copyright 2003 Shearwater Journeys

Hello, Seabirders,

This morning I noticed clouds moving up from the south, and I said, "Uh oh, here we go again, southerly movement!" Just when currents have moved in from the north, here comes the southward push once again. It has been a bizarre summer/fall season, as one stationary low after another has seated itself along our shoreline. The current low is forecast to weaken by the end of this week. Sometimes, I think it is like a giant washing machine agitator up there in the atmosphere! So, what the heck does all this mean for seabirds?

Every time a low pressure system moves in from the south, we experience warmer water, often very close to shore. This has produced numerous sightings of Xantus' and Craveris' Murrelets and some of the best nearshore albacore fishing in many years. The Cory's Shearwater was probably associated with one of these warm-water fronts. And, I keep forgetting to mention that for the first time in 27 year's of trips, we have seen many MAKO SHARKS! I've been receiving a lot of questions about Black-vented Shearwaters, Black and Least Storm-Petrels. Yes, they should be on their way north with these pushes, but we are just beginning to see them. Our Monterey skipper, Tinker, saw a TROPICBIRD sp. on August 24th off of Big Sur, the day after our trip! But, when the low backs down, the high pressure moves in, along with cooler waters and winds from the northwest, our prevailing winds.

Finally, this past weekend in Monterey Bay, everything changed with the northwest winds and the high pressure system. The sea surface temperature dropped down to 54-57F (from a high of 64-67F), the large numbers of shearwaters concentrated off of Point Pinos dissipated, especially the Buller's Shearwaters, which seem to associate with the warmer waters. More Cassin's AUKLETS moved into the bay. Many (but not all!) of the large whales left the area, and most remarkably, ASHY STORM-PETRELS moved into their traditional areas on the north side of Monterey Bay!

This report of the Shearwater Journey's August 31st trip is a compilation of the leaders who were on that trip, as I was not there due to a back injury. Apparently, I missed a great trip! The leaders were: Jennifer Green, Steve Howell, Clay Kempf, Scott Terrill, and Linda Terrill. Chumming by Matt Brady and David Vander Plyum. Highlights of the day were: 2,800 ASHY STORM-PETRELS, along with 2 or 3 BLACK STORM-PETRELS, 34 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES near a fishing vessel, excellent views of an adult/chick pair of XANTUS' MURRELETS, 8 NORTHERN FULMARS, 225 PINK-FOOTED, 14 BULLER'S and 400 SOOTY SHEARWATERS, 800 RED-NECKED and 1000 RED PHALAROPES, 5 POMARINE, 5 PARASITIC, and 1 LONG-TAILED JAEGERS, 18 SABINE'S GULLS, 8 ELEGANT, 20 COMMON, and 5 ARCTIC TERNS, 600 COMMON MURRES, 265 CASSIN'S AUKLETS, and 70 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS.

Marine mammals were well represented:1 MINKE WHALE, 8 BLUE WHALES, including surface feeding animals, 3 HUMPBACK WHALES, 9-10 RISSO'S DOLPHINS, and 32 DALL'S PORPOISES who put on quite a show by bowriding on the boat. Two BLUE SHARKS were found.

It was reported to be a very calm day, with excellent ocean conditions, an all around great trip on Monterey Bay. Our next trips with spaces available are: September 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 26, 27; October 3, 5, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19; November 29; and December 15, the pelagic CBC. The trips on September 19 and 28 and October 4 are SOLD OUT. Three spaces are open on the September 12 trip from Bodega Bay. Two good folks had to cancel for medical reasons, and if there is anyone out there who could take their places, it would help them out a lot! Please check the web site for port of departure on all trips.

GOOD SEABIRDING!
Debi Shearwater

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