Three journeys in September

October 3, 2007

HELLO, SEABIRDERS,

This is a compilation report for the September 28 and 29 pelagic trips from Monterey Bay and September 30 from Bodega Bay. By comparing the bird lists for the three trips, it is easy to see how the species have spread themselves out over this very large and diverse geographical area. Krill blooms in Bodega Bay for instance, attract the feeding Cassin’s Auklets and Blue Whales, while no krill exists in Monterey thus far this season. Storm-petrel flocks seemed to have moved out of the Bodega area, while numbers have doubled in the Monterey region. Northern Fulmars have made big movements into the Bodega area. When planning a trip from across the country or the world, it is very wise to schedule trips from several harbors along the north central coast of California. Birders who went on all three of these trips tallied a significant species list.

Complete trip reports & photos are available:
Monterey Bay 28 Sept
Monterey Bay 29 Sept
Cordell Bank 30 Sept

The compiled list for SEP 28/29/30 follows:
RED-THROATED LOON-0/1/1
PACIFIC LOON-1/0/2
COMMON LOON-2/1/3
EARED GREBE-0/1/0
WESTERN GREBE-0/20/2
CLARK’S GREBE-0/2/0
WESTERN/CLARK’S GREBE-0/20/0
LAYSAN ALBATROSS-0/0/3
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-6/6/60
NORTHERN FULMAR-21/12/275
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-72/153/30
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-0/0/1
BULLER’S SHEARWATER-23/113/69
SOOTY SHEARWATER-20/35/37
WILSON’S STORM-PETREL-1/0/0
ASHY STORM-PETREL-1000/3/0
BLACK STORM-PETREL-1250/2/0
LEAST STORM-PETREL-6/0/0
BROWN PELICAN-34/85/20
BRANDT’S CORMORANT-150/1060/1000
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT-7/7/0
PELAGIC CORMORANT-1/7/8
HARLEQUIN DUCK-1/0/0
SURF SCOTER-7/1/27
NORTHERN PINTAIL-130/0/0
NORTHERN SHOVERLER-12/0/0
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER-0/0/1
WANDERING TATTLER-0/0/1
BLACK TURNSTONE-8/0/10
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-35/20/3
RED PHALAROPE-1/0/20
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-14/10/9
POMARINE JAEGER-25/23/21
PARASITIC JAEGER-2/2/1
HEERMANN’S GULL-87/41/140
BONAPARTE’S GULL-0/0/2
CALIFORNIA GULL-100/350/150
HERRING GULL-1/0/0
WESTERN GULL-200/400/200
SABINE’S GULL-3/8/1
ELEGANT TERN-27/66/0
COMMON TERN-1/0/0
COMMON MURRE-12/100/40
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-2/3/4
MARBLED MURRELET-0/9/0
CASSIN’S AUKLET-0/0/1000+
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-22/20/9
TUFTED PUFFIN-0/0/1

SEA OTTER-12/12/0
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-150/250/100
STELLER’S SEA LION-0/0/1
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-1/0/1
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-1/0/2
HARBOR SEAL-14/0/+
MINKE WHALE-1/0/0
BLUE WHALE-0/0/9
HUMBPACK WHALE-2/5/12
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-0/150/400
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-14/200/650
DALL’S PORPOISE-0/0/12

OCEAN SUNFISH-4/0/1
BLUE SHARK-3/0/1
SALMON SHARK-0/0/1

Shearwaters forever,
Debra Shearwater