Deana and Peter Gadd took part in a pelagic birding tour on the Bay of Fundy on Saturday. The tour lasted about 7 hours, sailing south from Grand Manan Island to about halfway to Nova Scotia. They reported 14 bird species, others reported a couple more, many but not all considered pelagic. The most dramatic moment came when a parasitic jaeger chased a red-necked phalarope, seemingly unsuccessful!
There were many Wilson’s storm-petrels as well as great shearwaters and Atlantic puffins. Apart from the jaeger, other more rare birds included sooty shearwaters and a first winter laughing gull. The red-necked phalaropes were present in the thousands, at one point concentrated in a relatively small area due likely to an up-welling current bringing “nutrition” from the deep.
Although this was a birding tour a close encounter with a humpback whale added to the excitement. The sea was extremely calm and weather perfect, visibility was good. After seemingly waving to us with its fin (rolling on its back to do so), a humpback whale came quite close and “fluked” enabling a clear view of the underside of its tail. This will enable it to be identified by name as the pattern of a dark area on the underside is unique to the individual. Results of an enquiry awaits.
Great Shearwater
Red-necked Phalaropes with Atlantic Puffin
Parasitic Jaeger chasing a Red-necked Phalarope
Laughing Gull – juvenile
Sooty Shearwater
Humpback Whale
Humpback Whale
Nature Miramichi: 
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