copyright 2006 Shearwater Journeys

Howdy, Seabirders!

This report covers Shearwater Journeys' three spectacular seabirding trips on Monterey Bay on Sep 9, 10, and 11. I also include the species list for the Sep 8th trip from Bodega Bay. This is surely one of the most productive times to get out to see seabirds. Seabirders who participated in all four of these trips recorded 35 species of seabirds, including 12 species of tubenoses, and 12 species of marine mammals, and enjoyed some of the best weather conditions.

Highlights were many: for three days in a row, Shearwater Journeys found the STORM-PETREL FLOCKS which included WILSON'S, FORK-TAILED, ASHY, BLACK, and LEAST STORM-PETRELS; one MANX SHEARWATER was found on every day; FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER was found on two of the three days, with a high count of 10 on Sep 10th; SOUTH POLAR SKUAS were found every day; and it was a grand slam on all of the JAEGER species on two of the three days; on Sep 10th 201 jaegers were recorded, of these an astounding 152 were POMARINE JAEGERS; a SHORT-FINNED MAKO SHARK made a star performance; and finally, the ORCA show was just great.

The leaders for these outstanding trips were:

Sep 9-Denise Wight, Jim Danzenbaker, Mike Danzenbaker, Clay Kempf, Brian Sullivan, Don Doolittle, & Debra Shearwater;
Sep 10-Jennifer Green, Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Jim Danzenbaker, Don Doolittle, & Debra Shearwater;
Sep 11-Ted Chandik, Brian Sullivan, John Sorensen, Don Doolittle, & Debra Shearwater. Many thanks to all who participated. The species list follows.

Sep 8 (Bodega Bay)/Sep 9 (Monterey Seavalley)/Sep 10 (Monterey Albacore)/Sep 11 (Monterey Bay & Sur Ridge) PACIFIC LOON-0/1/0/0
COMMON LOON-1/0/0/0
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-28/8/7/5
NORTHERN FULMAR-35/4/6/6
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-232/450/485/225
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-2/2/10/0
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-41/200+/1543/55
SOOTY SHEARWATER-4500/25,000/860/5000
MANX SHEARWATER-0/1/1/1
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL-1/2/0/2
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL-0/1/0/1
ASHY STORM-PETREL-53/2000/1848/800
BLACK STORM-PETREL-0/200/453/35
LEAST STORM-PETREL-0/2/1/0
BROWN PELICAN-7 (offshore)/100 (offshore)/18/+
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-85/500/+/+
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT-1 (offshore)/0/0/0
PELAGIC CORMORANT-5/4/1/0
HARLEQUIN DUCK-0/1 (female in the harbor)/0/0
WANDERING TATTLER-1/0/0/0
MARBLED GODWIT-+/1/0/0
RUDDY TURNSTONE-1/0/1/0
BLACK TURNSTONE-9/0/4/0
SURFBIRD-1/0/1/0
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-130/67/45/40
RED PHALAROPE-6/3/7/4
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-13/6/8/3
POMARINE JAEGER-14/152/60+/18
POMARINE/PARASITIC-1/11/4/0
PARASITIC JAEGER-2/16/2/4
PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED-0/4/1/1
LONG-TAILED JAEGER-4/0/2/1
JAEGER sp.-0/18/0/5
HEERMANN'S GULL-40/40/40/50
CALIFORNIA GULL-55/45/200+/150
WESTERN GULL-400+/250/1000+/150
SABINE'S GULL-12/35/7/0
ELEGANT TERN-300+ (on the breakwater)/0/65/15
COMMON/ARCTIC TERN-0/1/0/0
FORSTER'S TERN-1/0/0/0
COMMON MURRE-120/125/200/150
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-25/2/2/6
CASSIN'S AUKLET-0/2/0/0
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-37/51/32/20
SEA OTTER-0/2/3/0
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+/180/400+/+
STELLER'S SEA LION-2/0/0/0
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-1-3/3/1/0
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-0/2/0/0
HARBOR SEAL-+/10/+/+
HUMPBACK WHALE-11/5/4/6
KILLER WHALE (ORCA)-0/13/0/0
SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN-0/0/0/8
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-0/2/8/0
RISSO'S DOLPHIN-27/35/0/37
DALL'S PORPOISE-25/7/12/6
OCEAN SUNFISH-1/3/0/0
SHORT-FINNED MAKO SHARK-0/1/0/0
BLUE SHARK-2/1/1/0
YELLOW WARBLER-0/1/0/0
CHIPPING SPARROW-0/1/0/0
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD-0/1/0/1


Many thanks to all who participated!

Shearwaters forever,

Debra Love Shearwater
Shearwater Journeys
PO Box 190
Hollister, CA 95024 USA
831/637-8527