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Monterey Bay

May 11, 2008
by Debi Shearwater

Photos copyright 2008 Steve Howell
Photos copyright 2008 David Spelt

Howdy, Seabirders -

Highlights

Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip from Monterey on May 11th was very productive for both seabirds and marine mammals. Highlights included: over 150 BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSSES, with counts as high as 60 birds at once sitting behind the boat for great photo opportunities; good numbers of returning shearwaters, including 50 PINK-FOOTED and 3000 SOOTY SHEARWATERS, mostly adults in molt, a surprising 25 ASHY STORM-PETRELS; an out of this world showing of alternate plumaged RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES; one knockout SABINE'S GULL showing breeding pink suffusion; 2 ARCTIC TERNS; great views of COMMON MURRES, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS calling under the dock before we even pulled away, 4 RHINOCEROS AUKLETS, and a spectacular display of BREACHING HUMPBACK WHALES! 1.3MB Windows Media One of the most incredible sights was the massive feeding frenzies of a combination of species - shearwaters, BRANDT'S CORMORANTS, COMMON MURRES, PACIFIC LOONS, along with the humpback whales, and swarming, tightly formed masses of CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS - all feeding on schooling anchovies in one giant ball of life!

Brandt's Cormorants Nesting

We found one of the LONG-TAILED DUCKS in the Monterey harbor. Hundreds of Brandt's Cormorant nests were on the Coast Guard Breakwater, along with at least three nests under the red light at the end of the breakwater. NEW, this year, are BRANDT'S CORMORANTS NESTING ON A FISHING VESSEL that is tied up in the harbor! We counted 11 nests on this small boat! Several small flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were moving throughout the day, as were a few FORSTER'S TERNS and a couple of CASPIAN TERNS. The Red and Red-necked Phalaropes put on a brilliant display. I haven't seen such beautiful alternate plumaged phalaropes since my visits to Longyerbyen, Spitsbergen, and Grimsey Island, Iceland last summer. All in all, it was a pretty darn good day!

Leaders

We thank all of the participants who came from near and far, as well as the leaders: Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Steve Howell, Jennifer Green, Don Doolittle, Matt Brady, Debra Shearwater, and Oscar Johnson, our chummer.

Upcoming Trips

Our next trips from Monterey with spaces available are: June 27, July 25, August 15, 22, 29, and many trips during September and October. Our next trips from Bodega Bay are scheduled for August 1 & 12, and September 19. We offer one trip to the Farallon Islands on August 10 to see the Tufted Puffins. To date, we have a 100% success rate. Finally, our two trips from Fort Bragg this season will be August 8 & 10th. Shearwater Journeys offers over 30 trips during the coming season. Please see our web site for more details, and past trip reports.

Species List

The complete species list for MAY 11, 2008 follows:

RED-THROATED LOON-2
PACIFIC LOON-150+
COMMON LOON-3
WESTERN GREBE-3
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-150+
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-50
SOOTY SHEARWATER-3000+
ASHY STORM-PETREL-25
BROWN PELICAN-6
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-580
PELAGIC CORMORANT-30
SURF SCOTER-190
LONG-TAILED DUCK-1
BLACK TURNSTONE-8
SURFBIRD-1
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-300
RED PHALAROPE-150
BONAPARTE'S GULL-34
HEERMANN'S GULL-3
CALIFORNIA GULL-15
HERRING GULL-2
WESTERN GULL-500
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL-2
WESTERN/GLAUCOUS-WINGED-5
SABINE'S GULL-1
COMMON/ARCTIC TERN-1
ARCTIC TERN-2
FORSTER'S TERN-12
CASPIAN TERN-3
COMMON MURRE-380
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-12
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-4
SEA OTTER-12
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-500+
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-1
HUMPBACK WHALE-21
HARBOR PORPOISE-2

Shearwaters forever,

Debi
Shearwater Journeys, Inc.
PO Box 190
Hollister, CA 95024
831.637.8527