[obol] 11-12 April offshore

[Troy Guy]

OBOL-
More from Scott Mills and Terry Hunefeld aboard the Freeman.  They 
report Mottled Petrels and Aleutian Geese on 11 April well offshore of 
Heceta Head.  Cape Arago to Cape Blanco nearshore on 12 April, clip here 
from Terry-"On the flying bridge at 0645 hours again east into a rising 
sun with the coniferous-forest green Oregon in the distance. This is the 
first time in 2 weeks I've not worn my heavy gortex insulated rain gear 
on the flying bridge.  The entire day was very pleasant.  Lots of 
sunshine, gentle breezes, calm seas.  All morning long the skies were 
full of geese and loons migrating north.  Pacific Loons were especially 
plentiful.  After lunch (a charcoal-grill cookout on the back deck of 
Miller Freeman) the loons tapered off and we began seeing hundreds of 
Common Murre.  An Anna's Hummingbird was around the ship at least from 
1100 to 1500 hours.  We saw more than 1500 birds today, 500 within our 
transect survery, including White-winged Scoter, Marbled Murrelet, 
Ancient Murrelet.  Nearly 300 Common Murre were in our transect, with 
hundreds more outside it.  The day ended early at 5 p.m.  with another 
4th of July type cookout on the aft deck."

Best,
Troy Guy
Astoria, OR