Images of the Day by Sophie Webb: October 28, 2012

Hello, Birders,

Here's hoping  you will enjoy Sophie Webb's images from the October 28, 2012 Half Moon Bay  Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trip. All images, copyright, artist, award winning writer of children's books and naturalist, Sophie Webb. Please do not use without permission. 

 MARBLED MURRELET, in the early morning fog, above.

 The fog quickly lifted, revealing PINK-FOOTED above, and BULLER'S SHEARWATER, below.

 More soaring PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, below.

 Very confiding BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, sitting on the water, below. 

 A SOUTH POLAR SKUA, below, sitting amongst the shearwaters.

 The BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER show was pretty awesome. 

 BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, below.

 Adult BROWN PELICAN. Many young pelicans starved to death this fall. 

 HEERMANN'S GULL, below.

 Part of the large flock of BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS, below. Shoreline in the background.

 Great photographic opportunity of a seabird not often found in Northern California. 

 It was hard to not be entranced with the BLACK-VENTS, above and below. 

 Adult BROWN PELICAN, below.

 Surprisingly, not very many COMMON MURRES were observed.

 ELEGANT TERNS on the jetty in the harbor.

Hope to see you on our last fall trip, NOVEMBER 20th from HALF MOON BAY!

Debi Shearwater

debi@shearwaterjourneys.com

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

MANX SHEARWATER: OCTOBER 26, 2012 BODEGA BAY

IMAGES OF THE DAY 

by

JACKIE SONES

Howdy, Seabirders,

Bodega Head's resident naturalist, Jackie Sones captured some terrific images on the Shearwater Journeys's pelagic trip departing from Bodega Bay on October 26, 2012. Jackie has not only posted these images, but also very helpful identification tips on her blog. Of the seven species of shearwaters observed on this trip, the MANX SHEARWATER, below, was the rarest find of the day. Jackie's description and explanation of the tricks of lighting are, well, enlightening!

 FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS are highly sought after and October is the single best month for sightings.

 Surprising numbers of BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, sitting in flocks, were nearshore. Jackie's image, below, surely shows the "shear - water."

 SOUTH POLAR SKUAS, powerful birds and crowd pleasers, put on quite a show.

All images, copyright, Jackie Sones. Please do not use without permission.

Real birds eat squid,

Debi Shearwater

debi@shearwaterjourneys.com