Thursday, September 25, 2008

SIX SPECIES OF SHEARWATERS: Monterey Bay, September 25, 2008

Howdy, Seabirders,

The highlight of today's Shearwater Journey's pelagic trip from
Monterey was SIX SPECIES of SHEARWATERS: 450 PINK-FOOTEDS, 1 FLESH-
FOOT, 22 BULLER'S, 2500 SOOTYS, 1 or 2 MANX, and 3 BLACK-VENTED
SHEARWATERS. SOUTH POLAR SKUAS put on a great show, as did the BLACK-
FOOTED ALBATROSSES. As on most days at sea, the seabirds were
distributed in patches, but what great patches they were! Toward the
end of the day, we encountered one massive flock of feeding
shearwaters, pelicans, cormorants, and sea lions.

Our next trips with spaces available from Monterey are OCTOBER 3, 4,
5, 11, 18; NOVEMBER 29; JANUARY 17. Spaces are still available on our
OCTOBER 9 & 17 trips from BODEGA BAY. Please email Debra Shearwater
for a reservation.

We thank the many participants who joined us today, and the leaders:
Jon Dunn, Jim Danzenbaker, Brian Sullivan, Steve Howell, & Debra
Shearwater.

The complete species list follows:

SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 MONTEREY BAY

PACIFIC LOON- 7
COMMON LOON- 1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 26
NORTHERN FULMAR- 2
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 450
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 1
BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 22
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 2500
MANX SHEARWATER- 1 or 2
BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER- 3
ASHY STORM-PETREL- 9
BROWN PELICAN- 150
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 200
PELAGIC CORMORANT- 2
HARLEQUIN DUCK- 1, on the far side of the Coast Guard Breakwater
BLACK TURNSTONE- 6
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 12
SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 11
POMARINE JAEGER- 9
POMARINE/PARASITIC JAEGER- 5
PARASITIC JAEGER- 4
JAEGER SP.- 3
HEERMANN'S GULL- 100
CALIFORNIA GULL- 2000
WESTERN GULL- 500
SABINE'S GULL- 1
ELEGANT TERN- 30
COMMON TERN- 2
COMMON MURRE- 200
PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 1
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 85
PEREGRINE FALCON- 1, on the radio tower on Cannery Row
SEA OTTER- 10
CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 300
HARBOR SEAL- 10
HUMPBACK WHALE- 22, some breaching
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 40
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 180
DALL'S PORPOISE- 18

Shearwaters forever,

Debra Shearwater
debi@shearwaterjourneys.com
831.637.8527
PO Box 190
Hollister, CA 95024

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