Oct. 15 trip report

The table is set, the warm water break at Sur Ridge looks reachable and tempting on the sea surface temperature map. Only problem being the southeast wind has come up and now our windows are getting wet so we have to change course to keep from getting ourselves into an ugly situation.  Fortunately the sea is alive with seabirds

PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS are particularly numerous this morning outnumbering the SOOTIES by a wide margin. (photos copyright Blake Matheson, by permission only)

Pink-footed Shearwater

I’m glad we have so many spotters on board today because the tubenoses just keep coming. It is a lot of work to go through all the BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS and NORTHERN FULMARS and SOOTY, BULLER’S and three FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS.  A couple of SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS gives us five species of shearwaters for the day.

Buller's Shearwater

Several SOUTH POLAR SKUAS put on a good show. XANTUS’S MURRLELETS are less than cooperative, we manage a few flybys but never get any real good looks at them. More cooperative is the single TUFTED PUFFIN that we pull the boat right up to.

Tufted Puffin

Skeins of waterfowl migrating over the bay waters are comprised of NORTHERN SHOVELERS and NORTHERN PINTAILS.

On the marine mammal front are bow riding DALL’S PORPOISE, the first GRAY WHALE of the year and many RISSO’S DOLPHINS.

Risso's Dolphins

 Our trip next Sunday is a go but we still need more seabirders for our October 29th trip. Come join us in the hunt!

Here is the link to our trip track of nearly 70 miles traveled:
http://share.gps.motionxlive.com/shr/x/kmz/4a3170dc3dad6a955d7b56f3d1bcdb5e - Google Maps


Ebird report by Blake Matheson: pelagic (inshore report below)

American Wigeon  4
Northern Shoveler  80
Northern Pintail  200
Surf Scoter  40
Pacific Loon  30
Common Loon  2
loon sp.  5
Eared Grebe  3
Black-footed Albatross  8
Northern Fulmar  50
Pink-footed Shearwater  1300
Flesh-footed Shearwater  4
Buller's Shearwater  30
Sooty Shearwater  450
Short-tailed Shearwater  1
Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater  3
Brandt's Cormorant  10
Brown Pelican  25
Red-necked Phalarope  120
Red Phalarope  15
Sabine's Gull  5
Bonaparte's Gull  2
Heermann's Gull  200
Western Gull  1000
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  1
California Gull  800
Herring Gull  1
Glaucous-winged Gull  10
Common Tern  1
South Polar Skua  6
Pomarine Jaeger  10
Parasitic Jaeger  1
jaeger sp.  1
Common Murre  100
Xantus's Murrelet  6
Cassin's Auklet  40
Rhinoceros Auklet  200
Tufted Puffin  1

Inshore report:

Northern Shoveler  100
Northern Pintail  50
Surf Scoter  50
Pacific Loon  25
Common Loon  2
loon sp.  1
Eared Grebe  10
Western/Clark's Grebe  1
Pink-footed Shearwater  5
Sooty Shearwater  10
Brandt's Cormorant  80
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Pelagic Cormorant  1
Brown Pelican  120
Great Egret  4
Snowy Egret  4
Black Oystercatcher  2
Black Turnstone  7
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher  4
Red-necked Phalarope  15
Bonaparte's Gull  2
Heermann's Gull  120
Mew Gull  1
Western Gull  150
California Gull  200
Glaucous-winged Gull  4
Elegant Tern  8
Common Murre  100
Pigeon Guillemot  2
Cassin's Auklet  2
Rhinoceros Auklet  30
Rock Pigeon  30