Black-footed Albatross Trip Reports
By Ken Chamberlain
This summer I went on two pelagic trips that launched from Tillamook County. The trips were made August 19 and September 12 with Garibaldi Fishing Charters. On each I was the sole birding guest along with 5-6 fishermen seeking albacore tuna.
The trips are entirely unguided -- you are solely responsible for finding and identifying the birds. I can recommend them only for folks who have made several prior guided pelagic trips. Being the sole observer I'm certain that I missed some birds. That said, I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to find and identify the birds by myself. I also wanted to see these birds in Tillamook County where there currently are no guided pelagic birding trips offered.
August 19
My first trip was made on the 53-foot vessel "Norwester" with Captain Mick Buell. Mick was very friendly and interested in having birders aboard. The Norwester is a very stable vessel from which to bird.
The trip left the dock at 5 am and motored approximately 2 hours out through the dark and foggy dawn to about 33 miles off Barview Jetty. Birding was mostly done while the boat motored along trolling for tuna at about 7 knots. When tuna were hooked the boat was stopped to fight the fish. At these "bait stops" both live and dead bait fish were thrown overboard as chum for the tuna. The chum attracted birds as well as tuna.
By Ken Chamberlain
This summer I went on two pelagic trips that launched from Tillamook County. The trips were made August 19 and September 12 with Garibaldi Fishing Charters. On each I was the sole birding guest along with 5-6 fishermen seeking albacore tuna.
The trips are entirely unguided -- you are solely responsible for finding and identifying the birds. I can recommend them only for folks who have made several prior guided pelagic trips. Being the sole observer I'm certain that I missed some birds. That said, I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to find and identify the birds by myself. I also wanted to see these birds in Tillamook County where there currently are no guided pelagic birding trips offered.
August 19
My first trip was made on the 53-foot vessel "Norwester" with Captain Mick Buell. Mick was very friendly and interested in having birders aboard. The Norwester is a very stable vessel from which to bird.
The trip left the dock at 5 am and motored approximately 2 hours out through the dark and foggy dawn to about 33 miles off Barview Jetty. Birding was mostly done while the boat motored along trolling for tuna at about 7 knots. When tuna were hooked the boat was stopped to fight the fish. At these "bait stops" both live and dead bait fish were thrown overboard as chum for the tuna. The chum attracted birds as well as tuna.
At one of our bait stops an immature gull (western?) came close to the boat to take a bait fish. It was attacked by a Long-tailed Jaeger attempting to steal the fish. I was able to get several photos of the aerial battle for the fish.
Mick was willing to alter course to investigate birds working bait. This often payed off with a tuna bite or two.
Birds seen included:
Black-footed Albatross
Northern Fulmar
Pink-footed Shearwater
Buller's Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Mick was willing to alter course to investigate birds working bait. This often payed off with a tuna bite or two.
Birds seen included:
Black-footed Albatross
Northern Fulmar
Pink-footed Shearwater
Buller's Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Buller's (foreground) and Pink-footed Shearwaters Red Phalarope
Long-tailed Jaeger
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Cassin's Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Sabine's Gull
Western Gull
California Gull
Caspian Tern
Arctic Tern
Marine Mammals
Orca (Killer Whales)
We returned to Garibaldi at about 5 pm, making it about a 12-hour trip.
September 12
My second trip was made in the 46 foot vessel "D&D", captained by Lance Fletcher. The D&D was a bit less stable for birding.
We left the dock at 5am then motored through the dark and dawn until about 8:30 am when we were about 54 miles west of Barview Jetty.
Again we both trolled and had bait stops. We ranged from 40 to 54 miles out all day, returning at 6 pm for a 13 hour day.
Long-tailed Jaeger
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Cassin's Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Sabine's Gull
Western Gull
California Gull
Caspian Tern
Arctic Tern
Marine Mammals
Orca (Killer Whales)
We returned to Garibaldi at about 5 pm, making it about a 12-hour trip.
September 12
My second trip was made in the 46 foot vessel "D&D", captained by Lance Fletcher. The D&D was a bit less stable for birding.
We left the dock at 5am then motored through the dark and dawn until about 8:30 am when we were about 54 miles west of Barview Jetty.
Again we both trolled and had bait stops. We ranged from 40 to 54 miles out all day, returning at 6 pm for a 13 hour day.
Cassin's Auklets taking flight This trip yielded mostly the same species as the August trip.
I was able to add:
Parasitic Jaeger
Heerman's Gull
Marine Mammals
Gray Whales
Elephant Seals
Fin or Sei Whale, I could not identify which.
Pelagic trips with Garibaldi Fishing Charters were $175. They can be reached at (503) 322-0007. Albacore tuna season usually runs in August and September.
Additional Photos Below (Also see Ken's gallery)
all photos by Ken Chamberlain
I was able to add:
Parasitic Jaeger
Heerman's Gull
Marine Mammals
Gray Whales
Elephant Seals
Fin or Sei Whale, I could not identify which.
Pelagic trips with Garibaldi Fishing Charters were $175. They can be reached at (503) 322-0007. Albacore tuna season usually runs in August and September.
Additional Photos Below (Also see Ken's gallery)
all photos by Ken Chamberlain
Pink-footed Shearwater
Buller's Shearwater and Albacore Tuna feeding on the same bait fish. Tuna fins visible on the right.
Sabine's Gull over bait fish
Rhinoceros Auklets
Pink-footed Shearwater
Black-footed Albatross
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