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Pelagic
Birding Trip with the Marine Science Center May 17, 2008
The Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet is sponsoring a major
pelagic birding trip on Saturday, May 17, 2008.
Join us for the first public
exploration ever offered off the east coast of Florida that will
explore the entire width of the Gulf Stream and the 3000’ deep
canyons 100 miles offshore.
The trip will leave from the
New Smyrna side of Ponce Inlet and travel out over 100 miles,
crossing the entire Gulf Stream, past the east wall of the Gulf
Stream into the area known as the “Tuna Grounds.” This trip holds
the probability of encountering numerous pelagic species. We will be
in the Gulf Stream at the perfect time to have multiple sightings of
Black-capped Petrel. Previous explorations of this area at this time
of year have gotten Black-caps every trip. This trip is during the
middle of spring migration, when there are good chances of migrants
such as Sooty and Manx Shearwaters, all three Storm-Petrels
(Leach’s, Wilson’s and Band-rumped), both Tropicbirds, Long-tailed
Jaeger and Arctic Tern.
We will search for schools of tuna by finding flocks of birds on
radar, which often include hundreds of terns and shearwaters feeding
over the fish. There is a chance that we may even find the first
state records of extreme rarities such as Fea’s, Herald and Bermuda
Petrels that have turned up in similar waters offshore of North
Carolina at this time of year.
Potential Species include (* =
good probability):
Black-capped Petrel *
Cory’s Shearwater *
Greater Shearwater *
Sooty Shearwater *
Audubon’s Shearwater *
Manx Shearwater *
Wilson’s Storm Petrel *
Leach’s Storm-Petrel *
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel * |
Northern Gannet *
Brown Booby
Masked Booby
Red-footed Booby
White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-billed Tropicbird
Red Phalarope *
Red-necked Phalarope *
Pomarine Jaeger * |
Parasitic Jaeger *
Long-tailed Jaeger
Arctic Tern
Common Tern*
Black Tern*
Sooty Tern *
Bridled Tern *
Brown Noddy |
We will have excellent leaders
for the trip including Bob Wallace (who has made over 45 birding
trips out into the Gulf Stream in this area), Bruce Anderson,
Michael Brothers, Andy Wraithmell, Larry Manfredi, David Simpson,
Andy Bankert, John Hintermister, Wes Biggs, Roberto Torres, and
Murray Gardler.
The trip will be aboard “The Pastime Princess” a 100-foot,
all-aluminum boat with excellent observation areas on the upper deck
and bow and even a nice stern seating area. The cabin can also
accommodate 30-40 in air-conditioned comfort.
The trip will meet at 3:00 a.m. (yes, 3 a.m. – we have a long way to
go) from the Manatee Cruise/Sea Harvest Restaurant and Marina on
Riverside Drive near Canal Street in downtown New Smyrna Beach
(phone 386-427- 5393) and return at about 9:00 pm. You must be on
the boat 15 minutes prior to the 3:30 a.m. departure; the boat will
not wait for anyone who is late.
Participants should bring their own food and beverages, as well as
seasickness medicine, sunscreen and personal items. Food service
will also be available for breakfast, lunch and dinner at moderate
prices.
We need a minimum of 35 people for the trip to go, but space is
limited. Call or email right away to reserve your space. Additional
information, maps and available accommodations will be forwarded to
participants.
DON’T MISS this exceedingly rare opportunity to bird in almost
unexplored state waters, with the chance at seeing some of the
rarest birds in Florida!
COST: $185/person.
Please send checks to:
Friends of the Marine Science Center
100 Lighthouse Drive
Ponce Inlet. FL 32127
To sign up please contact:
Michael Brothers
Marine Science Center
100 Lighthouse Drive
Ponce Inlet, FL 32127
386-304-5543
mbrothers@co.volusia.fl.us
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