FORGET THE WHALE!

We heard that yelled a few times on our Sunday pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay, California.  With good reason:  there were a billion birds to be looking at!  Breaching humpbacks are a bit distracting but I managed to avert my eyes, mostly out of fear of Debi Shearwater.

What things looked like most of the time: grey and kind of lopsided

The 10-hour trip was freakin amazing and I racked up life birds left and right.  I wasn't always able to get photos of them, but I saw all the birds called out.  Here are some of the highlights:

Common Tern

Scripps's Murrelet and Common Murre

 Scripps's Murrelet

 Black-footed Albatross


 Black-footed Albatross

 Jaeger... I should have taken notes- is this Parasitic?  Long-tailed!


 Buller's Shearwater- I failed to get any decent photos of the awesome back pattern on this bird

Is the grey making your head hurt yet?  Craving some color?  I don't have much.  I can throw in this one seagull shot to brighten things up:

Seagull taking photos of dolphins

 Pacific white-sided dolphins- we crossed paths with a pod of at least 800 of these creatures


That's all the grey animals I have time for today... More to come soon!  Good freakin times!!

Comments

  1. Wow, cool pelagic trip and awesome birds. Congrats on your lifers. I love the dolphins. I could never forget whales, I would have to look! Great post!

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  2. 2 white primary shafts on the upperwing and nothing more = Long-tailed. That's a fine looking Seagull, by the way.

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    1. Dammit Steven. That is what i had remembered that bird being called as, but the breast band thingy confused me.

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    2. I didnt get a look at that bird but second year LTJA retain a breastband from juvenile plumage.

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  3. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck. I can't wait. Looking at Seagull, I may need to buy new pelagic clothes. Looks to be very different than the t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers required on a Texas pelagic.

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    1. Yeah dude. Don't wear shorts. Sneakers are ok but they might get wet/stepped on by people blinded by birdlust. A few layers is a good idea.

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    2. Yeah my sneakers got soaked but I am used to that. Layers are the way to go.

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  4. IT looks kinda dreary but better than getting sunburned! YEAH on the lifers...The Albatross is awesome to me!! Love Dolphins, they are gorgeous..and I enjoyed seeing the shearwater too...never seen one myself. Cant wait to see what else you saw!

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    1. Haha, I actually burned the crap out of my face!

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  5. dayum girl! Great photos of the elusive gray birds!

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  6. Looks like you had a great trip. Looking forward to seeing more.

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