2021 08-12 SB Channel
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Seas were very calm, started out glassy and then “kicked up” to some heavy ripples. Little to no swell came down from the northwest. Skies were sunny everywhere all day long. Sightings included about 5000 long-beaked common dolphins.
On the docks, before departure, I photographed a great blue heron and a frisky snowy egret. Also, an actively hunting Brandt’s cormorant came by.
At 1030a we stopped momentarily to enjoy a large, detached floating kelp paddy loaded with elegant terns, gulls and a few sooty shearwaters. It was was
wonderful to see all these seabirds relaxing on their special island.
Ten minutes later we encountered our first common dolphins. There were mostly small herds, but they were friendly and rode our waves as we continued searching for whales.
1155a we passed slowly by a mass of seabirds resting on the surface. Most of them, especially the brown pelicans, seemed to be busy bathing themselves.
Having circled practically the entire midriff of the Channel, Captain Colton took a turn towards Campus Point to find a fresh area and continue the search. At 120p we spotted, then closely watched, a megapod of at least 2000 long-beaked common dolphins. As we followed them for at least 30 min, we watched them swim through a seemingly endless dense concentration of little “pinhead” northern anchovies. The dolphins were not, however, interested in feeding.
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Read MoreSeas were very calm, started out glassy and then “kicked up” to some heavy ripples. Little to no swell came down from the northwest. Skies were sunny everywhere all day long. Sightings included about 5000 long-beaked common dolphins.
On the docks, before departure, I photographed a great blue heron and a frisky snowy egret. Also, an actively hunting Brandt’s cormorant came by.
At 1030a we stopped momentarily to enjoy a large, detached floating kelp paddy loaded with elegant terns, gulls and a few sooty shearwaters. It was was
wonderful to see all these seabirds relaxing on their special island.
Ten minutes later we encountered our first common dolphins. There were mostly small herds, but they were friendly and rode our waves as we continued searching for whales.
1155a we passed slowly by a mass of seabirds resting on the surface. Most of them, especially the brown pelicans, seemed to be busy bathing themselves.
Having circled practically the entire midriff of the Channel, Captain Colton took a turn towards Campus Point to find a fresh area and continue the search. At 120p we spotted, then closely watched, a megapod of at least 2000 long-beaked common dolphins. As we followed them for at least 30 min, we watched them swim through a seemingly endless dense concentration of little “pinhead” northern anchovies. The dolphins were not, however, interested in feeding.
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Pelecanus occidentalis & Larus heermanni interactions 2021 08-12 SB Channel -001
PelecanusoccidentalisLarusheermanniinteractions2021Channel001
Pelicanus occidentalis & Larus heermanni interactions 2021 08-12 SB Channel -282
PelicanusoccidentalisLarusheermanniinteractions2021Channel282
Pelicanus occidentalis & Larus heermanni interactions 2021 08-12 SB Channel -324
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Phalocrocorax penicilatus 2021 08-12 SB Harbor--002
Phalocrocorax penicilatus DIVING 2021 08-12 SB Harbor--006
Phalocrocorax penicilatus UW 2021 08-12 SB Harbor--007
