MONTEREY BAY BIRDING FESTIVAL & SHEARWATER JOURNEYS

Howdy, Birders,

Did you know that registration is now open for the 7th Annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival? This fabulous festival offers an outstanding array of field trips, workshops, speakers and just plain fun with awesome folks. This festival has ALL of the birds of the central coast— and, then some— mammals, as well. Reasonably priced, with al la carte selections make this the best value birding event around. This post will concentrate on the pelagic trips offered by Shearwater Journeys, Inc. for the festival.

Shearwater Journeys is the sole provider of pelagic trips for the Monterey Bay Festival. And, why not? Debi Shearwater has offered pelagic trips departing from Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf since 1976 — some 36 years running. Over 60,000 people, from professors to housewives, Nobel Prize winners to truck drivers, have participated in the Shearwater trips. Welcome to our ocean world.

For a quick glance at the seabird and marine mammal species observed on our four 2010 festival pelagic trips, click here.

Monterey Bay is a unique place that makes observing seabirds and marine mammals a pleasure when compared with other places in the USA, and world. For one thing, the bay is half-moon shaped, offering protection from the prevailing northwest winds. This makes for easier boat rides since it is the wind that causes swells. A huge submarine canyon, comparable in size to the Grand Canyon, bisects the bay. Indeed, the Monterey Submarine Canyon was one of the major reasons why this area was declared a National Marine Sanctuary. The presence of this canyon so close to shore means that deep water loving seabirds and marine mammals can be found within minutes of departure from the dock! Seabirds at the doorstep, as it were!

The following information may help you plan your visit regarding the pelagic trips. At the end of this blog is a species list of the wildlife encountered on last year's festival trips. Please look it over.

A few basics: Trips are offered on the following dates:

THUR, SEP 22- Leaders: Jennifer Green, Wes Fritz & Debi Shearwater

FRI, SEP 23- Leaders: Abe Borker, Jennifer Green, Adam Searcy, Wes Fritz & Debi Shearwater

SAT, SEP 24- Leaders: Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Abe Borker, Adam Searcy, Wes Fritz & Debi Shearwater

SUN, SEP 25- Leaders: Joe Morlan, Abe Borker, Adam Searcy, Wes Fritz & Debi Shearwater

MON, SEP 26- Leaders: Wes Fritz, Adam Searcy & Debi Shearwater (this trip is not listed on the festival web site)

All trips meet at 7 am, promptly at Chris' Fishing Shop on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. All trips are on the vessel, Checkmate, with skipper Tinker. All trips return about 3 pm. The boat is a US Coast Guard licensed, certified and inspected vessel. It has a bathroom, or "head" as they are known on ships. Bring lunch, drinks and dress warmly. Park in the large parking lot near Fisherman's Wharf. Let the folks in Chris' Fishing Shop know that you are participating in the Shearwater Journey's trip, to receive your parking validation coupon. This will save you money when exit the parking lot at the end of the trip.

A number of leaders will accompany each trip, as listed above. Additional leaders may be added to some trips. Beginners and advanced seabirders are welcome. Our leaders are anxious to share the marine world with you and will not only spot the birds and marine mammals, but help you see them and identify them, too! All leaders are equipped with radios to communicate with each other and with the skipper. A public announcement system will be used to call out birds, as well. An introductory talk, once everyone is on board, by Debi will explain how the trip operates. Chumming for seabirds is part of the trip. This helps to attract birds closer to the vessel, and it may pull in a curious bird. Although we will be traveling for much of the time, there will also be times when the vessel is stopped for close up views, or for photographers to obtain some images— for instance, such as this BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, below.

Birding begins the very minute we depart from the dock— there is no waiting! PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, in flight, below, nest on the pilings under the dock. This is one of several inshore species that we shall search for. Others include ELEGANT TERN and HEERMANN'S GULL.

