Saturday October 29, 2011 - Laysanpalooza
It was either Ken Petersen or Glen Tepke who dubbed this trip Laysanpalooza.
The trip highlight being three LAYSAN ALBATROSS, two of them at once
and a third later in the day. Once again we found a FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER
which we found on almost every trip out of Monterey this season. We
also got some up close looks and got to hear the vocalizations of
two XANTUS'S MURRELETS (scrippsi).
Lots of photographers on board today. I had considered a photo contest
but Martijn Verdoes has that lens that everyone wants to own but no
one wants to pay for. You have to admit he gets some pretty amazing
shots with it. All photos are copyrighted and can be used by permission
only Martijn Verdoes/Agami.nl
Martijn will be heading back to Holland soon. We will miss him and
his great seabirding ability and photography. Thanks for all your
help, Martijn!
Here is Don Roberson's eBird
report for the day:
| Observation date and time: Oct 29, 2011 8:30 AM
- 2:45 PM |
| Protocol: Traveling |
| 50.0 miles |
Comments: aboard 'Pt Sur Clipper' on Monterey Seabirds
trip with Richard Ternullo, skipper; Roger Wolfe, Dan Singer,
Martiijn Verdoes, Tim Amaral, Blake Matheson (and reporter D.
Roberson); Ken Peterson, Peter LaTourrette, Tom Grey, Sarah Lane,
Jeff Poklen, Don Glasco, John Cant, Tom Malone, Jackie Weller,
Pete Sole, Glen Tepke et al. Very sunny but rather cold (at least
in a.m.), with large swells offshore (6-8'). Beaufort 2 conditions
in a.m. with wind out of the east (and inner Bay flat calm) but
wind picking up to Beaufort 4 in afternoon return. Route was to
Pt. Pinos (see inshore checklist; we spent quite some time within
1 nmi of shore, looking at a feeding group of Grampus), then west
out 18 miles, a bit northwest but turned south before entered
SCZ waters; then SW to 22 nmi W of Cypress Pt., and return via
Pt. Pinos and inshore. (See separate checklist for the combined
inshore legs.). Compared to a comparatively birdless day last
Sunday, numbers of shearwaters were up again (although fulmars
were down). Pretty birdy all day, but no whales. Mixed swell and
chop many conditions difficult for small alcids etc. This checklist
only species encountered >1 mile offshore; today, a few Brandt's
Cormorants and pelicans were offshore, but guillemot, Elegant
Terns, migrant coots all 'inshore.' 24 species (+2 other taxa)
|
| Location: Monterey Bay pelagic (MTY Co.), Monterey,
US-CA |
Number of species:
|
|
24
|
 |
(+2 other taxa)
|
|
Surf Scoter |
|
8 |
|
|
| |
Pacific Loon |
|
7 |
|
|
| |
Laysan Albatross |
|
3 |
|
two came to boat ~8 nmi W of Cypress Pt., at 36°40.082'N, 122°06.488'
W [=36.668944, -122.113556] and hung around a long time after
Roger put out a slick. Many photos. The 3rd bird was ~3.52 nmi
W of Pt. Joe [at 36°38.228N, 122°01.503W = 36.639667, -122.030639]
and continued to come back at us, probably last seen ~3 nmi off
Pt. Pinos. Also photo'd. None seemed to be banded (need to double-check
photos) |
| |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
12 |
|
some followed us for hours; I think 12 is minimum, could have
been more |
| |
Northern Fulmar |
|
50 |
|
down from last weekend |
| |
Pink-footed Shearwater |
|
85 |
|
|
| |
Flesh-footed Shearwater |
|
1 |
|
photo'd |
| |
Buller's Shearwater |
|
25 |
|
|
| |
Sooty Shearwater |
|
7 |
|
numbers way down |
| |
Brandt's Cormorant |
|
6 |
|
beyond 1 nmi offshore (many more inshore) |
| |
Brown Pelican |
|
5 |
|
beyond 1 nmi offshore (many more inshore) |
| |
Peregrine Falcon |
|
1 |
|
11.5 nmi offshore (distant photo), and heading west! |
| |
Red-necked Phalarope |
|
2 |
|
|
| |
Red Phalarope |
|
4 |
|
|
| |
Bonaparte's Gull |
|
12 |
|
|
| |
Heermann's Gull |
|
5 |
|
|
| |
Western Gull |
|
50 |
|
|
| |
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
California Gull |
|
200 |
|
|
| |
Herring Gull (American) |
|
1 |
|
adult |
| |
Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) |
|
1 |
|
first-cycle, best guess at i.d. |
| |
Pomarine Jaeger |
|
9 |
|
including at least one full-tailed adult |
| |
Common Murre |
|
40 |
|
|
| |
Xantus's Murrelet (scrippsi) |
|
2 |
|
14 nmi W of Cypress Pt.; vocalizing 'pair' separated accidentally
by the boat; presumably a father/full-grown chick duo. |
| |
Cassin's Auklet |
|
60 |
|
|
| |
Rhinoceros Auklet |
|
15 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Inshore report: |
| This checklist only species encountered <1 mile
offshore, and includes birds on the jetty, the Aquarium tower,
and the egrets/herons standing on kelp beds (but not land birds
in the harbor). |
| Number of species: |
|
23 |
|
|
| |
Eared Grebe |
|
8 |
|
|
| |
Northern Fulmar |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
Brandt's Cormorant |
|
250 |
|
|
| |
Double-crested Cormorant |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
Pelagic Cormorant |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
Brown Pelican |
|
25 |
|
|
| |
Great Blue Heron |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
Great Egret |
|
3 |
|
|
| |
Snowy Egret |
|
2 |
|
|
| |
Peregrine Falcon |
|
1 |
|
sitting on Aquarium tower |
| |
American Coot |
|
95 |
|
big flock of ~80 in a pack a half-mile off the Aquarium on calm
seas; 2 more out as far as 0.75 nmi offshore (checked with skipper
on that location), then inbound in p.m., a dozen more about a
half-mile W of Pt. Pinos. Very odd to see coots on the ocean,
but all were within a mile of shore. |
| |
Black Turnstone |
|
4 |
|
|
| |
Bonaparte's Gull |
|
15 |
|
|
| |
Heermann's Gull |
|
50 |
|
|
| |
Mew Gull (American) |
|
2 |
|
|
| |
Western Gull |
|
100 |
|
|
| |
California Gull |
|
100 |
|
|
| |
Glaucous-winged Gull |
|
1 |
|
|
| |
Elegant Tern |
|
6 |
|
|
| |
Common Murre |
|
20 |
|
|
| |
Pigeon Guillemot |
|
1 |
|
juv |
| |
Cassin's Auklet |
|
5 |
|
|
| |
Rhinoceros Auklet |
|
1 |
|
|
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Roger Wolfe for Monterey
Seabirds
|
