MONTEREY SEABIRDS: TRIP REPORT AUGUST 8, 2014 with SHEARWATER JOURNEYS

Howdy, Birders,

Monterey seabirds came through at the last minute when two TUFTED PUFFINS flew toward our boat, and circled us on Shearwater Journeys's August 8th trip! BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, SOOTY & PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS & TUFTED PUFFINS, OH MY!

TUFTED PUFFINS had a good breeding season at the Farallon Islands this year with a total of 75 active sites. 

I am getting ahead of myself, though. 

CALIFORNIA SEA LION, on a buoy inside of the harbor.

Passing the MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM, we glimpse the octopus on the far side! 

This is part of their new display, "Tentacles."

This aquarium was recently voted the "Best Aquarium in the World."

More CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS on the buoy just off the aquarium. 

We encountered four PARASITIC JAEGERS, along Cannery Row, as is typical during this time of year. They chase the Elegant Terns. 

BROWN PELICAN long "the row."

Not far off Point Pinos, the first of many BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES flies in. Many albatrosses have been close to shore over the past few weeks, likely due to the presence of loads of squid.

We went to the far corners of the bay in search of storm-petrels, but found none on this day. 

I laid out a large slick which we sat on for an hour, watching BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES pile in. 

A NORTHERN (PACIFIC) FULMAR splashing down on the slick.

I finally got to meet a longtime internet buddy, TOMMY PEDERSEN, who is one of the top World eBirders! Tommy who is Norwegian by birth, lives in the UAE. 

We thank all the folks who joined us from near and far, and very far, for this day!

The leaders were: Rick Fournier, Jennifer Green, Debi Shearwater. 

All images, Beth Hamel, copyright.

Please do not use without permission.

THE COMPLETE SPECIES LIST FOR SHEARWATER JOURNEYS'S AUGUST 8, 2014 MONTEREY BAY TRIP FOLLOWS: MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 16/36

NORTHERN FULMAR- 3/6

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 62/59

SOOTY SHEARWATER- 1780/1220

BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER- 2/0

BROWN PELICAN- +

BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 450/0

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- 1/0

PELAGIC CORMORANT- 6/0

MARBLED GODWIT- 2/0

BLACK TURNSTONE- 3/0

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 56/37

PARASITIC JAEGER- 4/0

HEERMANN'S GULL- +

CALIFORNIA GULL- 26/18

WESTERN GULL- 160/45

ELEGANT TERN- 135/15

COMMON MURRE- 160/205

PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 14/0

RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 0/4

*TUFTED PUFFIN- 2/0 (one adult, one 2nd year?)

SEA OTTER- 4

CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 250

HARBOR SEAL- 4

HUMPBACK WHALE- 4

RISSO'S DOLPHIN- 10

BY-THE-WIND-SAILORS- 20, fewer than on earlier trips

EGG YOLK JELLIES- 2

UPCOMING MONTEREY TRIPS & LEADERS

AUG. 15: TODD MCGRATH, JIM DANZENBAKER, RICK FOURNIER, SOPHIE WEBB, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

AUG. 22: SCOTT TERRILL, RICK FOURNIER, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 5: NICK LEVENDOSKY, RICK FOURNIER, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 6: SCOTT TERRILL, LINDA TERRILL, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 9: TOM JOHNSON, RICK FOURNIER, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 10: TOM JOHNSON, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 11: JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 12: DEBI SHEARWATER + TBA

SEP. 13: ALBACORE TRIP: SCOTT TERRILL, LINDA TERRILL, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 14: DEBI SHEARWATER + TBA

SEP. 25: JON DUNN, NICK LEVENDOSKY, JIM DANZENBAKER, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 26: KENN KAUFMAN, KIMBERLY KAUFMAN, SCOTT TERRILL, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 27: JIM DANZENBAKER, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEP. 28: RICK FOURNIER, MARISSA ORTEGA-WELCH, COURTENAY RAY, DEBI SHEARWATER

OCT. 4: NICK LEVENDOSKY, JENNIFER GREEN, DEBI SHEARWATER

OCT. 11: NICK LEVENDOSKY, RICK FOURNIER, DEBI SHEARWATER

SEE OUR COMPLETE SCHEDULE INCLUDING TRIPS DEPARTING FROM

HALF MOON BAY

BODEGA BAY

HERE

SEE YOU OUT THERE! 