Just about 30 minutes after departing the dock, off Point Pinos, with land well in sight, we might encounter our first shearwaters of the day. Above, a PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER glides effortlessly over the sea. Up to eight species of shearwaters are possible on these trips. Because the deep Monterey Submarine Canyon is located so close to shore, we rarely need to venture far out to sea. In fact, one often sees far fewer seabirds offshore. This submarine canyon, along with the prevailing currents and winds, causes a reaction known as upwelling. Upwelling brings the deep, cold nutrient-rich waters to the surface, feeding the entire food chain from zooplankton to grazing blue whales. This is where the seabirds concentrate— near these rich feeding grounds.
Surprises and "bonus" birds occur at sea, too! This TUFTED PUFFIN was one such bird. Tufted Puffins are not common on Monterey Bay, even though their nearest nesting area, the Farallon Islands is not that far away.

By offering four days of pelagic trips in a row, we are able to determine the best birding areas to search for seabirds and marine mammals. Sometimes, feeding concentrations of thousands of shearwaters remain in the same area over several days. It is as important to know where to search for seabirds as it is to know where not go search! Negative data can help chart a more productive route. Regardless, our seabirding experience is second to none!

Jump on board with Shearwater Journeys,

Debi Shearwater

SBT: Where are the migrants? Recent sightings.

Howdy, Birders,

This is a report of some recent bird sightings in San Benito County. Before I get to that, I'd like to say that I've spent more hours and miles birding in San Benito County this spring than any other spring since I moved to the county 17 years ago. Some springs, I have spent a minimal amount of time birding, as I've been on trips elsewhere in the world. But, many springs, I've been home. There has never been a "slower" spring in my experience. In past years, I've never been hard pressed to find, say, a black-headed grosbeak. But, here is it, the third week in May, and these birds are not all that easy to come by. It just doesn't seem like I should not have to "hunt and peck" so much to find neotropical migrants. Perhaps, various species are arriving in "waves", but I am not seeing that in this county. In any case, in years past I have seen far more numbers of a given neotropical species than what I am finding this year.

Recent bird sightings have included:

GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS returned to Lone Tree Road on 19 May, with at least 6 singing birds. It has been thought that these birds might nest in places such as Panoche Valley early in the season. This was recently confirmed by another local birder who photographed a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW in Panoche Valley, carrying food. After this brood fledges, it is thought that the birds move to other locations that are cooler and more humid, leaving Panoche Valley.

Newly fledged BROWN CREEPERS were on San Juan Canyon Road on 19 May, while a WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE was peeling strips of bark off a redwood tree, then stopping to snatch lichens from an oak tree, to build a nest. Other migrants/arrivals on this road included TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER and two WESTERN TANAGERS at the very top.

The BALD EAGLE nest had one very actively, wing-flapping, brown eaglet on 21 May. The male BALD EAGLE was still guarding the nest. There was a large, second eaglet, but I did not see it on this date, and do not know if it survives.

In Panoche Valley on 21 May, fledgling HORNED LARKS numbered about 36, a ROADRUNNER was carrying food to a nest near Silver Creek, 2 migrant BLUE GROSBEAKS were nearby. About 5 pm, a single CASPIAN TERN was at Paicines Reservoir.

On 22 May, an OSPREY was flying northwest over Paicines Reservoir, while a male BALD EAGLE was perched in the oak grove on the west side. Nearby, a male WESTERN BLUEBIRD was feeding noisy young in a nest on a dead tree, while some recently fledged young were on the dirt road.

Finally, at Pinnacles National Monument on 22 May, I hiked the Bear Valley Trail from Bear Valley Gulch, hoping to find a yellow-breasted chat. The highlight was a singing GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE, a species that is listed on the park checklist. According to reports, only two records of this species exists for the county, both at Pinnacles National Monument in 1954. This would represent the third county record. Other birds on the hike included PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (only one bird), a beautiful male YELLOW WARBLER, quite a few singing WARBLING VIREOS, HUTTON'S VIREO (2), BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (2), ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (1), many singing ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and HOUSE WRENS. Two CANYON WRENS were on two different territories, and could make for good stops for photographers. Oh, and quite a lot of RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEES.

