Whales and Pelagic Bird Watching Cruise from Gloucester

63 Rogers Street,Gloucester MA 01930

15 July, 2022

Description

Cool off with Spark Birding’s Peter Alden and marine mammal experts on a Seven Seas Cruise leaving Gloucester at 8:30 a.m. View the harbor activity as we sail past Ten Pound Island where dozens of Snowy and Great Egrets along with Little Blue Herons breed. Rafts of breeding black-and-white Common Eiders feed alongside the estates and breakwater along Eastern Point. Masses of gulls and a few terns will pepper the sky and shores. Looking southwest you will see the skyline of Boston while our vessel, the Privateer IV, turns southeast to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The main target will be to find Humpback Whales with their long white flippers as they feed and breach. Northern Right Whale, Fin Whale, Minke Whale and Atlantic White-sided Dolphins might be seen. The trip out to the whales usually takes between 45 minutes to a little over an hour depending on the location of the whales. Remember that you will be traveling aboard the PRIVATEER IV: the newest and the most comfortable high-speed whale watching vessel in Gloucester and we trust that your trip out the whale’s feeding ground will be an enjoyable part of your trip. Once we arrive on the feeding grounds we will spend approximately 1.5 hours with the whales. Seven Seas Cruises’ onboard naturalist will provide valuable insight into the lives of the whales you see and explain the behaviors you observe the whales engaged in. The vessel’s experienced team of naturalists and the information they impart during your time with the whales will greatly add to your whale watching experience and hopefully give you a deeper appreciation of the whales you see and the unique marine environment that we are ALL so privileged to be visiting. While at times all of the whales are concentrated in one area (indicating that area is heavily laden with fish) at other times the whales may be more spread out. Seven Seas makes every effort to visit with many different whales (and different species of whales) to show you as much as possible during your time on the water. You’ll see the name shearwater on at least one boat in every New England harbor. Shearwaters differ from “sea gulls” by their stiff bowed wings cruising low over the water. The most likely one we see is the Greater Shearwater with its black-cap bill and rump contrasted with white underparts. It comes to us from Tristan Cunha between Brazil and South Africa! Similarly large is the Cory’s Shearwater which differs from the Greater by its yellow bill and pale brown crown. They come here from the Mediterranean! All brown Sooty Shearwaters show white wing linings and visit us from Tierra del Fuego! Smallish Manx Shearwaters breed mainly in Europe, but a dozen or more are often seen at the south end of Revere Beach. They may be breeding in burrows on some harbor island and are seen at Stellwagen. Tiny Wilson’s Storm-Petrels dance over the water each summer looking like fluttery black swallows with a white rump. Most of them breed around the Antarctic Peninsula and offshore archipelagos and fly up here every summer! The huge Northern Gannet breeds around the Canadian Maritimes but a few may summer here diving from on high. Our group will be part of the larger group of whalewatchers on this Seven Seas Cruise . Peter Alden will be our leader along the the vessel's naturalists. In Peter's career as a cruise lecturer and onshore naturalist guide, he has spent time with all these birds in Canada, Europe, Tristan, the Falklands, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica. He looks forward to helping you see the sea birds. Optional lunch at a local restaurant afterwards with Peter Alden. What to bring: Bring binoculars, a jacket and warm clothing, rubber-soled shoes or sneakers for good traction on deck, sunscreen & sunglasses, a camera with a memory card that has lots of space (and a fully charged battery!), motion sickness medication or patch if desired, snacks/drinks or cash for the snack bar. Arrive Early and be prepared for traffic. NOTE about registration: Please register as soon as possible as the event is limited to 19 participants. Added to the price will be a small Eventbrite processing fee. The $70 price includes a $5 fuel surcharge and a copy of Spark Birding's New England Birdwatching Journal to log your sightings.