copyright 2004 Shearwater Journeys

Howdy, Seabirders,

Storm-petrels? We got 'em! This is the trip report for October 2 and October 3, 2004 Shearwater Journey's pelagic trips from Monterey Bay. The October 2nd trip was an offshore trip to the albacore grounds. Due to incredibly good weather, we were able to get 44 miles southwest of Point Pinos. Highlights of this day were: 4 FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, 3 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, 34 SOUTH POLAR SKUAS, 108 POMARINE JAEGERS, 8 PARASITIC JAEGERS, and 2 LONG-TAILED JAEGERS. Highlights of the October 3rd trip, in which we repeated our great hike up to the bountiful storm-petrel spot off of Davenport were: 1420 LEAST STORM-PETRELS (the highest count ever for northern California--all of California?!), 1800 BLACK STORM-PETRELS, 4280 ASHY STORM-PETRELS, 1 WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, and 1 FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL. We also refound the "rufous" ashy/least storm-petrel! In addition, we found 4 DIFFERENT FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS (and these are different birds from the Oct. 2 trip, for a total of 8 Flesh-foots flying around the outer bay region). We recorded many of the usual species of fall seabirds, as well. This was our fourth trip in a row in which the seas were flat, calm!! Hooray!

One of the most endearing and adorable events of the day was a female YELLOW WARBLER. After she made it through the kamikazi flight of the bomber gulls who were trying to eat her, she landed on our boat. She spent about half an hour recovering in the life rafts on the top of the boat. Then, she flew into Captain Tinker's wheelhouse. Hunting around for something to feed her, Tinker held a kelp fly in his fingers, and she snatched it right out of his hand! We then embarked upon a mission to lift every item in the dashboard, searching every nook and cranny for long-dead kelp flies. Tinker even unhooked his radar to retrieve some flies there! Every time, we would hold the fiy, she would land on our hands and take it. Sometimes, she just would hop all over us. Sometimes, she would find a live fly! She was on them in an instant. On the way home, she slept soundly on top of Tinker's laptop computer, and other gagets. She found some kind of little nits that entered the cabin as we approached the dock. But, she was too tired to fly off on her own. So, I left her in some dense shrubs near the wharf, and hoped for the best. It was a very sweet addition to our pelagic trip.

Well, anyone who is looking for LEAST STORM-PETREL or FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER would be wise to jump on a trip this weekend. There is no telling how long the petrel flocks will hold up in the same area. We headed to the same spot where we had found the massive flock of 12,000 storm-petrels on October 1st. (See that trip report, already posted on our web site). We arrived in the area about 10:15 am. We immediately found one flock of about 3500 petrels. It was difficult to find an Ashy in this flock, as it was mostly composed of Blacks and Leasts. Someone spotted the "rufous" storm-petrel within minutes. Least storm-petrels were just everywhere. The leaders estimated that the flock composition was: 40% Blacks, 40% Leasts, and 20% Ashys. After spending about an hour with this flock, and finding the Wilson's and Fork-tailed, we decided to move on. To our surprise, we found a different flock of about 4000 more petrels. This flock was composed mostly of Ashys (3580), some Blacks (400), and very few Leasts (20). Now, this of course, begs the question: where are the remaining 3720 Ashys? (Based on our estimate of 8000 Ashys on October 1). I suspect that there was yet another flock composed of Ashys that we did not find. We could even smell the musky odor of petrels. Flocks are not easy to find. We need calm seas, and no fog. Even so, it is possible to drive within half a mile of a flock, and miss it. Of course, the more eyes looking, the better. All of this activity was in Santa Cruz County.

Two long line vessels have been working the area off Davenport. This is where we have been consistantly finding some of the Flesh-foots. Several times, we had them sitting on the water, very obliging for photos. We also found one of the two TUFTED PUFFINS. These are the same individuals that I have been reporting in this area! Don't get the idea that there is a big influx of TUPUs! The few remaining BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES are working in the same area as the long liners. Many PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS have been in this area, too, including the melanistic individual. Oddly, ELEGANT TERNS have been attacted here, some 10 miles off the coast.

