TAKING YOU PLACES:
GUMDROP & PIONEER SEAMOUNTS
Best Pelagic Trip of the 2012 Fall Season
Howdy, Seabirders,
This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trip departing from Half Moon Bay, September 23, 2012. At the end of the day, all of the leaders voted this trip "the best pelagic trip of the fall season, to date!" The sea conditions were near perfect with a diminishing swell throughout the day to next to nothing by day's end. Uniformly, high overcast skies held up throughout the day. This diffuse light is perfect for viewing and photographing seabirds. Owing to these incredible calm conditions, we were able to make it over 40 miles offshore to the GUMDROP and PIONEER SEAMOUNTS. I have not been to these volcanic mountains in nearly 30 years! They are about 10-11 million years old. We were able to find 60 F sea surface temperature in several places, including a warm water "bubble." Birding highlights included: close-up views of BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES; rafts of mixed species flocks of shearwaters; one FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER seen well; a handful of ASHY STORM-PETRELS; great views of POMARINE (46), PARASITIC (1) and LONG-TAILED (9) JAEGERS; SOUTH POLAR SKUAS hovering overhead; SABINE'S GULLS; SCRIPPS'S MURRELETS offering good views to all, sitting on the water; and a fly-around TUFTED PUFFIN. The surprise bird of the day was a BURROWING OWL some 26 miles offshore! The marine mammal show was not too shabby, either: HUMPBACK WHALE (2), hundreds of PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS riding the bow for an hour and a handful of NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHINS, as well as DALL'S PORPOISE, NORTHERN FUR SEAL and NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL. We did not return to the dock until nearly 7 pm. What a day!
Many thanks to all of the birders who joined us for this memorable day at sea. The leaders were: Todd McGrath, Abe Borker, Debi Shearwater and chumming: Katelyn and Theodora.
The complete species list follows. All birds were in SAN MATEO COUNTY.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 SHEARWATER JOURNEYS HALF MOON BAY PELAGIC TRIP
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 19
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 260
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 1
BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 21
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 175
ASHY STORM-PETREL- 21
BROWN PELICAN- +
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- +
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- +
PELAGIC CORMORANT- +
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER- +
WHIMBREL- 2
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 23
RED PHALAROPE- 9
SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 6
POMARINE JAEGER- 46
PARASITIC JAEGER- 1
LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 9
JAEGER SP.- 8
CALIFORNIA GULL- 30
WESTERN GULL- 20
SABINE'S GULL- 12
ELEGANT TERN- +
COMMON MURRE- 375
SCRIPPS'S MURRELET- 3
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 250
CASSIN'S AUKLET- 30
TUFTED PUFFIN- 1
*BURROWING OWL- 1, 26 miles offshore
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD- 1, the most frequently sighted passerine offshore
NORTHERN FUR SEAL- 4
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- 2
HUMPBACK WHALE- 2
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 12
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 350
DALL'S PORPOISE- 15
Spaces are still available on the following trips:
MONTEREY: OCTOBER 6 & 14
BODEGA BAY: OCTOBER 26
HALF MOON BAY: OCTOBER 7 & 28; NOVEMBER 20
Don't miss fall seabird migration! In 2011, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER was observed on ALL of the Shearwater Journeys's trips, from all ports! This is not an easy to find shearwater, but October is the best month. And, of course, we have found quite a number of "mega" rarities in October and November during the past three and a half decades of trips!
This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trip departing from Half Moon Bay, September 23, 2012. At the end of the day, all of the leaders voted this trip "the best pelagic trip of the fall season, to date!" The sea conditions were near perfect with a diminishing swell throughout the day to next to nothing by day's end. Uniformly, high overcast skies held up throughout the day. This diffuse light is perfect for viewing and photographing seabirds. Owing to these incredible calm conditions, we were able to make it over 40 miles offshore to the GUMDROP and PIONEER SEAMOUNTS. I have not been to these volcanic mountains in nearly 30 years! They are about 10-11 million years old. We were able to find 60 F sea surface temperature in several places, including a warm water "bubble." Birding highlights included: close-up views of BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES; rafts of mixed species flocks of shearwaters; one FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER seen well; a handful of ASHY STORM-PETRELS; great views of POMARINE (46), PARASITIC (1) and LONG-TAILED (9) JAEGERS; SOUTH POLAR SKUAS hovering overhead; SABINE'S GULLS; SCRIPPS'S MURRELETS offering good views to all, sitting on the water; and a fly-around TUFTED PUFFIN. The surprise bird of the day was a BURROWING OWL some 26 miles offshore! The marine mammal show was not too shabby, either: HUMPBACK WHALE (2), hundreds of PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS riding the bow for an hour and a handful of NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHINS, as well as DALL'S PORPOISE, NORTHERN FUR SEAL and NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL. We did not return to the dock until nearly 7 pm. What a day!
Many thanks to all of the birders who joined us for this memorable day at sea. The leaders were: Todd McGrath, Abe Borker, Debi Shearwater and chumming: Katelyn and Theodora.
The complete species list follows. All birds were in SAN MATEO COUNTY.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 SHEARWATER JOURNEYS HALF MOON BAY PELAGIC TRIP
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 19
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 260
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 1
BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 21
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 175
ASHY STORM-PETREL- 21
BROWN PELICAN- +
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- +
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- +
PELAGIC CORMORANT- +
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER- +
WHIMBREL- 2
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 23
RED PHALAROPE- 9
SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 6
POMARINE JAEGER- 46
PARASITIC JAEGER- 1
LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 9
JAEGER SP.- 8
CALIFORNIA GULL- 30
WESTERN GULL- 20
SABINE'S GULL- 12
ELEGANT TERN- +
COMMON MURRE- 375
SCRIPPS'S MURRELET- 3
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 250
CASSIN'S AUKLET- 30
TUFTED PUFFIN- 1
*BURROWING OWL- 1, 26 miles offshore
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD- 1, the most frequently sighted passerine offshore
NORTHERN FUR SEAL- 4
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- 2
HUMPBACK WHALE- 2
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN- 12
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 350
DALL'S PORPOISE- 15
Spaces are still available on the following trips:
MONTEREY: OCTOBER 6 & 14
BODEGA BAY: OCTOBER 26
HALF MOON BAY: OCTOBER 7 & 28; NOVEMBER 20
Don't miss fall seabird migration! In 2011, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER was observed on ALL of the Shearwater Journeys's trips, from all ports! This is not an easy to find shearwater, but October is the best month. And, of course, we have found quite a number of "mega" rarities in October and November during the past three and a half decades of trips!
Real birds eat squid,
Debi Shearwater
debi@shearwaterjourneys.com
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