October 17, 2005
Welcome to the 400 Club...
In spite of living in the UK for the first 25 years of my life, and doing a fair amount of rarity chasing in that time, I never reached the benchmark of seeing 400 species in the country. However, after 22 months over here, my California list sailed past the 400 mark last Friday! The landmark species was a Flesh-footed Shearwater, pictured (badly) here with Sooty, Pink-footed and Buller's Shearwaters, on a Shearwater Journeys trip to the Cordell Bank.
Much of the day was socked in with fog, with Rhinoceros Auklets and Northern Fulmars (pictured below) of all shades being the most common birds of the day.
When the fog lifted a little, we came across good numbers of birds, including Tufted Puffin, Black-footed Albatross, South Polar Skua, Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers in addition to resting shearwater flocks and lots of Cassin's Auklets. While I was thrilled to get good, close looks at my lifer Flesh-footed Shearwater, it was once again cetaceans that stole the show. Over the course of the day hundreds of Pacific White-sided Dolphins were riding the bow. I took these pictures leaning over the front of the boat .
It was often possible to hear them squeaking and I got sprayed several times when they came up to breathe!
These strange-looking Northern Right Whale-Dolphins were a new species for me, and gave equally good views.
Later in the day a small pod of Dall's Porpoises joined in the fun.
Also seen were many Ocean Sunfish (Mola Molas),
one or two Humpback Whales,
Harbor Porpoises, Northern Fur Seal and this Steller's Sealion playing with a Canary Rockfish before wolfing it down.
How nice it would be to work as a marine biologist...
Posted by rjhall at October 17, 2005 11:57 PM