copyright 2003 Shearwater Journeys

This report is from one of the most spectacular boat trips in twenty-seven years and nearly 1500 trips organized by Shearwater Journeys. The highlights included: STREAKED SHEARWATER, YELLOW-BILLED LOON, XANTUS' MURRELET, SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER, and TUFTED PUFFIN. By all accounts it was one of the top ten pelagic trips that we have ever done.

Shearwater Journeys had just completed six of the first fall boat trips along the central California coast. Each one was quite spectacular (see other reports), and the air was just buzzing with anticipation and agitation, especially among the leaders. Two nights prior to this trip, I mentioned to a friend of mine that I could just feel sparks, like electricity vibrating amongst the leaders! We were jazzed; we were juiced up for this sold-out trip. The leaders were: Jim Danzenbaker, Jon Dunn, Tristan McKee, Peter Pyle, Mike San Miguel, Brian Sullivan, and Debra Shearwater (one leader for every five passengers!). The participants were just as interesting. They hailed from 14 different states, and many were "regular" Shearwater Journeys' patrons for over twenty-five years.

I arrived in Fort Bragg just prior to sunset the night before the trip. I made a short walk to Glass Beach where I spotted 2 TUFTED PUFFINS flying by. I was met by Jon Dunn, Mike San Miguel, and Guy McCaskie who were also headed to the beach. Immediately, Jon Dunn zeroed in on a passing MANX SHEARWATER (second Mendo county record). After excellent views through the scope, he then pointed out an ARCTIC TERN feeding amongst the COMMON TERNS. Good spot! This just added to our anticipation of the next days' trip.

We departed from Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg at 7 am. Some fog and light seas greeted us once we passed the numerous PIGEON GUILLEMOTS along the breakwater. About six miles offshore, we encountered two shrimpers pulling their nets with thousands of birds following them. This was exciting enough, as one always hopes for that rare seabird to somehow materialize out of this giant, swirling mix of wings and feet. But, alas, after spending about one and a half hours with these birds, I sensed the urge among the passengers to move on. On to what? I was happy learning about shrimp boats and how they fish. I was happy watching the nets winding around the spools. True, we were only finding about 2000 gulls, 50 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, 150 PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, and only 1 BULLER'S SHEARWATER in this mass of birds. Oddly, no jaegers were with them. Oh, but those birders long for the offshore.

So, off we went. Twenty-some miles to Noyo Canyon. And, yes, this is where we found jaegers, SOUTH POLAR SKUAS, SABINE'S GULLS, knock-out views of 4 XANTUS' MURRELETS, 1 TUFTED PUFFIN, more BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, 1 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER, outstanding views and photo ops of 1 FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, and more. Now, we were all pleased. For me, it was the first time that I have ever heard a Flesh-footed Shearwater vocalize! It sounded just like a Pink-foot. The seas had picked up a little. So, the skipper and I decided to head back to the shrimpers, and then to check along the inner coast for MARBLED MURRELETS, hoping for LONG-BILLED MURRELET. I keep pointing out that we are never going to find the Long-billed Murrelets because we do not spend enough time birding from the boat close to shore. As I said, our hopes were quite high. In addition, we were into the noon hour. This is a special time on pelagic trips. We have found a huge proportion of rare seabirds after the noon hour! When everyone is feeling dozy, we down our coffee and come alive!

Back at the shrimp boats, I finally sat down at the stern for the first time during the trip. After one or two moments, someone said, "Manx Shearwater." Well, I thought I guess I'll have to get up to look at this bird. I saw a large, white shearwater flying with a Pink-footed Shearwater. Unknown to me, Jon Dunn had already spotted the rare STREAKED SHEARWATER on the bow and was calling it out to everyone up there! Somehow, it got translated to Manx at the stern. Well, that's how boat communication can go. But, not for long. Although I didn't hear Jon, I was soon shouting STREAKED SHEARWATER, too. It was 2:13 pm. No worries, the shearwater flew around us for 45 minutes, being chased by Pink-foots, and allowing for excellent views, photographs, and even for some folks to get bored enough to sit down and stop looking! There are fewer than 10 records of Streaked Shearwater for all of North America, nearly all having occurred in California (mostly Monterey Bay). In Japan, it is a nearshore species. (See Brian Sullivan's photos here.)

Finally, we wandered near shore to hunt among the MARBLED MURRELETS. Jon Dunn turned up another goodie...a YELLOW-BILLED LOON! It was off of Juan Creek, and was apparently seen from shore later by birders. A great many folks ended and celebrated the day, no doubt, happily checking off their lists. It was a truly magical day. The electricity that sparked us will be with us all season. It may well be one of the best pelagic trips of the year on the California coast!

This is the fourth year that Shearwater Journeys has organized trips from Fort Bragg. Every year has produced a mega-rarity seabird.

2002 STREAKED SHEARWATER (photos), YELLOW-BILLED LOON
2001 DARK-RUMPED PETREL
2000 DARK-RUMPED PETREL, MARKHAM'S STORM-PETREL
1999 WHITE-CAPPED (SHY) ALBATROSS (photos)

Certainly, we will have a nice selection of trips from this area which can be combined with other trips in 2003. Watch our web site. The entire species list for the August 17, 2002 trip follows. Every species listed was seen well by every passenger.

The Streaked Shearwater details are: first sighted at 2:13 by Jon Dunn at 3938.799/12353.802, about 6 miles west of Westport, sea surface temperature: 56.1 F, depth: 420 feet, heading south. Last sighted: 2:55 pm at 3938.569/12354.355.

AUGUST 17, 2002 FORT BRAGG PELAGIC TRIP BY SHEARWATER JOURNEYS

YELLOW-BILLED LOON-1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-75-85
SOOTY SHEARWATER-65
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-1
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-350
STREAKED SHEARWATER-1 (photos)
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-18-20
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-1
NORTHERN FULMAR-1
POMARINE JAEGER-8
PARASITIC/POMARINE JAEGER-2
PARASITIC JAEGER-1
LONG-TAILED JAEGER-35
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-5
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL-1 (in the harbor)
WESTERN GULL-1000
CALIFORNIA GULL-1500
HEERMANN'S GULL-4
RING-BILLED GULL-2, juveniles
SABINE'S GULL-20 (2 juveniles)
ARCTIC/COMMON TERN-4
COMMON TERN-2
COMMON MURRE-400
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-70
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-40
CASSIN'S AUKLET-8
XANTUS' MURRELET (scrippsi)-4
MARBLED MURRELT-10
TUFTED PUFFIN-1 adult
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-75
RED PHALAROPE-5
LEAST SANDPIPER-4
WESTERN SANDPIPER-20
LESSER YELLOWLEGS-1
NORTHERN PINTAIL-100
NORTHERN SHOVELER-4
MINKE WHALE-1
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPIN-12-15
HARBOR PORPOISE-3
STELLER'S SEA LION-1
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+

Click on the Murrelet to find out how to reserve a trip.