Hello, Seabirders!

Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trips from Monterey Bay on September 8 & 9 have been absolutely glorious - filled with seabirds and marine mammals. The sea conditions for the past two days have been glassy, smooth at a Beaufort 0 with practically no swell whatsoever. This has made for excellent viewing conditions. Highlights have been many - the first of the fall STORM-PETREL FLOCKS; the first XANTUS' MURRELETS of the fall season, including two XANTUS' of the HYPOLEUCUS Baja California form; the return of CASSIN'S AUKLETS to the bay; all three species of JAEGERS- POMARINE, PARASITIC, & LONG-TAILED on both trips; SOUTH POLAR SKUAS; good numbers of SABINE'S GULLS; a sprinkling of ARCTIC & COMMON TERNS; the arrival of RED PHALAROPES, with many RED-NECKED PHALAROPES; a single BLUE WHALE each day and the arrival of NORTHERN FULMARS. The usual fall migrants continue: BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS; SOOTY, PINK-FOOTED (including one dark morph), and BULLER'S SHEARWATERS; COMMON MURRES; PIGEON GUILLEMOTS; and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS.

Treasures

The phenomenally smooth seas for the past two days not only added to our enjoyment of our time at sea, but also made it possible for us to find many of the treasured seabirds, especially the murrelets and storm-petrel flocks. The majority of the murrelets were "fly-away" birds, and therefore not identified to species. Oscar Johnson spotted two Xantus' (hypoleucus forms), sitting on the water. Everyone on board was able to get excellent studies of these murrelets which are rarely found this far north in California. They were also photographed. All of the murrelets were found on the Albacore fishing grounds, where the sea surface temperature was 61-62F. We even saw albacore jumping and caught a fish! Several folks on board are probably enjoying albacore dinners tonight! This is so very exciting, as albacore tuna do not come to Monterey Bay every year. Indeed, we have not seen any on our albacore trips for the past two or three years. The warm water was closer to shore today than it was yesterday. Tomorrow? Who knows? It may move offshore again.

Storm-petrels

Debra Shearwater found the large rafts of storm-petrels both days. Everyone on board was able to enjoy prolonged studies of Ashy and Black Storm-Petrels. Scattered Wilson's Storm-Petrels mixed in with the flock. The return of Cassin's Auklets, Blue Sharks, Ocean Sunfish, and at least a single Blue Whale to Monterey Bay suggests that krill is present at this time. The Blue Whale was a special treat, especially for those folks from the UK. Sabine's Gulls were a delight, and all species of jaegers kept us busy throughout the day.

Leaders

We thank all of the many participants who joined us on these trips. The leaders for the September 8th trip were: Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Luke Cole, Denise Wight, Oscar Johnson, & Debra Shearwater. Leaders on the September 9th trip were: Scott Terrill, Linda Terrill, Luke Cole, Jennifer Green, Oscar Johnson, & Debra Shearwater. The complete species lists follow.

Our next trips from Monterey with spaces available are: SEP 21, 22, 23, 24, 28: OCT 5, 7, 12, 13, 20.
We have spaces open on Albacore trips: SEP 29 & OCT 6 & 14. Last year, we found Streaked Shearwater on two of our albacore trips.
We also have spaces open on our FORT BRAGG trip on SEP 16th, and BODEGA BAY trips on SEP 14 & 30; OCT 19th. Please contact Debra Shearwater for an advance reservation.

SEPTEMBER 8 MONTEREY BAY/SEPTEMBER 9 ALBACORE GROUNDS - OFFSHORE MONTEREY WITH SHEARWATER JOURNEYS 2007:

PACIFIC LOON-1/0
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-20/43
NORTHERN FULMAR-2/2
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER-1020/4155
BULLER'S SHEARWATER-62/245
SOOTY SHEARWATER-1585/2800
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL-2/5
ASHY STORM-PETREL-2700/4500
BLACK STORM-PETREL-80/20
BROWN PELICAN-40/8
BRANDT'S CORMORANT-275/495
HARLEQUIN DUCK-1 (female in the harbor)/0
MARBLED GODWIT-4/0
BLACK TURNSTONE-10/0
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE-800/260
RED PHALAROPE-40/825
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-4/3
POMARINE JAEGER-11/26
PARASITIC JAEGER-3/9
PARASITIC/LONG-TAILED-0/4
LONG-TAILED JAEGER-1/15
JAEGER sp.-2/4
HEERMANN'S GULL-75/2
CALIFORNIA GULL-40/40
WESTERN GULL-550/120
SABINE'S GULL-42/81
ELEGANT TERN-2/1
COMMON TERN-5/5
COMMON/ARCTIC-0/2
ARCTIC TERN-6/6
COMMON MURRE-72/2
PIGEON GUILLEMOT-2/0
XANTUS' MURRELET (scrippsi)-1/3
XANTUS' MURRELET (hypoleucus)-0/2
XANTUS'/CRAVERI'S-0/12
CASSIN'S AUKLET-90/58
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-87/350
SEA OTTER-8/0
CALIFORNIA SEA LION-500/40
NORTHERN FUR SEAL-2/2
NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL-2/1
HARBOR SEAL-60/0
MINKE WHALE-0/1
BLUE WHALE-1/1
HUMPBACK WHALE-3/8
RISSO'S DOLPHIN-25/0
DALL'S PORPOISE-11/14
OCEAN SUNFISH-15/10
BLUE SHARK-5/12
MOON JELLIES-10,000's both days
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD-0/3
ALBACORE TUNA-0/5 (1 caught)


SHEARWATERS FOREVER,

DEBRA SHEARWATER
PO BOX 190
HOLLISTER, CA 95024
831/637-8527