copyright 2006 Shearwater Journeys

Howdy, Seabirders!

Shearwater Journeys' trips from Monterey on September 22 & 23 were a mixed bag—weather and sea conditions on the 22nd were just about the worst that they could be: 6-8 foot swells, southwest winds, and mixed fog over the canyon. Conditions improved quite a bit for the trip on the 23rd, but the swells were still tough on the seabirding. Both days, we headed south to Cypress Point. On the 23rd, we went very far inside of Carmel Bay to see the HUMPBACK WHALES that have been feeding off Point Lobos State Reserve, with their huge shearwater following. We then headed up to the area where we found the STORM-PETREL FLOCKS on the September 9, 10, 11th trips. The sea surface temperature ranged from 55-58.9F, which is good. Anchovy schools attracted many feeding flocks of shearwaters and dolphins. The NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN show on the 23rd was awesome! Over 1000 animals, with some new born calves.

The leaders for these trips were: Sep 22-Jennifer Green, David Vander Pluym, Brian Sullivan, & Debra Shearwater.
Sep 23-Jennifer Green, David Vander Pluym, Brian Sullivan, & Debra Shearwater.

The full species list follows:

SEP 22/23
PACIFIC LOON-1/1
COMMON LOON-0/1
NORTHERN FULMAR-1/0
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-1600/245
FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER-1/0
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-225/27
SOOTY SHEARWATER-8100/7000
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-1/0
ASHY STORM-PETREL-2/500+
BLACK STORM-PETREL-1/3
BROWN PELICAN-80/60
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-550/700
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT-9/11
PELAGIC CORMORANT-2/0
HARLEQUIN DUCK-1/1 female in the harbor
WANDERING TATTLER-0/1
BLACK TURNSTONE-3/7
WILLET-2/0
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-75/88
RED-NECKED/RED-2/0
RED PHALAROPE-115/8
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-2/9
POMARINE JAEGER-11/34
POMARINE/PARASITIC-0/3
PARASITIC JAEGER-3/3
PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED-0/2
LONG-TAILED JAEGER-0/2
JAEGER sp.-0/3
HEERMANN'S GULL-200/200
CALIFORNIA GULL-75/150
RING-BILLED GULL-0/1 offshore
WESTERN GULL-300/1000's
ELEGANT TERN-27/27
COMMON TERN-2/4
COMMON/ARCTIC-0/1
COMMON MURRE-52/375
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-3/6
CASSIN'S AUKLET-1/0
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-32/116
YELLOW WARBLER-1/0
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON-1/1
GREAT BLUE HERON-1/0
GREAT EGRET-2/1
OSPREY-0/1 offshore
SAY'S PHOEBE-0/1 at the dockside
SEA OTTER-+/3
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-+/+
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-0/2
HARBOR SEAL-+/+
HUMPBACK WHALE-1/9
NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN-0/1000+
RISSO'S DOLPHIN-13/22
PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN-20/80
DALL'S PORPOISE-0/12
OCEAN SUNFISH-0/2
MOON JELLIES-0/+


Join us on our Monterey trips this coming weekend: September 29 and October 1 from 7 am until 3 pm, and September 30 from 5:30 am until 5:30 pm. Contact Debra for a reservation.

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