Tropical Audubon Society

South Florida’s Voice of Conservation

Decided to do a pre-Erika pelagic trip to see if the storm would blow stuff our way. Joining me were Alex Harper, Ben Woodard, Brandon Trentler, Rangel Diaz, and Trey. Conditions were choppy but we did have a good trip despite only going out to 800 feet of water. The seas got pretty heavy to continue any deeper, and most of the birds were seen shallower in the 300-400 foot range. Our best bird was a White-tailed Tropicbird that Alex spotted as if flew low to the water and then disappeared. He described it as a white bird, which in 440 feet of water usually means tropicbird. The disappearance meant it landed on the water, which is another sign of a tropicbird. I maneuvered the boat in the general vicinity of where it was last seen and after some effort, we found it sitting on the water. As we got close it took off and shot up real high, where a frigatebird started chasing it. Luckily it made a couple of circles west of us allowing me to give chase and we got close enough to get some distant, but diagnostic photos. Thanks to the adventurous crew that braved the seas and squalls on this stormy day.

The list:

Cory's Shearwater (both nominate and Scopolis's race)
White-tailed Tropicbird
Brown Booby
Red-necked Phalarope
Pomarine Jaeger
Brown Noddy
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Common Tern