ARCHIVED TRIP REPORTS:

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND PELAGIC July 24, 2002
Aboard the Osprey II

Subject: July 24 South Padre Island pelagic
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 20:20:40 -0500
From: Brad McKinney
The Brownsville International Birding Festival SPI pelagic (July 24) went very well. The conditions couldn't have been better with glassy seas the entire day (the only waves seen were from our boat wake!). Best bird was an extremely cooperative Leach's Storm Petrel, seen flying off the bow for several minutes in the presence of a Band-rumped Storm Petrel. In all, we had 57 Band-rumped Storm-Petrels, one Leach's SP, and one unidentified storm-petrel (probable Leach's). Had good looks at both Bridled and Sooty Terns. It still seems to be a little early for shearwaters, but we did pick up two Cory's. We also had wonderful looks at a lethargic Loggerhead Sea Turtle and bow-riding (pelagic) Bottlenose Dolphins. Other than seven unidentified dark herons, a Purple Martin, and a Cave Swallow (all in deepwater!) there were no migrants seen.

The list of pelagics included:

Masked Booby (1)- subadult
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (57)
Leach's Storm-Petrel (1)
storm-petrel sp. (1) probable Leach's
Cory's Shearwater (2)
Bridled Tern (48)
Sooty Tern (77)

For additional information, my work email is wbcbird@swbell.net
Please don't reply to this (my home email) as I cannot send attachments.

Thanks.
Brad McKinney

OCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS for July 24, 2002