Elsewhere in the county, I visited the recently discovered LONG-EARED OWL family. The young are still "branchers." I tried video taping them, but failed. Operator error. Will try, again. To protect these birds, I cannot divulge their location, however, long-eared owls are common in San Benito County.

Happy Trails,

Debi Shearwater

San Benito County Birding

SAN BENITO COUNTY: GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS

Howdy, Birders,

After several dreary days of rain, I decided to head out for some San Benito County birding. My goal was to head to Lone Tree Road, off Fairview Road, to search for Grasshopper Sparrows. I've looked for them at least five times this spring. We missed them on the San Benito County Big Day. It was still quite overcast and dark, since it was late afternoon. The view of the Diablo Mountains from Fairview Road is the image below.
On the lower portion of Lone Tree Road, YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES were busy, their large, football-shaped nests in plain view in the sycamore trees. A pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS were both at their nest, busily feeding the large, white fluffy youngsters.

It turned out to be a great "wire birding" evening. First, a female BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK popped up on the barbed wire fence.

Next, a male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK popped up. Then, I heard several singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, and one individual popped up on the fence.
A small flock of half a dozen LAZULI BUNTINGS, along with two LESSER and two LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES were feeding in the thistles along side the road. A poor shot of the Lawrence's Goldfinch is below.

Continuing with my wildflower theme and yellow flavors, I believe the above flowers are Mule Ears, a bit worn down from the rain, no doubt.
A lucky moment, with a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW perched up! Often this localized sparrow is very secretive, skulking on the ground under shrubbery, making it very hard to see.
It just so happens that I know this particular individual has a nest nearby. There is also a Rock Wren nesting in the same area. And, it looks like a male Lazuli Bunting is singing on territory in the same locale. Must be something great about that spot.

Many of the "usual suspects" were found, including my favorite GOLDEN EAGLES on their high, rocky cliffside eyrie. It was thrilling to see one of the adults perform a territorial flight display— soaring up high, folding the wings completely against the body, diving head-straight toward the ground with a last second, upward, U-shaped pullup. I wonder if that's where stunt aircraft fliers got their ideas! This is a very spectacular flying feat. Finally, the eagle who was in the audience became impressed, and took off to the skies as well, joining the displaying bird. WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS zipped around the cliff tops.

Suddenly, I glimpsed a cat at the right side of the road! No sooner did I see it, than it vanished (I thought), downhill. I stopped the car, killed the engine, grabbed my camera— for once, not forgetting it. Well, let's be honest here, I was hoping this was going to be a young mountain lion. I jumped up the embankment and saw— nothing. Felt the eyes on me— and, there was a BOBCAT, sitting on a trail! As I tried to get closer, I fell, sliding down the wet grass hillside on my butt. Oh, great, that will surely make the cat run away. Nope, there it sat— talk about a "Cheshire grin"! And, wait a minute— there's TWO BOBCATS!!

More on the tale (tail) of the two bobcats in the next blog. Have to get out birding, now!

Happy Trails,

Debi Shearwater

San Benito County Birding

SAN BENITO COUNTY: WOOLY BLUECURLS

Howdy, Folks,

Somehow I forgot to include WOOLY BLUECURLS (Trichostema lanatum) in my last post. A few nice stands of this low, rounded shrub were in bloom on Gloria Road. I just love long, hairy spikes of these erect inch-long blue flowers. The stamens can be up to two inches long.

This chaparral plant can be found below 3500' from the Monterey area, south to Baja California.

Enjoy!

