Monterey Bay
September 8, 2002 Report
by Debi Shearwater
The Shearwater Journeys' September 8, 2002 pelagic trip from Monterey began
with the usual suspects at the Coast Guard Breakwater: BLACK and RUDDY
TURNSTONES, WANDERING TATTLER, and SURFBIRD, as we cruised out into the
dense fog. A couple of PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and a stop for close views of
COMMON MURRES were the first order of the day. Soon, our leader, Clay Kempf,
spotted a PARASITIC JAEGER chasing ELEGANT TERNS along the kelp beds.
About 5 miles off of Point Pinos our boat slowed down to give folks a good view of
several RHINOCEROS AUKLETS when suddenly two ORCAS popped up right next to
our boat! Owing to the very dense fog, we could not relocate the orcas, but
instead found about 35 RISSO'S DOLPHINS. Finally, we broke out of the fog
into a brilliant day about 11 am.
We saw most of the usual fall migrants, including: BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS (5), SOOTY SHEARWATER (385), PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (190), BULLER'S SHEARWATER (9), ASHY STORM-PETREL (3), POMARINE JAEGER (6), PARSITIC JAEGER (7), SABINE'S GULL (3), COMMON TERN (2), RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (35). The most spectacular event of the day was finding 5 different TUFTED PUFFINS, each one more beautiful than the last one!
Once out of the fog, the seabirds could find us, and we could find them more
easily. In addition, we could see whales and dolphins forever! Our best
estimates were: 30 HUMPBACK WHALES, 18 BLUE WHALES, 2-3 DALL'S PORPOISES,
and 1000 PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS. We basked in the sunny remains of the
day!
The leaders on this Shearwater Journey's trip were: Clay Kempf, Luke Cole,
Mike Danzenbaker, Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, and Debra Shearwater. Our
leader/birder ratio was 1:6. We have spaces available on the following
trips: Sep 27, and Oct 4, 6, 12 from Monterey, Sep 28 and Oct 13 from Santa
Cruz, and Oct 14 from Bodega Bay.
Click
on the Murrelet to find out how to reserve a trip.
