2023 Tour #1 (Feb 11-18): Travelling Naturalist charter
Steven Swartz, gray whale expert, on Zoom presentation!
American Cetacean Society’s San Diego chapter is hosting Steven in their speaker series this month. This talk is perfectly timed with the southbound gray whale migration happening now, with sightings increasing daily offshore San Diego.
To join via Zoom: Meeting ID: 513 147 5168 and Passcode: Whales
To join via Zoom: Meeting ID: 513 147 5168 and Passcode: Whales
Steven has researched and published widely on gray whales and their breeding lagoons in Baja California. From 1977 to 1982 Steven and Mary Lou Jones conducted the first systematic research of gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
In 2006, along with Jorge Urban R., Steven founded the Laguna San Ignacio Ecosystem Science Program (LSIESP) to support and encourage science-based research and monitoring of gray whales and their breeding/aggregation lagoon areas in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
In 2006, along with Jorge Urban R., Steven founded the Laguna San Ignacio Ecosystem Science Program (LSIESP) to support and encourage science-based research and monitoring of gray whales and their breeding/aggregation lagoon areas in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Offshore pelagic birding report (July 2021)
We are able to share this report thanks to local birders: Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, David Trissel, John Dumlao
A small group of birders went offshore on Saturday, 17 July, out to the San Diego Trough, 30-Mile Bank, and “The Corner.” Conditions were reasonably nice, with light winds.
The highlights of the day were yet 5+ more COOK’S PETRELS in San Diego waters and a record one-day count for the state of 68 CRAVERI’S MURRELETS. The Cook’s were in the San Diego Trough (2)–as close as 20.5 mi W of Point Loma–on the 30-Mile Bank (2), and at “The Corner” (1+, repeated sightings).
Almost all the Craveri’s were in the western quarter of the Trough and on the 30-Mile Bank and were regularly in flocks of four to six birds. Other species of note included two one-year-old jaegers, of which one appears to be a young LONG-TAILED and the other currently uncertain (rare in July; both in Trough), 2 Leach’s Storm-Petrels (Trough), 8 Ashy Storm-Petrels, a getting-late Scripps’s Murrelet (Trough), a Brown Booby, and a Common Tern.
Also well-offshore flocks of Black-bellied Plovers and Short-billed Dowitchers. Another clear highlight of the trip was the spread-out group of FALSE KILLER WHALES in the Trough which were clearly shredding fish, as large numbers of Black Storm-Petrels and Pink-footed Shearwaters were actively feeding over and around them.
Some misc. totals for the trip included 32 Red-necked Phalaropes, 5 Cassin’s Auklets, 400 Black Storm-Petrels, and 80 Pink-footed & 55 Sooty Shearwaters.
–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, David Trissel, John Dumlao
Paper just Published about “Flue,” the blue/fin whale!
Searcher naturalist, Paul Jones, shares this exciting 2020 sighting while aboard Searcher!
On March 17, 2020, while Searcher was just west of Isla Monserrat in the Gulf of California and we were looking for whales, the crew spotted what appeared to be a blue whale at first glance. However, as we got closer, there was considerable disagreement as to what we were looking at. Clearly, this whale had some color and body shape that was indicative of a blue whale. But other characteristics reflected what we have seen in fin whales. As it circled the boat, we were finally able on one pass to see the lower jaw on the right side, which should have been definitive for a fin whale – and it was all dark. So, the mystery whale had us continuing the debate well into the afternoon, past the time when we found three fin whales and two blue whales to follow, and into the night. Because of some good sleuthing in his expansive, digital marine mammal literature database, Tom Jefferson found a paper that led us to believe we had seen a hybrid fin/blue whale. The story that unfolded is told in our recently published scientific paper is amazing – this male is the offspring of a male fin whale and female blue whale and he travels back and forth from Southern California waters to the Gulf of California. Plus, there’s lots more about fin/blue hybrids and their movements between these waterbodies. We encourage you to read on by clicking the link to the paper below.
Sightings and Satellite Tracking of a Blue/Fin Whale Hybrid in its Wintering and Summering Ranges in the Eastern North Pacific
Authors: Jefferson Thomas, Palacios Daniel, Calambokidis John, Baker C. Scott, Hayslip Craig, Jones Paul, Lagerquist Barbara, Jørgensen Morten and Schulman-Janiger Alisa
Enjoy Paul Jones’ video on top and Searcher video below for two different views of this special whale.