Debi Shearwater

San Benito County Birding (and wildflowers)

SAN BENITO COUNTY: PACIFIC WREN & NESTING LONG-EARED OWLS

Howdy, Birders,

In pursuit of spring neotropical migrants and following on John Luther and Jim Lomax's recent report of a good fallout elsewhere, I set out early on Saturday, May 14, 2011 for Fremont Peak State Park, usually a great spring birding road. The morning began disappointmentingly cold, 41 F, with fog rolling in on a breeze, just like the San Benito County Big Day morning! Ugh. Practically no one was camping in the campgrounds. It had rained the night prior. It was incredibly quite for birds, and just about everything else. So, I began heading downhill, stopping whenever I heard birds, pishing and whistling various owl calls. Suddenly, I realized that a Northern Pygmy Owl was returning my call! It sounded so perfect. Now, I have had a lot of good luck with owls (keep reading), even calling out pygmy owls in the daytime. However, I just had to consider that it could — just possibly, be — another birder. And, there he was — emerging on the hilltop above me, behind the trees! I called out, "Lomax, Lomax."

Jim and I hooked up to bird our way down San Juan Canyon Road. We did come across a number of migrants— quite a few HERMIT WARBLERS, TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and WARBLING VIREOS, plus lots of the "regulars", in particular a lot of NORTHERN HOUSE WRENS singing. However, our best bird on this road was a single PACIFIC WREN. This wren is not so easy to find in San Benito County. It does not breed in the county, and only a handful are seen each year, if that. Some recent reports have come from Pinnacles National Monument. So, it was no surprise that this was a new county bird for Jim and a year bird for me. This was great news. In our search for Cassin's Vireo, which does nest on this road, we failed. Still, a county bird put us in good spirits. Jim set off on his other county pursuits, while I headed to Gloria Road, where I had not birded "in forever."

Gloria Road is a hard-packed dirt road, south of Paicines on Highway 25. Reaching the road is a lovely drive in itself through oak forests dotted with gray pines. The predominant habitat is chaparral, with chemise covering the hillsides. A permanent, willow fringed creek flows alongside the road.

Nuttall's Woodpecker and Acorn Woodpeckers are common on this road. Above is one of the many granaries of the later.
Several species of oaks are dripping with the Spanish moss like vegetation. Mistletoe is also found in many of the trees. Best place to look for Phainopepla is the first 50 yards of the road, after the turnoff on Highway 25, also known as "Airline Highway."
All birding is from the road, as there is no public land. Please do not trespass. This is a public road, however. It is one of the few roads that crosses the Gabilan Mountians. The summit is the county line for San Benito and Monterey Counties. It is possible to follow the road all the way down to the town of Soledad, in the Salinas River Valley. I meandered, very slowly along this road. Some flowers were in bloom. Scarlett Bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius), above and below.

These flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds. On one May day in 1992, I found six species of hummingbirds on the San Benito County side of this road: Anna's, Rufous, Allen's, Black-chinned, Calliope (male), Costa's. In some years, Costa's Hummingbirds nest here. Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla), I think, below:
BELL'S SAGE SPARROWS, along with WRENTITS and CALIFORNIA THRASHERS also breed on the sloping chemise hillsides. All of these resident species were easy to hear and see on this day. Pretty Faces (Triteleia lugens), below:
Like so many places, HOUSE WRENS and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, were singing non-stop. Every time I heard a WARBLING VIREO singing, I stopped to look for migrants. It was interesting that they would all be clumped in one tree— so, all six WESTERN TANAGERS were on one, small oak tree. Likewise, all four BULLOCK'S ORIOLES were in one oak. Overall, it was pretty quiet for bird sounds. Maybe too cold. I don't know. Not even the WESTERN WOOD PEEWEES were calling. In past years, I've seen LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES building nests in May. However, they were simply feeding in the fiddleneck flowers. I did find two pairs of nesting LARK SPARROWS and newly fledged OAK TITMICE.

