westport seabirds pelagic tours

For every serious birder, the pelagic tour is a must. The tour did not disappoint. About thirty miles out, we saw literally thousands of shearwaters and hundreds of fulmars. Also saw the great shearwater, only the sixth record for the Washington State.

I went on one of Westport Seabirds’ pelagic birding trips and highly recommend it IF you’re not prone to seasickness. They take you up to 30 miles off the coast. Their staff is friendly, enthusiastic, and super knowledgeable, and they do all they can to make sure you get great views of birds you’d never see on land. We saw sooty shearwaters diving for chum and they looked like they were flying underwater, very cool. Fun to watch the albatrosses seemingly walking and skating on top of the water, too. We even saw a South Polar Skua, among many other birds. Our trip was lucky and saw orcas, too, as well as humpback whales and dolphins. Be prepared for a very early start (we had a beautiful dawn) and a long day at sea (~ 10 hrs.) with food, a hat, sunblock, and energy!

If you are interested in pelagic birds, take a trip with Westport Seabirds. The members of the crew are all very knowledgeable and very patient in explaining the sometimes subtle differences between species. They do everything possible to ensure that everyone sees everything. They also point out mammals and fish that are encountered. My wife and I loved our trip.