A pod of Clymene Dolphins rode the bow of the boat for a while on May 17; this was only the second time that Brian had recorded this poorly known marine mammal.

This Black-capped Petrel is one of the light/intermediate individuals.

This first summer Parasitic Jaeger made several nice passes by the boat, and chased a Black-capped Petrel at one point. The diagnostic short, pointed central rectrices are evident here.

We saw one to several of these giant Loggerhead Turtles most days.

Black-capped Petrels show a range of variation from light to dark; this is a very dark individual.

This heavenly sunrise at sea on May 21 was my first clue that today would be the day I would finally get to see my most-wanted bird on Earth - Bermuda Petrel.

Parastic Jaeger is the least common of the three jaeger species off the Outer Banks, so this cooperative first-summer bird was a treat.

Royal Terns are occasionally seen far offshore, but are abundant in the near shore waters.

This is a nice, clean juvenile Wilson's Storm-Petrel. Wilson's Storm-Petrels breed in Antarctica, so this recently hatched bird was at or on its way to its wintering grounds.

Sooty Shearwaters are generally present in small numbers. They are extremely hard to photograph because their dark color makes it hard to obtain a clear focus.

A dorsal view of the first-summer Parasitic Jaeger.

We saw a couple of offshore Common Terns on most days; one day we saw an Arctic.

This Ruddy Turnstone was sitting on a pier as we returned to the marina.

This Wilson's Storm-Petrel is an adult in pre-basic molt.

Pattering Wilson's Storm-Petrels are a constant presence when the chum slick is working well.

Audubon's Shearwater numbers were below average, perhaps due to the winds scattering the sargasso weed in which they feed.

An unusual perspective on a Cory's Shearwater.

Leach's Storm-Petrels are generally present in small numbers this time of year. The forked tail, evident here, is surprisingly difficult to detect in the field. Flight behavior is a much more distinctive field mark.

On several days this year, we attracted a large number of Wilson's Storm-Petrels to our chum slick.

This was the first of three subadult Masked Boobies recorded on the two boats while I was there; this species is very rare off North Carolina. This is a third-summer individual, with three generations of primaries showing.