Well, it looks as if our pelagic trips departing from Half Moon Bay are going to be breaking new ground— going where no seabirders have ever gone before! This trip covered both San Mateo and San Francisco Counties. Several County Birders were on board, closely watching for new ticks on their county lists. It was another awesome day, with excellent seas and visibility, after the morning fog cleared. Seabird highlights were many— LAYSAN ALBATROSS, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, SIX SPECIES OF STORM-PETRELS: BLACK, ASHY, WILSON'S, LEACH'S, LEAST AND FORK-TAILED; ALL THREE JAEGERS; SOUTH POLAR SKUA, XANTUS' MURRELET (hypoleuca race) and TUFTED PUFFIN.
The Laysan Albatross was #600 for one lucky fellow. The Flesh-footed Shearwater was #701 for Bob Ake who is doing a Big Year for 2010.
The HUMPBACK WHALE show at the end of the day was beyond spectacular! About a dozen humpbacks were lunge-feeding on krill at the surface, under our boat, and all around us! Meanwhile, squid (loligo), were also feeding on the krill and squirting at the surface as they propelled themselves! Many phalaropes were also feeding on the krill. Our captain, Dennis Baxter, reached in to pull a few of the krill on board. A few folks even tasted it. The humpback whales devoured it!! We also were treated to whale feces— a life event for some.
Many thanks to all of the birders who traveled from near and far to join our trip. The leaders on this day were: Jennifer Green, Wes Fritz, Marcel Holyoak and Debi Shearwater.
The complete species list for September 17, 2010 Half Moon Bay follows:
San Mateo County/San Francisco County/Total
EARED GREBE- 10/0/10
WESTERN GREBE- 40/0/40
CLARK'S GREBE- 2/0/2
WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBE- 50/0/10
LAYSAN ALBATROSS- 0/1/1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS- 6/6/12
NORTHERN FULMAR- 55/300/355
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 18/52/60
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER- 0/1/1
BULLER'S SHEARWATER- 0/12/12
SOOTY SHEARWATER- 75/75/150
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL- 0/7/7
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL- 0/5/5
LEACH'S STORM-PETREL- 0/2/2
BLACK STORM-PETREL- 0/49/49
ASHY STORM-PETREL- 0/4000/4000
LEAST STORM-PETREL- 0/6/6
BROWN PELICAN- 400, on the breakwater
BRANDT'S CORMORANT- 20/0/20
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT- 300/0/300
SURF SCOTER- 1/0/1
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER- 6/0/6
WANDERING TATTLER- 1/0/1
BLACK TURNSTONE- 3/0/3
WILLET- 2/0/2
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE- 315/145/460
RED-NECKED/RED PHALAROPE-2500
RED PHALAROPE- 195/50/245
SOUTH POLAR SKUA- 0/1/1
POMARINE JAEGER- 2/7/9
PARASITIC JAEGER- 0/1/1
PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 0/4/4
LONG-TAILED JAEGER- 0/22/22
HEERMANN'S GULL- +
CALIFORNIA GULL- +
WESTERN GULL- +
SABINE'S GULL- 1/7/8
ELEGANT TERN- 300/0/300
COMMON TERN- 2/0/2
COMMON MURRE- 360/7/367
PIGEON GUILLEMOT- 1/0/1
XANTUS' MURRELET- 0/2/2
CASSIN'S AUKLET- 8/4/12
RHINOCEROS AUKLET- 20/11/31
TUFTED PUFFIN- 0/1/1
CALIFORNIA SEA LION- 360
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL- 1
NORTHERN FUR SEAL- 2
HUMPBACK WHALE- 33
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN- 2
HARBOR PORPOISE- 3
DALL'S PORPOISE- 5
KRILL +++++++++
MARKET SQUID +++
BLACK SEA NETTLES +++++++
Spaces are available on September 27 and October 2 and 11 departing from Half Moon Bay. Spaces are available on September 24, 26; October 3, 9 and 17 departing from Monterey Bay.
Please look for me at the Monterey Bay Birding Festival, either at my booth, or more likely, on the pelagic trips!
Happy trails to all,
Debi Shearwater
