BTS: Pelagic Birding Trip Planning

Seeing pelagic birds requires getting on a boat, sometimes for many hours if not days, and hoping you find your targets in a vast sea. Luckily the guides have a plan, and this video covers some of the behind the scenes things that make these trips run successfully.

0:00 Intro
0:44 Basics
3:18 Chum
5:44 Trees?!
7:02 Communication
9:08 eBird lists

[enixxe]

Bringing plants on your boat just in case a distressed terrestrial bird needs them is honestly really cool and not something I had ever thought of before.

[historiasdeaves]

Nice tips, will be very useful on my first "actual" pelagic trip in Mexico. Thank You


Also, congrats for your fist thousand subscribers!!

[tkjordan]

Congrats on 1, 000 subscribers! You’re making some of the best birding content on this platform. I hope many more thousands discover your channel soon!🎉

[naturewithgabe]

Doug, this was great. As someone who has never done a pelagic trip I found this quite interesting. The habitats across one trip was something I had never though of for a pelagic. Congrats on 1k and keep up the great work!

[forestvoidmars]

I went on my first pelagic trip recently! I was on the Sunday boat during the Western Field Ornithologist conference. Pretty much every bird outside of the harbor was a lifer for me since it was my first boat out but there were definitely some highlights! We almost twice doubled the San Diego county record for Guadalupe murrelets, the county record was 4 and we saw a total of 7! We also saw a very tolerant South Polar Skua, stayed by the boat for a few minutes when they apparently usually fly away quickly. Our group also spotted a Manx shearwater out of a group of black vents! There was also a Brown/Cocos booby, but unfortunately I really didn't get a good look at it. It was an awesome experience!

[Djiggity]

I knew a nothing about birds but when the algorithm calls, I answer!

[josephbratta]

Hey Doug! Just wanted to say congrats on hitting 1, 000 subscribers! I've thoroughly enjoyed your content over the past few months I've been subbed. You are doing excellent work, and I know myself and many others appreciate you sharing your experiences and knowledge. You have truly made me a better birder.

Also, quick question: Ironically, I was considering visiting Maine next year with plans to search for a pelagic opportunity! Is there a way to sign up for the pelagic you discussed in the video? Thanks!

[hairiestwizard]

I subscribed on all 1000 of my burner accounts! Congrats on the success you deserve it!

[kitkat]

Congrats on 1k! I haven't done a pelagic yet but I grew up in Maine (now in Chicago) and enjoy seeing your content and some birds of my childhood, so to speak 😁 (I didn't realize some pelagics brought out little trees or vegetation! Is that common, in your experience? I'm not sure whether or not they do it on the Great Lakes pelagic trips here.)

[davearchbell]

Looks awesome. How early, approximately, does registration open up for the 2025 trip. Thanks in advance

[kvppvk]

I have lived on the coast for over thirty years and have been birding for sixty … in my experience many day trip pelagics for birders are ridiculously overpriced. I am fully aware of the cost of running boats … having done so myself. Many of these skippers, who of course need to turn a profit, are absolutely taking the p***. I thought the prices in the UK were steep enough, but one on the west coast of Canada this autumn / fall - that we boycotted, was offered at, and promoted by a local birder at the equivalent of £250 for a day. Absolutely crazy. Joining pelagics at these prices, on the possibility of gaining one or two ticks, when if you are unused to seagoing, you will almost inevitably end up sick as a dog, is madness. Don’t get me wrong, I have been on plenty of pelagics and would love to do more … but I won’t feed this greed and make things worse - whatever the species on offer.

[amsterdan]

I don't like feeding wild animals for pictures, specially when isolated chemicals are used (and a simples miss calculation and much stronger results is easier to happen). The birds learn'd to follow dimetyl sulphide to find krill. You are teaching it something else and it may not be as adapted to its environment. Specially when its a comercial pelagic trip the incentives are not aligned. Wild animals are to watch not to feed.