Shearwater Journey's pelagic trips on October 17 from BODEGA BAY and October 18 from MONTEREY BAY were the last trips of the fall season. Both trips were excellent, with good sea conditions, and many seabirds and marine mammals. Highlights of the October 17th trip included: flocks of more than a 100 BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, and one Buller's Shearwater standing on wad of bull kelp; 3 FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS; a small influx of NORTHERN FULMARS; possibly the last SOUTH POLAR SKUAS of the season; several MEW GULLS; and arriving BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES; a PALM WARBLER about 15 miles offshore in Sonoma County; and several STELLER'S SEA LIONS. County birders enjoyed adding many species to both their Sonoma and Marin County lists. Highlights of the October 18th trip from Monterey Bay included: a CACKLING GOOSE flying over the harbor; flocks of migrating PACIFIC LOONS; 2 or 3 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS; 1 MANX SHEARWATER; 4 BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS; a FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER sitting on the water, providing knock out views and photo-ops; arriving BONAPARTE'S GULLS; good numbers of CASSIN'S AUKLETS; and half a dozen KILLER WHALES interacting with CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS and HUMPBACK WHALES. The heavy gale force winds from the northwest cooled the sea surface temperature down to about 55F and was probably part of the influx of fulmars, trickling of kittiwakes, and short-tailed shearwaters. A deep, red tide had formed inside and just outside of the Monterey harbor. Those folks who signed on for both trips accumulated quite a seabird/marine mammal species list!
Our next trips from Monterey with spaces available are NOVEMBER 29 with Clay Kempf, Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Jennifer Green, Luke Cole, and Debra Shearwater leading, and JANUARY 17, 2009. Please email Debra Shearwater for a reservation/information.
Many, many thanks to all of the participants who traveled from near and far to join us on our trips this year! We couldn't do it without you! The leaders for October 17th were: Lisa Hug, Jennifer Green, John Sterling, Alan Hopkins, David Vanderpluym, David Wimpfheimer, Steve Howell, and Debra Shearwater. The leaders for the October 18th trip were: Clay Kempf, Linda Terrill, Scott Terrill, David Vander Pluym, And Debra Shearwater. Lauren Harter was chummer on both trips. Many thanks, Lauren!
The complete species list follows:
OCTOBER 17 BODEGA BAY/OCT 18 MONTEREY BAY 2008:
PACIFIC LOON- 3/40
COMMON LOON- 2/2
EARED GREBE- 5/25
WESTERN GREBE- 5/6
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 9/5
NORTHERN FULMAR- 13/12
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 171/220
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 3/2
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-920/0
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 41/75
SOOTY/SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER- 3/3
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER- 0/2 or 3
MANX SHEARWATER- 0/1
BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER- 0/4
BROWN PELICAN- 25/125
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 50/325
PELAGIC CORMORANT- 3/0
SURF SCOTER- 2/0
CANADA GOOSE- 0/7
CACKLING GOOSE- 0/1
GREATER SCAUP- 4/0
BRANT- 2/0
NORTHERN PINTAIL- 0/3
BLACK TURNSTONE- 1/4
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 0/34
SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 6/0
POMARINE JAEGER- 15/6
POMARINE/PARASITIC- 6/2
PARASITIC JAEGER- 0/1
BONAPARTE'S GULL- 0/8
HEERMANN'S GULL- 81/200
MEW GULL- 4/0
CALIFORNIA GULL- 380/180
HERRING GULL- 10/0
WESTERN GULL- 250/370
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL- 3/0
WESTERN/GLAUCOUS-WINGED- 10/0
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE- 2/0
ELEGANT TERN- 0/27
COMMON MURRE- 250/120
PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 5/0
CASSIN'S AUKLET- 33/60
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 35/225
*PALM WARBLER- 1/0, about 15 miles offshore in Sonoma County. It flew toward land.
PEREGRINE FALCON- 0/1, on the radio tower along Cannery Row.
SEA OTTER- 0/12
CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 2/225
STELLER'S SEA LION- 7/0
NORTHERN FUR SEAL- 1/2
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- 1/1
HARBOR SEAL- +/5
HUMPBACK WHALE- 5/20
KILLER WHALE- 0/6
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 16/0
RISSO'S DOLPHIN- 0/400
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 50/20
DALL'S PORPOISE- 16/6
OCEAN SUNFISH- 0/2
BLUE SHARK- 1/2
Shearwaters forever,
Debra
Debra Shearwater
Shearwater Journeys, Inc.
PO Box 190
Hollister, CA 95024
831.637.8527
www.shearwaterjourneys.com
*Antarctica, South Georgia, & The Falkland Islands, January 5-24, 2010*
Shearwater Journeys' Exclusive Charter
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