Albatrosses

Hello, Seabirders - Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip from Bodega Bay to Bodega Canyon and the Cordell Bank turned up many highlights, but the much hoped for Short-tailed Albatross did not make an appearance. The weather and seas were excellent throughout the day. Albatrosses did put on a great show, with 3 LAYSAN ALBATROSSES repeatedly flying close to the boat, and 60 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES around us for most of the day.

Krill

Nine BLUE WHALES and over 1000 CASSIN'S AUKLETS, along with one TUFTED PUFFIN were highlights of the day. Cassin's auklets are not in Monterey Bay this year (or in 2005 or 2006). Both the auklets and blue whales feed on krill which seems to be continuing near the Cordell Bank. No storm-petrels were found. Perhaps, they have all moved south to Monterey Bay!

Shearwaters, Skuas & Mammals

One FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER and beautiful flocks of wheeling BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, along with the usual PINK-FOOTS and SOOTYS were still around. SOUTH POLAR SKUAS and POMARINE JAEGERS were abundant, while Long-tailed Jaegers have long passed their peak. More than a thousand dolphins, NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHINS and PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS and a dozen HUMPBACK WHALES added to our marine mammal show. A single SALMON SHARK was a surprise.

Leaders

Shearwater Journeys thanks all of the participants and photographers who made this trip so delightful. The leaders were: Lisa Hug, Peter Pyle, Jim Danzenbaker, Luke Cole, Steve Howell, Don Doolittle, & Debra Shearwater. Our last trip from Bodega Bay for the fall season is scheduled for Friday, OCTOBER 19TH. We have a limited number of spaces available. Please email Debra soon for a reservation.

Species List

The complete species list for SEPTEMBER 30, 2007, BODEGA CANYON & CORDELL BANK follows:

RED-THROATED LOON-1
PACIFIC LOON-2
COMMON LOON-3
WESTERN GREBE-2, in the harbor
LAYSAN ALBATROSS-3, with photo images of all individuals, all juvs.
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-60
NORTHERN FULMAR-275
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-30
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-1
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-69
SOOTY SHEARWATER-39
BROWN PELICAN-20
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-1000
PELAGIC CORMORANT-8
SURF SCOTER-27
BLACK OYSTERCATCHER-1
WANDERING TATTLER-1
BLACK TURNSTONE-10
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-3
RED PHALAROPE-3
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-9
POMARINE JAEGER-21
PARASITIC JAEGER-1
BONAPARTE'S GULL-2
HEERMANN'S GULL-140
CALIFORNIA GULL-150
WESTERN GULL-200
WESTERN/GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL-2
SABINE'S GULL-1
COMMON MURRE-40
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-4
CASSIN'S AUKLET-1000+
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-9
TUFTED PUFFIN-1
STELLER'S SEA LION-1
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-1
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-2
HARBOR SEAL-+
BLUE WHALE-9
HUMPBACK WHALE-12
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-400
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-650
DALL'S PORPOISE-12 to 15
OCEAN SUNFISH-1
BLUE SHARK-1
SALMON SHARK-1

Albatrosses forever,

DEBRA SHEARWATER
PO BOX 190
HOLLISTER, CA 95024
831/637-8527