copyright 2005 Shearwater Journeys

Hello, Seabirders,

Shearwater Journey's pelagic trip from Monterey Bay today was a knock out! About 9:30 am, Jennifer Green and Jeri Langham simultaneously spotted a sub-adult SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS sitting on the water, 10 o'clock from the boat. We approached the bird slowly, allowing everyone on board to get great views. It flew off a short distance, and sat on the water again. Mostly, it sat around our boat for the better part of 45 minutes. The albatross swam to within 5 feet of our boat. Many, many photos were taken. It had a large, bright pink bill, tipped in blue, dark overall, with some dirty white feathers around the top of the bill, and symmetrical pale whitish patches in the wings. The body was overall dark, ventrally and dorsally. Jennifer noticed a silver band on the right leg, and Don Doolittle has a photo which confirms this. Images were obtained showing the Short-tailed Albatross and a Black-footed Albatross in the same frame, and other species as well. It was a darn exciting event! Sea conditions were perfect with uniformly high overcast skies, less than a one foot swell, Beaufort 0-.5. The albatross was about 5 miles offshore at: 3639.3/12203.3. The sea surface temperature was 57.2F, and ranged up to 61.2F.

Our trip began unusually, as Don Doolittle spotted an ANCIENT MURRELET in the harbor. Then, he spotted a female HARLEQUIN DUCK. We headed out to Point Pinos, stopping for the PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, COMMON MURRES, RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, and ELEGANT TERNS. Many of the typical fall seabirds were encountered (see list below), but, oddly no jaegers or Buller's Shearwaters were found.

The cetacean show was fantastic with HUMPBACK WHALES, PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHINS, NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHINS, RISSO'S DOLPHINS, AND DALL'S PORPOISES. A LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE made a brief appearance.

The leaders for this highly successful trip were: Jennifer Green, Don Doolittle, & Debra Shearwater.

Our next trips from Monterey are: August 21 & 29; September 4, 10, 12, 23, 24, & 30; October 2, 7, 8, 11, 16, & 21.
Our offshore trips from Monterey to the albacore grounds are Sep. 11, and Oct 1 & 9.

To make a reservation for the any remaining August trips, please contact Jennifer Green at 831-479-3521 before 9 pm. For all remaining trips, beginning with September 4th, please send payment for your trip to Debra Shearwater, PO Box 190, Hollister, CA 95024. Debra will be out of phone/email contact until August 31.

We also have trips from Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg. The August 27th trip from Fort Bragg is SOLD OUT.

The trip list for the August 12, 2005 pelagic trip from Monterey Bay follows:

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-22
*SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS-1
NORTHERN FULMAR-2
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-67
SOOTY SHEARWATER-5000+
BROWN PELICAN-+
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-+
PELAGIC CORMORANT-18
HARLEQUIN DUCK-1 female
SURF SCOTER-2
BLACK TURNSTONE-1
WILLET-7
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-40
HEERMANN'S GULL-+
CALIFORNIA GULL-+
WESTERN GULL-+
SABINE'S GULL-21
ELEGANT TERN-11
COMMON/ARCTIC TERN-2
COMMON MURRE-2000+
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-22
ANCIENT MURRELET-1
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-4
Murrelet sp.-1
SEA OTTER-+
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-1
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-1
HARBOR SEAL-+
HUMPBACK WHALE-13
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-41
RISSO'S DOLPHIN-20
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-100+
DALL'S PORPOISE-23
LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE-1


Join us on an ocean trip!
Albatrosses forever,
Debi