TRIP REPORT: AUGUST 6, 2010 MONTEREY BAY

Howdy, Seabirders,

Shearwater Journeys' first of the fall season pelagic trip from Monterey Bay on August 6, 2010 was a smashing success! Near perfect sea conditions allowed us to get some 20+ miles offshore. Skies were overcast the entire day which makes for optimal viewing conditions. Seabirds,

dolphins and whales were in view for the entire day. Something to look at every minute!

Highlights included a banded LAYSAN ALBATROSS, a GRAND SLAM on all of the JAEGERS + SOUTH POLAR SKUA, great views of a XANTUS' MURRELET sitting on the water, good numbers of SABINE'S GULLS, and both BLUE and HUMPBACK WHALES. At the point where we turned to head back to the harbor, Steve Howell spotted a single, very distant COOK'S PETREL arcing above and below the horizon.

Steve Howell spotted this Xantus' Murrelet, below. (C) Steve Howell.

The Long-tailed Jaeger show was incredible, with as many as a dozen hovering over the boat at any one time. (C) Steve Howell.

Below, a Long-tailed Jaeger pursues a South Polar Skua! (C) Steve Howell.

Humpback Whales put on quite a show, with tail-slapping behavior captured by Abe Borker, (C).

We would like to thank all of the participants who came from near and far for making our day a success. The leaders for this trip were: Jennifer Green, Clay Kempf, Brian Sullivan, Steve Howell, Abe Borker, Robin Welch and Debi Shearwater.

The complete species list for the August 6, 2010 Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip follows:

LAYSAN ALBATROSS- 1, banded

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 34 to 54, 1 banded bird

*COOK'S PETREL- 1, very distant

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 28

BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 3 to 4

SOOTY SHEARWATER- 675

BROWN PELICAN- 48

BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 495

PELAGIC CORMORANT- 13

BLACK TURNSTONE- 3, on the CG Breakwater

SURFBIRD- 5, on the CG Breakwater

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 125

RED-NECKED/RED PHALAROPE- 50

RED PHALAROPE- 56

SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 2

POMARINE JAEGER- 5

LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 38

JAEGER SP.- 16

HEERMANN'S GULL- 60

CALIFORNIA GULL- 40

WESTERN GULL- 135

SABINE'S GULL- 69

ELEGANT TERN- 4

COMMON/ARCTIC TERN- 4

CASPIAN TERN- 4

COMMON MURRE- 180

PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 21

XANTUS' MURRELET- 2

CASSIN'S AUKLET- 73

RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 9

CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 250

BLUE WHALE- 4

HUMPBACK WHALE- 28

NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 160

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN- 2, off Cannery Row

RISSO'S DOLPHIN- 150

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 80

DALL'S PORPOISE- 3

OCEAN SUNFISH- 1

BLUE SHARK- 1

Shearwaters forever,

Debi Shearwater

Long-tailed Jaeger image, (C) Abe Borker.