The idea of venturing out on the ocean in winter is a daunting prospect for many birders, Paul Guris notes, but this can be one of the most rewarding times to look for seabirds and other marine life. Dovekies, puffins, murres, razorbills, gannets, kittiwakes, loons, cormorants, ducks, and gulls can all be found quite regularly. Some of these species are much more common in our area than people realize — and new ways are being discovered help find these birds more reliably. He offers an introduction to what one could expect on such a mid-Atlantic winter trip: what birds are searched for and what is interesting about them. Guris, who operates See Life Paulagics, has been birding in the Delaware Valley for over 40 years, and has been involved with both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania state records committees.