We have trips coming up this long weekend: Friday and Saturday from Monterey: 7am to 3 pm. Leaders for the October 8 trip: Sophie Webb, Jennifer Green, and Mike Danzenbaker, October 9 trip: Clay Kempf, Nickolas Haass, Denise Wight, Matt Brady, and David VanderPluym. Sunday, October 10th is our last albacore trip of the year, 5:15am meeting for a 5:30 departure. We will be going north to Ascension Canyon and to other canyons in that area. Leaders for October 10: Luke Cole, Mike Danzenbaker, Nickolas Haass, Matt Brady, and David VanderPluym. We WILL be searching for the storm-petrels flocks on ALL of these trips. Our final trip from Bodega Bay to Bodega Canyon and the Cordell Bank will be on Monday, October 11th. Meet at 6:15 am. Leaders include: Luke Cole, Mike Rogers, Alvaro Jaramillo, and John Luther. Our final trip of the entire season will be on Friday, October 15th from Monterey. Leaders: Jennifer Green and Alvaro Jaramillo. Debra Shearwater will be on all trips.

Spaces are open on all trips. As I will be out of the office, if you find that you would like to join us on one of these trips, simply show up at the dock at the time stated, and you will be assured a spot on the boat!

The species list for the Oct 2/Oct 3, 2004 Monterey trips follows:

EARED GREBE-0/11
WEASTERN GREBE-0/1
CLARK'S GREBE-0/1
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-2/8
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-207/450
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-4/4
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-98/62
SOOTY SHEARWATER-235/525
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-3/1
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL-1/1
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL-0/1
ASHY STORM-PETREL-1/4280
BLACK STORM-PETREL-0/1800
LEAST STORM-PETREL-0/1420 ("RUFOUS" on Oct 3)
BROWN PELICAN-+/+
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-+/+
PELAGIC CORMORANT-5/0
CINAMON TEAL-0/1
MALLARD-0/1
NORTHERN PINTAIL-5 (sat down on the ocean!)/0
RUDDY TURNSTONE-0/1
BLACK TURNSTONE-0/5
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-3/45
RED PHALAROPE-1/6
WESTERN SANDPIPER-0/18
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-34/0
POMARINE JAEGER-108/20
POMARINE/PARASITIC JAEGER-1/2
PARASITIC JAEGER-8/5
PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED JAEGER-1/0
LONG-TAILED JAEGER-2/0
HEERMANN'S GULL2/+
CALIFORNIA GULL-+/+
WESTERN GULL-+/+
SABINE'S GULL-7/1
ELEGANT TERN-33 (5 @ 27 miles offshore)/25 (6 miles offshore).
COMMON MURRE-127/410
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-0/3
CASSIN'S AUKLET-1/3
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-85/370
TUFTED PUFFIN-0/1
AMERICAN PIPIT-0/1
WARBLER SP.-0/1
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER-0/1
YELLOW WARBLER-0/1
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER-0/4
KESTREL-1/0
MERLIN-0/1
PEREGRINE FALCON-0/1
OSPREY-0/1
SEA OTTER-+/+
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+/+
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-5/4
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-0/2
HARBOR SEAL-0/+
MINKE WHALE-1/0
FIN WHALE-1/0
HUMPBACK WHALE-28/24
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-150/97
RISSO'S DOLPHIN-0/215
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-175/155
DALL'S PORPOISE-5/44
OCEAN SUNFISH-1/+
BLUE SHARK-0/7


Some observations: In speaking with local researchers, they confirmed that the bulk of the Cassin's Auklets are north of Monterey Bay at Bodega Bay (and Fort Bragg). There is an abundance of Rhinoceros Auklets off of Davenport. The numbers of Black-footed Albatrosses have declined as is usual at this time of year. Ditto for Sooty Shearwaters, the bulk of them having migrated to the southern hemisphere. Sabine's Gulls and Long-tailed Jaegers are all but gone. I never saw an Arctic Tern migration this year. It is, as I have often said, THE prime time of year for the storm-petrels! Please bear in mind, that NOT every year is the same. We only have general, overall patterns. The bulk of the feeding for seabirds has been concentrated off of Davenport this year. Last year, the hot area was just off of Point Pinos. The key is to be able to keep tabs on these patterns, both within the season, and over the years. The key to finding the seabirds is going out week after week, specifically in search of seabirds.

I hope that you can join us on one of our final spectacular trips!

Storm-petrels forever,
Debi

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