What Birds and Marine Life Can You See on Westport Seabirds Trips?

Updated

Westport Seabirds runs all-day pelagic bird-watching trips to deep-water submarine canyons about 30 nautical miles off the mouth of Grays Harbor, at the edge of the North American continental shelf. On these trips you can expect a core set of regularly seen seabirds, a rotating cast of seasonal species, and a chance at marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises, and fur seals. What you actually see on a given day depends on the season and on conditions out on the water.

Where the trips go, and why it matters

The destination is the canyon edge beyond the outer half of the continental shelf. That nutrient-rich environment supports a large array of marine life, which is why the bird list is both long and varied. The site notes that the outer shelf and canyons are the reason these waters attract everything from albatrosses to storm-petrels.

Birds you can expect

Regularly occurring species

The site names two species as regulars on Westport Seabirds trips:

  • Black-footed Albatross
  • Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel

These are the birds most likely to be part of a typical trip rather than a seasonal bonus.

Seasonal species

Beyond the regulars, the trips feature species that appear seasonally:

  • Laysan Albatross
  • Flesh-footed Shearwater
  • Short-tailed Shearwater
  • Buller's Shearwater
  • South Polar Skua

The site also refers to "many other offshore species" beyond those it names, so the full list on any given departure can extend past this group.

Species shown in the gallery

The image gallery highlights three species in particular:

  • Sabine's Gull
  • Black-footed Albatross
  • South Polar Skua

Marine mammals and other marine life

Westport Seabirds trips are not only about birds. The crew also looks for:

  • Whales
  • Dolphins
  • Porpoises
  • Fur seals
  • Other marine life that populates the nutrient-rich canyon environment

A note on the 2026 season

Westport Seabirds will continue operations in 2026 under new management, with Todd and Ann Sawin taking over. The site says to look for new booking and payment methods on the Reservation page, and that the 2026 Schedule page has new contact information and an automated reservation and payment system. The 2026 season is dedicated to the memory of Scott Mills, who led over 300 trips for Westport Seabirds over 25 years.

What this means for planning

If your goal is to see a specific species, treat the regular-versus-seasonal split as your starting point: Black-footed Albatross and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel are the safest bets, while Laysan Albatross, the three shearwaters, and South Polar Skua are seasonal possibilities rather than guarantees. For current dates, contact details, and how to reserve, use the 2026 Schedule and Reservation pages on the site.