SHEARWATERS FOREVER,

DEBI SHEARWATER

debi@shearwaterjourneys.com

TRIP REPORT: OCTOBER 6 MONTEREY BAY & OCTOBER 7 HALF MOON BAY, 2012

Howdy, Birders,

This is a trip report for Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trips on October 6 departing from Monterey Bay and October 7 departing from Half Moon Bay. After nearly a month of a high pressure system sitting offshore and producing rough seas, we were finally treated to the more typical fall marine conditions. Glorious, flat, calm and sunny skies greeted us both days. We could not have asked for more perfect conditions. The lighting for photography ranged from amazing to stunning. Departing Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, below. All images by Debi Shearwater, copyright. Please do not use without permission. Highlights were many: flocks of hundreds of BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS have entered the nearshore Monterey area; hundreds of ELEGANT TERNS were sitting on the kelp beds off Cannery Row; several hundred RISSO'S DOLPHINS were feeding on squid; stunningly, three KILLER WHALES were feeding on a kill, possibly one of the DALL'S PORPOISES that we had seen only a few minutes earlier. At Half Moon Bay: we started the day with 3 MARBLED MURRELETS just outside of the harbor; a few BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS were close to shore; PACIFIC LOON migration was underway; Steve Tucker spotted a LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE on the glassy seas; one SOUTH POLAR SKUA put on a good show; NORTHERN FULMARS increased in numbers; a TUFTED PUFFIN was a nice addition; BULLER'S and PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS were in flocks, sitting on the water; the "darling" of the day was a single RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH on the fishing nets, and radio antenna; and at the end of the day, Gerry McChesney spotted 3 BAIRD'S BEAKED WHALES at the 1000 fathom line. We traveled 41 miles offshore and made it to 60 F sea surface temperatures!

 Cannery Row, Monterey lit up in the morning light.

 Unusual clouds for this time of year, below.

 Departing from Johnson's Pier, Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, below, we stop for MARBLED MURRELETS.

 A TUFTED PUFFIN, offshore. The Farallon Islands were quite visible in the distance. 

    

 Flocks of BULLER'S SHEARWATERS provided awesome photo ops, below.

   

Even after 36 years of sea birding, I've never tired of seeing BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, below.

Like a ballerina, a BULLER'S SHEARWATER flies, below.

I'm such a sucker for tiny birds. This "darling" RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH landed on our boat, some 31 miles offshore. It seems that red-breasted nuthatches are everywhere, including offshore, even on a clear day. Here it is looking inside of the handle of a fishing net on the top of our boat. It made several forays toward 9 o'clock, but returned to the boat after each one. Peter Pyle said that he thought the bird was trying to head to the Farallon Islands. Finally, it made the flight, heading toward shore, but Steve Tucker followed it, announcing that it made a left hand turn— straight for the Farallones!

The evening light, returning to the harbor, was breathtaking.

Images not enhanced or altered!

   

We returned at 6:45 p.m. from a beautiful day!

   

Many thanks to all of the local birders, as well as those who traveled from far away. We very much appreciate your business.

The leaders on the Monterey Bay trip, October 6 were: Jim Holmes, Clay Kempf, Abe Borker, Jennifer Green, John Garrett and Debi Shearwater.

The leaders on the Half Moon Bay trip, October 7 were: Gerry McChesney, Christian Schwarz, John Garrett, Steve Tucker and Debi Shearwater.

The complete species list follows.

OCTOBER 6/OCTOBER 7, 2012

RED-THROATED LOON- 0/1

PACIFIC LOON- 15/38

COMMON LOON- 5/5

EARED GREBE- 3/0

WESTERN GREBE- 1/230

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 16/21

NORTHERN FULMAR- 8/26

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 150/85

BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 14/165 (flocks offshore in the warm, tuna water).

SOOTY SHEARWATER- 75/175

BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER- 320/8

ASHY STORM-PETREL- 0/2

BROWN PELICAN- +/+

BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 5/+

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- 2/50

PELAGIC CORMORANT- 3/4

SURF SCOTER- 0/1

CACKLING GOOSE- 32/0

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER- 2/0

BLACK TURNSTONE- 10/7

SURFBIRD- 7/0

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 20/2

RED PHALAROPE- 3/1

SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 1/1

POMARINE JAEGER- 16/5

PARASITIC JAEGER- 8/7

PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 1/0

HEERMANN'S GULL- +/+

CALIFORNIA GULL- +/+

WESTERN GULL- +/+

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL- 0/2

WESTERN/GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL- 1/2

ELEGANT TERN- 318/16

COMMON MURRE- 130/500

MARBLED MURRELET- 0/3

CASSIN'S AUKLET- 30/110

RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 210/45

TUFTED PUFFIN- 0/1

SEA OTTER- +/0

CALIFORNIA SEA LION- +/4

NORTHERN FUR SEAL- 0/1

HARBOR SEAL- +/+

HUMPBACK WHALE- 2/1

BAIRD'S BEAKED WHALE- 0/2 or 3

KILLER WHALE- 3 (adult female, calf, possible "sprouter" male/or female)

RISSO'S DOLPHIN- 250/0

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN- 0/12

DALL'S PORPOISE- 1 or 2/0

OCEAN SUNFISH- +/++

BLUE SHARK- 0/1(in the warm water)

*LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE- 0/1 (loads of brown jellies around)

Our last trips of the fall season are as follows: 

SUN, OCT 14 MONTEREY BAY

FRI, OCT 26 BODEGA BAY

SUN, OCT 28 HALF MOON BAY

TUE, NOV 20 HALF MOON BAY

If weather conditions permit, we may head far offshore, especially on the Half Moon Bay trips, hoping for Cook's or Mottled Petrels. This is the time of year when both Parkinson's and White-chinned Petrels have been found. Jump on board with us!

Real birds eat squid,

Debi Shearwater

debi@shearwaterjourneys.com