This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip departing from Fort Bragg, August 19, 2011. Despite a crummy marine forecast, but quite doable day, we departed from Noyo Harber at 7 am, and returned about 4:45 pm. We went to the outer edge of Noyo Canyon and were not disappointed. The day was full of seabirds, from beginning to end! In fact, we had tallied ASHY STORM-PETREL by 7:45 am. Highlights included fantastic views of ASHY and FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS, one WILSON'S STORM-PETREL (rarely seen on Mendocino County), over 100 NORTHERN FULMARS, all three jaeger species, with a great show of LONG-TAILED JAEGERS, good numbers of both ARCTIC TERNS and SABINE'S GULLS, one TUFTED PUFFIN, and two distant PTERODROMA PETRELS, which, despite putting out an oil slick, would not come closer to the boat! Drats! Maybe, tomorrow— or the next day, or the next day. The marine forecast is for continuously improving seas. In the end, the day turned out pretty darn well, with the fog parting and seas declining. In the harbor, some county birders ticked PURPLE MARTIN and heard a RED CROSSBILL.
We thank the birders who came from near and far (Canada) for joining our trip. Many of the same folks will be returning over the next three trips. Spaces are available on all three remaining Fort Bragg trips. The leaders on today's trip were: Todd McGrath, Wes Fritz, Abe Borker and Debi Shearwater.
The complete species list for the August 19, 2011 Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip from Fort Bragg follows:
COMMON LOON- 1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 35
NORTHERN FULMAR- 102
PTERODROMA SP.- 2
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 32
BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 8
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 206
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL- 1
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL- 52
ASHY STORM-PETREL- 105
BROWN PELIAN- 12
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 8
PELAGIC CORMORANT- 1
BLACK TURNSTONE- 2, offshore
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER- 3, offshore
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 56
RED/RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 50
RED PHALAROPE- 325
POMARINE JAEGER- 4
PARASTIC JAEGER- 4
LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 13
JAEGER SP.- 1
CALIFORNIA GULL- 12
WESTERN GULL- 35
SABINE'S GULL- 49
COMMON TERN- 6
COMMON/ARCTIC TERN- 20
ARCTIC TERN- 72
COMMON MURRE- 42
PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 8
CASSIN'S AUKLET- 16
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 15
TUFTED PUFFIN- 1
RED CROSSBILL- 1, heard in the harbor
PURPLE MARTIN- 4, in the harbor
OSPREY- 2, in the harbor
CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 6
BLUE WHALE- 1
HUMPBACK WHALE- 2
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 6
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 22
DALL'S PORPOISE- 6
Images will follow at a later date.
Shearwaters forever,
Debi Shearwater
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