Too Many Seabirds!
By Debi Shearwater

Shearwater Journeys' pelagic trip from Bodega Bay on August 15, 2006 departed from Port O' Bodega about 7 am. Immediately, we were surrounded by 150 migrating Pigeon Guillemots just outside the harbor entrance! This was just the start of a day with thousands and thousands of seabirds. It was an absolutely dizzying mass of swirling and feeding seabirds which continued throughout the entire day. We went approximately 29 miles offshore to the 900 fathom line. The sea surface temperature was 56-57 F, perfect for the Ashy Storm-petrels. From the harbor out to the furthest point offshore, the ocean was loaded with bait fish, and seabirds and humpbacks feeding on them.

Highlights of this trip included: three Laysan Albatrosses (unusual at this time of year), 75 Black-footed Albatrosses, the first sightings this fall of Flesh-Footed Shearwater, a Short-tailed Shearwater (possibly a record early date), small flocks of Buller's Shearwaters sitting on the water, 1200 Pink-footed Shearwaters, and more than 100,000 Sooty Shearwaters. Scattered, small flocks of Ashy Storm-petrels were found, along with one fly-by Wilson's Storm-petrel. The jaeger show was good, with all three species represented. Sabine's Gulls numbers are now increasing, and we found the first Arctic Terns of the season. Hundreds of Common Murres were scattered from the shoreline, to well offshore. A single Tufted Puffin circled our vessel. The "darling" of the trip was a newly fledged Brown-headed Cowbird, who entertained us by picking at crumbs on the deck, catching kelp flies, and napping on the toilet seat! Marine mammals put on quite a show, with bowriding Dall's Porpoises, and lunge-feeding Humpback Whales, gulping huge amounts of baby sardines.

The leaders on this very birdy day were Peter Pyle, Steve Howell, Lisa Hug, and Debra Shearwater. The complete species list follows. Our next trip from Bodega Bay to the Cordell Bank and Bodega Canyon is on Monday, August 28th. This trip can be combined with the two trips from Fort Bragg on August 25 & 26, and a day of landbirding along the Highway 1 coastline on August 27th. Our next trip from Monterey is Friday, August 18th. Please contact Jennifer Green at 831/479-3521 before 9 pm or greenotr@cruzio.com for reservations for these trips. Debra will return to the office on August 29th.

August 18, 2006 Bodega Canyon & Cordell Bank:

• Laysan Albatross - 3
• Black-footed Albatross - 75
• Northern Fulmar - 20
• Pink-footed Shearwater - 1200
• Flesh-footed Shearwater - 1
• Buller's Shearwater - 95
• Sooty Shearwater - 121000
• Short-tailed Shearwater - 1
• Wilson's Storm-petrel - 1
• Ashy Storm-petrel - 300
• Brown Pelican - 4 Offshore
• Brandt's Cormorant - 4 Offshore
• Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Offshore
• Pelagic Cormorant - 2 Offshore
• Black Turnstone - 1
• Surfbird - 1
• Least Sandpiper - 10
• Red-necked Phalarope - 280
• Red Phalarope - 8
• Pomarine Jaeger - 15
• Parasitic Jaeger - 4
• Long-tailed Jaeger - 5
• Jaeger Sp. - 3
• Heermann's Gull - 1 Juv.
• Ring-billed Gull - 1 Offshore
• California Gull - 300
• Western Gull - 200
• Glaucous-winged Gull - 1
• Sabine's Gull - 120
• Common Tern - 2
• Arctic Tern - 2
• Caspian Tern - 1
• Common Murre - 600
• Pigeon Guillemot - 150 & 1 Offshore
• Cassin's Auklet - 3
• Rhinoceros Auklet - 30
• Tufted Puffin - 1
• California Sea Lion - 300
• Steller's Sea Lion - 5
• Northern Fur Seal - 5
• Harbor Seal - 30
• Humpback Whale - 22
• Dall's Porpoise - 10

Debra Love Shearwater
Shearwater Journeys
www.shearwaterjourneys.com
debi@shearwaterjourneys.com
PO Box 190
Hollister, CA 95024 USA
831/637-8527

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