As the late afternoon merged into early evening, I slowly meandered toward Hollister, taking a few twists and turns on lonely side roads. I was thinking that the Pacific Wren was certainly the "bird of the day." When, suddenly, POW— an orange puffball of feathers swooped past my car in a moth-like flight! It only lasted 3 seconds at most, but my brain registered, LONG-EARED OWL! As it was still very early, with lots of light in the sky, sunset still on the cloudy horizon, I stopped the car, and got out. POW— suddenly the owl swooped past me, and then another owl did the same. One Long-eared Owl perched in a gray pine. I could hear soft, muffled sounds of fledglings in a nearby nest. Obviously, all the swooping was due to my presence near the nest. This is the first known nest outside of Pinnacles National Monument, in San Benito County.
The two adults began calling back and forth to each other. It was entrancing to hear their sounds in such close proximity. Not wanting to disturb them, I moved on. Did I say I was Lucky with Owls? One more chapter for my owl storybook!
Long-eared Owls are common throughout San Benito County, nesting from as far north as Fremont Peak to the very south of the county line, near Coalinga Road, and all throughout the middle parts, including at Pinnacles National Monument. But, to actually SEE Long-eared Owls while it was still daylight in San Benito County, was a real treat.

Many birders visit Mercy Hot Springs, Fresno County, in Panoche Valley to see and photograph Long-eared Owls. A few pairs also breed there. The fee for owl visiting and photography is $5 per person. It is also possible to spend the night, camping or in their small cabins.

A couple more owls— Great-horned and Barn, popped up on the way home, as a soft rain began falling. What a fine ending to a cloudy, cold spring day, enlivened by the cheery House Wren songs, everywhere. In fact, I think I had to shake those wrens out of my shoes at day's end.

Happy Trails,

Debi Shearwater

San Benito County Birding

SAN BENITO COUTY: THE BIG YEAR

Howdy, Birders,

Continuing with the San Benito County Big Year, I headed out at the late hour of 2:30 pm today. For the life of me, I could not decide where to go. It seems that there has been a lot of reports of Yellow-breasted Chats and some Least Bell's Vireos. I thought I should try looking for them, but could not make a decision. So, my car just sort of lead me to Paicines Reservoir — the place I always like to go, anyway. The reservoir is very, very high right now. No mud flats for shorebirds exist. In all honesty, there is not much bird life around. However, I was in for a surprise. A solitary BLACK TERN was feeding near the Highway 25 pullout at 2:45 pm. I watched it for the next half hour.

Next I decided to bird along the San Benito River. On my way, I watched a pair of CALIFORNIA TOWHEES in a garden for about ten minutes. They seemed to be feeding young. And, sure enough, I found the nest with three newly hatched chicks. See below:

I wandered along the river, pishing up a lot of SONG SPARROWS and a few COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. TREE SWALLOWS were nesting in a hole and a female LESSER GOLDFINCH was collecting nesting material. Suddenly, a male COOPER'S HAWK responded to the pishing, landing on a snag only a few feet off the ground. I could hear a lot of noise in the forest. So, I walked into the dense willows, finding both of the COOPER'S HAWKS near their nest. This is only the second Cooper's Hawk nest that I have ever found. It is about 25 feet high in a Goodding Willow tree. The nest is the dark area in the image below.
I wandered around for a bit. Watched a female NORTHERN HARRIER carrying food to her young, although I have yet to nail this nest down. While sitting in my car, writing my notes, at the edge of the river, a BOBCAT walked along the dirt road into the grass. Then, it returned to the road, and just sat there. Suddenly, a male CALIFORNIA QUAIL walked across the road, noticed the Bobcat, started to run— well, of course, I thought the Bobcat would snatch it, since it was only inches away, but instead, the Bobcat was genuinely startled, jumping up and away from the quail! Wandering along the river, hoping for another view of the Bobcat, but all I found were these tracks in the mud. Raccoon, I suppose.
Looped back to Paicines Reservoir. No Black Tern in sight, but a male WOOD DUCK scurried under the single willow tree nearest the pullout.

I drove home by way of Brown's Valley Road and was happy to see a few newly fledged HORNED LARKS, along with some adults.

Heading out tomorrow, early!

Happy Trails,

Debi Shearwater

San Benito County Birding