TRIP REPORT: OCTOBER 28, 2012 HALF MOON BAY

Howdy, Seabirders,

This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trip departing from Half Moon Bay, October 28, 2012. Highlights included great views of over 500 BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS, which Martin Meyers obtained beautiful images of, below. 

 Black-vented Shearwater is an inshore seabird, found most often on the Continental Shelf.

 Of course, we also made a search for the endangered MARBLED MURRELET, finding two of them. The normal scattering of fall seabirds were present, including BULLER'S SHEARWATER below, although it was getting late for them.

 PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS were observed in good numbers, along with two SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS. 

Many thanks to all of the birders who joined us from near and far for this day at sea. The leaders were: Sophie Webb, Jennifer Green and Debi Shearwater. All images, copyright, Martin Meyers. Please do not use without permission. To see more of Martin's images, click here. 

Our last pelagic trip of the year is scheduled for NOVEMBER 20, departing from Half Moon Bay. This can be a terrific time of year for arriving winter seabirds, and possibly a rare seabirds. Well, you won't see one if you don't get out there! Leaders scheduled for this day include the intrepid Todd McGrath, Steve Tucker, Debi Shearwater and Ross Schaefer as chum mate. Everyone welcome!

The complete species list follows.

OCTOBER 28, 2012

SAN MATEO/SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY

RED-THROATED LOON- 1/0

PACIFIC LOON- 3/0

COMMON LOON- 5/0

EARED GREBE- 95/0

WESTERN GREBE- +/0

CLARK'S GREBE- +/0

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 1/3

NORTHERN FULMAR- 25/25

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 223/180

BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 35/128

SOOTY SHEARWATER- 30/120

SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER- 0/2

BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER- 510/0

BROWN PELICAN- 25/0

BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 50/0

PELAGIC CORMORANT- 3/0

SURF SCOTER- 25/0

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER- 5/0

BLACK TURNSTONE- 15/0

SURFBIRD- 1/0

SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 0/1

POMARINE JAEGER- 6/12

BONAPARTE'S GULL- 2/1

HEERMANN'S GULL- +

CALIFORNIA GULL- +

HERRING GULL- 1/2

WESTERN GULL- +

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL- 2/0

ELEGANT TERN- 8, in the harbor

COMMON MURRE- 230/10

PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 2/0

MARBLED MURRELET- 2/0

CASSIN'S AUKLET- 0/30

RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 40/40

TUFTED PUFFIN- 1/0, brief flyby only

SEA OTTER- 5

CALIFORNIA SEA LION-2

OCEAN SUNFISH- 4

NO CETACEANS OBSERVED! 

Shearwaters forever,

Debi Shearwater

debi@shearwaterjourneys.com