A light morph Black-capped Petrel was among the list of interesting seabirds sighted and photographed during the June 3rd Seabirding trip (photos by Kate Sutherland). One of the 187 Wilson’s Storm Petrels observed during the May 30th Seabirding trip, during which 12 seabird species were sighted!

After another successful spring seabirding season, birders interested in adding new birds to their life lists or who want to try their hand at photographing seabirds in flight are turning their attention to the summer Seabirding trips offshore from Hatteras and Wanchese, North Carolina. Led by Captain Brian Patteson, the seabirds typically associated with the Gulf Stream in the western North Atlantic include Black-capped Petrels, Audubon’s Shearwaters, Band-rumped Storm Petrels, White-tailed Tropicbirds, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Masked Boobys, Bridled Terns, and Sooty Terns.

Rarer seabirds that are occasionally encountered include Bermuda Petrels, Fea’s Petrels, and Trindade Petrels, while birds found with greater frequency include Great Shearwaters, Sooty Shearwaters, and Wilson’s Storm Petrels.

Led by Captain Brian Patteson, who has been leading pelagic seabirding trips since 1986, and assisted by marine biologist Kate Sutherland since 2001, birders board the Stormy Petrel II, a 61-foot steady ship to motor to the eastern edge of the Gulf Stream during each 10 to 11 hour Seabirding expedition. Summer Seabirding trips are scheduled from Hatteras on August 2, 9, 10, 16, 18, 31, and September 1; and from Wanchese the mornings of August 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, and 29. In addition to the upcoming summer Seabirding trips, some of which have already sold out (not included in the above list), 3 fall Seabirding trips are planned for September 14 and 28, and October 12.

To learn more about upcoming Seabirding trips, refer to Seabirding – Excellence in Pelagic Birding (patteson.com) and Gulf Stream Trips – Seabirding (patteson.com)

You can also get more information about the birds observed during spring Seabirding trips, as well as highlights from past years at Seabirding: 2024