2011 07-23 All Day SC Bight Audubon

Images from a 14-hour deep water pelagic trip with LA Audubon with tons of mammals and birds. Glassy and/or calm seas all day. Epic.

Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola).
mola 2011 Bight 010
Looking eastward down the face of San Miguel Island to see Prince Island with Santa Rosa Island in back.
Prince Island Sta Rosa 2011 San Miguel 001
A mixed pod with four Pacific White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and [on the bottom] one Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2011 Bight 034
Birders on the Condor Express take lots of photos of friendly gulls (Larus sp.) and another animal with wings (Megaptera novaeangliae).
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2011 Bight 003
Image 1 of 4: A very close encounter with a surface lunge feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The whale is on its right side, mouth is open, and the pink soft palate of the roof of the mouth can be seed fringed with bushy baleen. The little ripples on the surface in between the jaws are krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) preparing to move up the food chain.
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge mouth open CLOSE 2011 Bight 157
Image 2 of 4: A very close encounter with a surface lunge feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The whale is on its right side, mouth is open, and the pink soft palate of the roof of the mouth can be seed fringed with bushy baleen. The little red organisms on the surface in between the jaws are krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) preparing to move up the food chain.
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2011 Richardson Rock 007
Image 3 of 4: A very close encounter with a surface lunge feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The whale is on its right side, mouth is open, and the pink soft palate of the roof of the mouth can be seed fringed with bushy baleen. Krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) can be seen popping up and jumping.
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2011 Richardson Rock 005
Image 4 of 4: A very close encounter with a surface lunge feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The whale is on its right side, and in this final stage of feeding, the mouth closes and hundreds of gallons are ejected through the baleen filter. Here the ventral grooves that were fully expanded are collapsing. The long left pectoral fin can also be seen.
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2011 Richardson Rock 012
On the western edge of the San Juan Seamount, 99.1 miles from Santa Barbara, a lone Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) finds a place to rest on a drifting paddy of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
Sterna hirundo Macrocystis pyrifera drift paddy 2011 Bight 034
Image 1 of 2: A Risso's Dolpin (Grampus griseus) breaches a few times.
Grampus griseus breaching 2011 Bight 002
Image 2 of 2: A Risso's Dolpin (Grampus griseus) breaches a few times.
Grampus griseus breaching 2011 Bight 006
A Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus) rafts alongside a drifting paddy of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
Callorhinus ursinus NORTHERN FUR SEAL rafting 2011 Bight 013
Callorhinus ursinus NORTHERN FUR SEAL rafting 2011 07-23 SC Bight a - 014
Callorhinus ursinus NORTHERN FUR SEAL rafting 2011 Bight 014
Short-beaked Common Dolpins (Delphinus delphis).
Delphinus delphis 2011 Bight 004
Short-beaked Common Dolpins (Delphinus delphis).
Delphinus delphis 2011 Bight 009
A Northern Fulmar (Fulmaris glacialis).
Fulmaris glacialis water 2011 Bight 005
Short-beaked Common Dolpin (Delphinus delphis).
Delphinus delphis 2011 Bight 002
Pacific White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens).
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2011 Bight 014
Short-beaked Common Dolpins (Delphinus delphis) with San Miguel Island in the back.
Delphinus delphis San Miguel 2011 Bight 010
Pacific White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens).
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2011 Bight 021
Pacific White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens).
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2011 Bight 038
Surface feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2011 Richardson Rock 001
Surface feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and a Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus),
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2011 Richardson Rock 018
A Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus).
Phaethon aethereus RED BILLED TROPICBIRD 2011 Bight 010
Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa).
Oceanodroma leucorhoa LEACHS STORM PETREL 2011 Bight 019
A Laysan's Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) defends its dead fish from a Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus).
Phoebastria immutabilis 2011 Bight 015
A Laysan's Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and a Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus).
Phoebastria immutabilis 2011 Bight 028
In flight - a Laysan's Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis).
Phoebastria immutabilis 2011 Bight 038
A Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) soars above four Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus).
Phoebastria nigripes 2011 Bight 004
A Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).
Phoebastria nigripes 2011 Bight 002
Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).
Phoebastria nigripes 2011 Bight 003
Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus) sit on an oceanic front feeding on krill (Thysanoessa spinifera).
Phalaropus lobatus masses 2011 Bight 027
One adult Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) and a juvenile.
Ptychoramphus aleuticus CASSINS AUKLET 2011 Bight 007
A Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) in flight.
puffinus MANX SHEARWATER 2011 Richardson Rock 001
Click on these photographs of Richardson's Rock and you will see many California Sea Lions (Zalophus califorinanus) hauled out, even on the very top of the rock.
Richardson Rock 2011 San Miguel Island 019
Richardson Rock.
Richardson Rock west side 2011 San Miguel Island 002
Image 1 of 3: A Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni).
Stercorariuis maccormicki SKUA 2011 Bight 001
Image 2 of 3: A Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni).
Stercorariuis maccormicki SKUA 2011 Bight 004
A South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki).
Stercorarius maccormicki SKUA 2011 Bight 027
Close look at a Xantus's Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus).
Synthliboarmphus nypoleucus XANTUS MURRELET 2011 Bight 010
Commercial fishing by-catch.
dead fish gill net bycatch surface 2011 Bight 004
Commercial fishing by-catch.
dead fish gill net bycatch surface 2011 Bight 005

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2011 07-23 All Day SC Bight Audubon