TRIP REPORT: OCTOBER 25, 2013 MONTEREY BAY

Howdy, Birders,

This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys' Monterey Bay seabird trip, October 25, 2013. This was our last trip of the 2013 fall season to view ocean birds of Monterey Bay. And, what a grand finale it was! With stunning views of BULLER'S SHEARWATERS close to shore, a young SOUTH POLAR SKUA sitting not he seas, we ended the day with loads of HUMPBACK WHALES, including one repeatedly breaching! How's that for an ending? All images below by leader, Jennifer Green, copyright. Please do not use without permission. 

 The phenomenal FEEDING FRENZY of HUMPBACK WHALES near the Monterey Submarine Canyon, close to shore, has continued for over five weeks. There seems to be plenty of anchovies around even after nearly 100 whales have been gorging on them for over a month.

 BULLER'S SHEARWATERS moved close to shore, less than a mile off Point Pinos on the Monterey Peninsula. Indeed, they are being observed from shore. It has been a number of years since this has occurred. 

A young SOUTH POLAR SKUA takes flight, showing the broad white wing patches. 

We had a fabulous fall season out of Monterey this year and would like to thank the many birders who came from near and far to join our trips. The leaders on this day were: Jennifer Green, Nick Levendosky, Debi Shearwater and chummers: Marrisa Orgeta-Welch and Holly Poole-Kavana. It was a cold, but beautiful day with very calm seas and a long period swell. Excellent sea conditions. Even though we did make it as far north as Davenport where we have fond storm-petrels in past years, once again, we found none here. No storm-petrel rafts were sound on any Monterey Bay pelagic trips in 2013.  

The complete trip report for MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES follows.

OCTOBER 25, 2013 SHEARWATER JOURNEYS MONTEREY BAY:

RED-THROATED LOON- 3/1

PACIFIC LOON- 51/4

COMMON LOON- 3/1

WESTERN GREBE- 10/0

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 6/12

NORTHERN FULMAR- 42/26

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 32/33

BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 14/32

SOOTY SHEARWATER- 168/324

BROWN PELICAN- +

BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 50/5

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- 1/0

PELAGIC CORMORANT- 1/0

SURF SCOTER- 105/36

BLACK TURNSTONE- 3/0

SURFBIRD- 7/0

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 12/13

RED-NECKED/RED PHALAROPE- 6/0

RED PHALAROPE- 0/1

SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 0/1

POMARINE JAEGER- 3/3

BONAPARTE'S GULL- 5/1

HEERMANN'S GULL- +

CALIFORNIA GULL- +

WESTERN GULL- +

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL- 1/1

COMMON MURRE- 75/30

CASSIN'S AUKLET- 4/6

RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 58/125

SEA OTTER- 12

CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 400

HARBOR SEAL- 1

HUMPBACK WHALE- 39 to 55

OCEAN SUNFISH- 1

Our last pelagic trip of the 2013 fall season is scheduled for NOVEMBER 16th and departs from HALF MOON BAY. A few spaces are still available. Please email me for a reservation: debi@shearwaterjourneys.com. The 2014 schedule will be out soon.

SHEARWATERS FOREVER,

DEBI SHEARWATER