Black-footed Albatross seen on a Pelagic Trip. These are a giant bird, with a wingspan of 84 inches.
I just found out that I got onto the May 19th pelagic birding trip on Westport Seabirds. Check out their web site here: http://westportseabirds.com/
Westport Seabirds is the longest continuously operated pelagic birding operation in the United States with over 25 years of records from trips. This is extremely useful information, but the real amazing thing about Westport Seabirds is that the trips are so fabulous. The trips go to the continental shelf about 30 miles off the coast of Washington, where the abrupt change in the depth of the ocean floor, from a few hundred feet to a few thousand feet causes an updwelling of nutrient rich water, attracting birds who live their whole lives except for breeding at sea. It is highly improbable that a birder can see most of these species from shore, so getting far out to sea is the only way to have a good chance to see them. They include several families of birds, many with a specialized "rube nose" that allows them to excrete salt so that they can drink the salty ocean water. On this trip I can expect to see three species of loons, Black-footed Albatross, Sooty Shearwater and Pink-footed Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, Fork-tailed Storm-petrel, Red-phalarope, Parasitic Jaeger, various alcids (the "penguins" of the north oceans), and various other species. Real rarities are always possible. If you ever get a chance to get on a pelagic birding trip jump on it. It is an experience of a lifetime.