fabulous four days with Scilly Pelagics. Memories are made from trips like that. RH

My 1st trips with @scillypelagics for ca 10 years were excellent – e.g. on Saturday we spent ˃20 mins surrounded by Wilson’s Petrels. NW

Our trip was simply joy. GE Genuinely one of the best birding trips I’ve been on for a while, @scillypelagics were fantastic. SF

Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom

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Marian University Biology Professor ranked 12th in the World in “Big Year”

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• January 08, 2024

In teaching biology, Benson says birds are frequently used as examples in ecology and behavior. "Seeing birds all over the country, fitting perfectly into their different habitats and performing their extraordinary behaviors allowed me to understand at a more visceral level the basic concepts I've been teaching for years." During his Fall 2023 sabbatical, Dr. Benson seized the opportunity to delve into new environments and locations, enriching his practical ecological knowledge. Reflecting on this experience, he notes, "This goal forced me to see and really dive deep into habitats, national parks, and ecosystems that I talk about in my classes, but have never before had the opportunity to experience," he explained. "Students will definitely benefit thanks to my newfound firsthand knowledge, and that's really what it's all about."  Professor David Benson's remarkable journey not only places him among the world's top birders for 2023, but also promises to enhance the educational experience for future Marian University biologists for years to come.