Five of us headed out to Jeffrey’s Ledge today December 11, 2011 (myself, Bruce Bartrug, Zeke Cornell, Scott Spangenberg, and Greg Tillman).  The weather was close to perfect for the date — beginning 2 foot seas dropping to 1 foot in the afternoon, clear skies and light wind.

The target species were mostly represented (again no thick-billed murre), but the abundance was WAY down on the last trip out in late November. Eastmans will likely pull their boat after next weekend, so if you want a cheap way to get out to see dovekie, etc. do it this week and/or coming weekend.  I will still run trips during the winter conditions permitting.

Full list

• Common Eider – 18
• Long-tailed Duck – 4
• Red-throated Loon – 3
• Northern Fulmar – 20
• Greater Shearwater – 7
• Northern Gannet – 25
• Common Loon – 1
• Purple Sandpiper – 1 migrant halfway between Isles of Shoals and Ledge.
• Bonaparte’s Gull – 10
• Black-legged Kittiwake – 25
• Iceland Gull – 2

Black-legged Kittiwake, Jeffreys Ledge, December 11, 2011

Common Murre, Jeffreys Ledge, December 11, 2011

Common Murre, Jeffreys Ledge, December 11, 2011

Dovekie, Jeffreys Ledge, December 11, 2011

Ist calendar Iceland Gull, Jeffreys Ledge

Northern Gannet, Jeffreys Ledge, December 11, 2011

Razorbills, Jeffreys Ledge December 11, 2011

Track of boat to the ledge.

• Glaucous Gull – the Seabrook bird joined the feeding frenzy just outside the harbor
• Dovekie – 25
• Atlantic Puffin – 1 beautiful adult picked out close to the boat by Greg Tillman
• Black Guillemot – 1
• Common Murre – 10
• Razorbill – 23
• Large Alcid sp. – 16