San Diego Bird Festival Pelagic trip report
On 19 February, the San Diego Bird Festival pelagic trip travelled out to the 9-Mile Bank and off La Jolla. Here is the sightings report:
“We enjoyed fairly light seas and overall good weather. The highlight of the trip was the individual Manx Shearwater sitting on the water at moderate distance. Sighting report follows.”
Brant: 50
Surf Scoter: 14
Red-breasted Merganser: 2
Eared Grebe: 4 (offshore)
Whimbrel: 1
Black Turnstone: 1
Surfbird: 6
Least Sandpiper: 3
Spotted Sandpiper: 5
Red Phalarope: 2
Pomarine Jaeger: 1
jaeger sp.: 1
SCRIPPS’S MURRELET: 12 (mostly flighty, but very good views of one pair)
Cassin’s Auklet: 6
Rhinoceros Auklet: 1
Bonaparte’s Gull: 130
Heermann’s Gull: 25
California Gull: 250
Western Gull: 1500
Royal Tern: 6
Pacific Loon: 2
Common Loon: 6
Herring Gull: 1
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER: 1 (rare to very rare in February; distant) Photo at left by Todd McGrath
MANX SHEARWATER: (with rafts of Black-vented Shearwaters; approx. the 17th individual recorded in San Diego Co. waters, of which all but two are between mid-Feb and mid-Apr)
Black-vented Shearwater: 2500
BROWN BOOBY: 2 (distant views)
Double-crested Cormorant: 4
Brandt’s Cormorant: 60
Brown Pelican: 120
Great Blue Heron: 4
Great Egret: 8
Snowy Egret: 2
Osprey: 1
TRICOLORED HERON: 1 (flying south past dock in AM, heading toward its favored San Diego River channel)
–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Nancy Christensen, Tom Blackman, Matt Sadowski, et al., San Diego, leaders
Still Time to Bid for Spot on 5-day Pelagic Birding Tour!
San Diego’s Bird Festival virtual silent auction is now open for bids! You could win a spot on this trip for a good deal AND benefit the San Diego Audubon Society. The rest of the festival will be held in a hybrid model (virtual and in-person) from February 17-21, 2021.
Picture yourself aboard with us as we search for deep-water Southern California pelagic birds and offshore rarities with expert leaders in the comfort of a 95-foot vessel. Don’t wait! Get your bid in today!
Trip details: 2021 Pelagic Trip Tour details
Gray Whale Research updates from Baja Lagoon
Are you wondering how gray whales are doing in Laguna San Ignacio this season? So are we!
We won’t be visiting the lagoon this year with our usual ecotourism trips, but we want to stay informed about the whales and about our good friends at Kuyima who provide boat services for our guests while in Laguna San Ignacio.
If you’ve been aboard Searcher, you’ve either met or heard about US gray whale expert and friend, Steven Swartz. His bi-national research group will be in the lagoon during this gray whale season, though in a scaled-back way in order to maintain safe conditions during the Covid 19 pandemic for the locals, researchers and visitors. Steven reports:
Our research plan is to have a small team of our researchers from the University in La Paz conduct regular census and photo-ID surveys to monitor numbers and whales’ body condition. We will post updates on our website as they are able to send information to us by email.
We will monitor the numbers as they are reported and share them here.
Gray moms and calves are beginning to show up in one of their winter destinations, Laguna San Ignacio.
Science of Whales a Virtual Conference
Save-the-Date
The American Cetacean Society will be hosting a Virtual Conference
Date: Saturday, January 30 (9:30am to 5pm*). Stay tuned for registration information. The conference will be FREE of charge.
ACS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 2021 – January 30 – Schedule below Registration is free.
Just a Reminder: NEW 3-day Pelagic Birding Tour 2021
Photo by Alisa Schulman-Janiger
Photo by Alisa Schulman-Janiger
It’s a great time to get offshore to deep-water pelagic zones to search out exciting seabirds such as Cook’s Petrels, Scripps’ Murrelets, Black-footed and Laysan Albatross; Black, Leach’s and Ashy Storm-petrels; Brown and other Boobies; South Polar Skua; Pomarine, Parasitic, and Long-tailed Jaegers; and Arctic Terns. Plus we’ll have a long list of usual species found in our waters, often gathering around underwater banks, mounts, and canyons. This trip is limited to ABA-waters, including coverage of the southern-most areas of it.
Science of Whales a Virtual Conference
Save-the-Date
The American Cetacean Society will be hosting a Virtual Conference
Date: Saturday, January 30 (9:30am to 5pm*). Stay tuned for registration information. The conference will be FREE of charge.
ACS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 2021 – January 30 – Schedule below Registration is free.
