copyright 2004 Shearwater Journeys

Hello, Birders,

Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip from Monterey on Thursday, April 8th was one of the best spring trips that I have been on in years. Spring is often the "forgotten" season, but this trip will remain unforgettable for those who participated. Shearwater leaders included Sophie Webb, Jennifer Green, and Debra Shearwater. We were assited by Matt Brady and David Vander Pluym. The morning began with a MERLIN flying overhead as I did the pretrip announcements at the dockside! The PEREGRINE FALCON was on the stack at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and a single CASPIAN TERN off Point Pinos was a surprise.

Most of the seabirds were concentrated about 4.5 miles off of Cypress Point, and we spent several hours at this productive spot. It was cold! The sea surface temperature was only 48-49F! Small waves of 3-4 feet created some swell, but there was just enough wind to keep the tubenoses flying. Several small flocks of a dozen or more ARCTIC TERNS flew past the point. We were aided by a black cod boat that had just pulled its traps. Behind the vessel were 80+ BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, sitting on the water. As we chummed and hung around this area, more albatrosses and shearwaters flew in. Suddenly, a LAYSAN ALBATROSS came flying up the wake! In the end, it flew around the boat for almost 2 hours.

Two FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS came in. One of them sat on the water next to a PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, while I shot some terrific photos of them, side by side. Two SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS flew up the wake, and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES and BONAPARTE'S GULLS were being persued by gorgeous POMARINE JAEGERS. NORTHERN FULMARS made a showing, too. We puttered around some more and turned up RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, COMMON MURRES, and a handful of CASSIN'S AUKLETS. Heading back toward the harbor, many PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and loons were encountered. To the delight of many of the photographers on board, we made a long stop at the Coast Guard jetty where the BRANDT'S COROMORANTS, in full breeding plumage, were displaying, posturing, and carrying nesting material of seaweeds. They are currently building nests on the jetty itself, and on the piling next to it. Quite spectacular. Someone spotted the HARLEQUIN DUCK in the harbor, and BLACK and RUDDY TURNSTONES, and one SURFBIRD were on the jetty, too. Marine mammals were very slim, as is usual at this time of year. Only a handful of PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS were spotted. The full list follows.

I have hesitated to include the following information, but on the outside chance that someone may actually nail this bird down, I present the following. While we were in the area with all the tubenoses behind the cod vessel, a very large, dark Procellarid (White-chinned/Westland/Parkinson's Petrel) flew past our boat. Myself and a few others also familiar with some of these species, saw the bird, especially on the second pass. On the first pass, I stood up, and said, "what is that bird?" But, I lost it immediately in the swells. I only had a dorsal view of this large tubenose. It appeared to be nearly black, to me, and flew very close to the water. I never saw it flap its wings, it just glided effortlessly. I passed it off as a "?" I sat down, and again, the same bird flew past us. I stood up and then passed it off as an albatross, but wasn't sure. Some of the other folks on board said they thought that it might have been a procellarid. We put out a cod liver oil slick. The flesh-foots flew in, but I felt then, and still feel now that neither flesh-foot was THE bird that I saw. Both flesh-foots were in molt, as my photos show. The possible procellarid showed no molt at all, at least that I could detect in the wings. So, I tosesed it up to what I call, "a getaway bird." I don't like to report such things. I prefer to have any rare seabird that I report completely nailed down with photos, to boot! (Several years ago, a November Shearwater Journeys' trip from Santa Cruz stirred all of the extremely experienced leaders on board, who also saw such a species.) Finally, I have decided that it might be worth it to mention this particular event, in hopes that someone, somewhere will nail it down. At the very least, it serves to put us all on notice to be ready. Or, as someone said to me last year after the Cory's Shearwater sighting, I guess you gotta know ALL of the seabirds in the book!

After this wonderful boat trip, some of us went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. On my way home to Hollister, I stopped at the SBT BALD EAGLE nest (location suppressed). At first pass, no one seemed at home. Second pass, one was on the nest, the second standing by, tall and proud!

Our species list for the April 8, 2004 Monterey trip follows:

RED-THROATED LOON-3
PACIFIC LOON-157
COMMON LOON-29
EARED GREBE-14
WESTERN GREBE-2
LAYSAN ALBATROSS-1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-95
NORTHERN FULMAR-62
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-68
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-2
SOOTY SHEARWATER-45
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-2
BROWN PELICAN-+
BRANDT'S COROMORANT-+
PELAGIC CORMORANT-80
POMARINE JAEGER-11
BONAPARTE'S GULL-132
HEERMANN'S GULL-4
CALIFORNIA GULL-+
HERRING GULL-2
WESTERN GULL-+
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL-2
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE-30
ARCTIC TERN-49
CASPIAN TERN-1
COMMON MURRE-56
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-26
CASSIN'S AUKLET-12
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-85
HARLEQUIN DUCK-1
SURF SCOTER-57
RUDDY TURNSTONE-1
BLACK TURNSTONE-13
SURFBIRD-1
PEREGRINE FALCON-1
MERLIN-1
SEA OTTER-+
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-5-6
BY-THE-WIND-SAILORS-12 small ones

Shearwater Journeys next trips are:

from Monterey: May 23, Jun 25, Aug 7, 13, 15, 29
from Fort Bragg: Jun 27, Aug 17, 20, 21
from Sausalito to the Farallon Islands: Aug 8
from Bodega Bay: Aug 15, 23

Please check our web site for the latest schedule information.

The next day, April 9, I lead a small group of birders around Pinnacles National Monument. We drove to the park from the east side. Stopping at the Pinnacles Campground (private), with a 5lb. bag of sugar in my arms, the manage said, "I bet I know why you are here!" We were delighted by the numbers of hummingbirds at her feeders, including many ANNA'S, one BLACK-CHINNED, and one male COSTA'S! We ate lunch at the Bear Valley Visitor's area inside the park. Many spring migrants were arriving and singing. Just as we were leaving, I looked high in the sky over the parking lot, and spotted 2 of the released CALIFORNIA CONDORS circling over our heads! We capped off the day by viewing a PRAIRIE FALCON on her cliffside nest, well tucked in, protecting her eggs from the marauding ravens. Exquisite! Such is the birder's life!

Shearwaters forever, (and I won't mind one bit if those condors flys over my house! I'm only 30 miles away).
Debra Shearwater

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