July 20, 2005
Monterey getaway
Davis is now officially TOO HOT - after a lunchtime stroll into town on Friday almost killed me, I rapidly decided that my top priority for the weekend was to get out of the Central Valley. At very short notice I persuaded Andrew, Roberta and Mariah to join me in a trip to Monterey for an aquarium visit and whale-watching excursion. In spite of having zero birding expectations, I was delighted to spot my first CA Harlequin just west of Fisherman's Wharf (state bird no 396 - 400 here we come!).
It was pleasantly warm and sunny when we left the Wharf...
... but the temperature plummeted once we hit the fog bank!
Birds seen included a single Pink-footed Shearwater amongst masses of Sooties - we saw hundreds of these today!
A fly-by Black-footed Albatross was nice, as were some close-range Red-necked Phalaropes. I realise I'm in danger of turning my birding blog into a cetacean-watching blog, but couldn't resist posting a few more pictures of the eye-popping views we had of Risso's Dolphins and Humpback Whales. These pictures were digibinned, and interestingly enough turned out about as good as last week's efforts with a much more expensive SLR-type camera.
Other entertaining mammals seen included a group of California Sealions competing for haulout space...
... and a Sea Otter feeding at close enough range that we could hear it cracking open its prey before noisily chewing it up.
