Wildwater Birding & Marine Life Tour with Ocean Princess

This trip our focus is on finding deep-water (70-75 miles offshore) and warm-water specialties such as storm-petrels, shearwaters, and if we’re lucky petrels in the genus Pterodroma. Birding mostly in Maryland waters, we expect Wilson’s storm petrel, Band-rumped Storm petrel, Great and Cory’s Sheawaters and could also see Audubon’s shearwater, Leach’s Storm-Petrel, and Manx Shearwater. Both Red & Red-necked Phalarope are possible, and this is a good season for jaegers (all 3 species possible), and scarce terns. At the Continental Shelf and just beyond, we can hope for rare species such as Black-capped Petrel or South Polar Skua, and even other oddballs. This is also prime season and habitat for White-faced Storm-Petrel, which is a primary target but will require some luck.

The wildlife varies in its number and presence, but some constellation of birds and cetaceans should be in evidence. Cetaceans could include Bottlenose Dolphin, Short-finned Pilot Whale, Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, Fin Whale, Humpback Whale among others. Often, we see Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola), sea turtles, and other marine life. The seas offer challenges and rewards, remaining a great frontier still, and one never knows exactly what a trip offshore will yield. We shall work to put ourselves in the best possible position to see as much as we can.