Shearwaters, Petrels, Skuas and the Southern California Bight
Within sight of Japan’s east coast, on a low, gray, yet rainless winter day, we rounded the southern islands and into the Yellow Sea by late morning. We saw many seabirds, but being a mountain birder, I had no idea what they were – I knew they weren’t Evening Grosbeaks! Probably sea gulls, I must have thought at that time.
Many months later, from the moment we left Sasebo, on a Liberty Ship (not a Victory, an old Liberty) following the northern circle route to Seattle, there were birds. We watched the sea birds during the day, and at night, wondered at the phosphorescent sea life - squid jellyfish, others. Then, on a day when we were far north, the veteran vessel broke down.
For the better part of a day we drifted somewhere out there in the North Pacific on smooth water under, by happy chance, calm skies. There were big birds, little birds, white birds, brown birds, dark birds all around the ship. I still didn’t know what species, except maybe the really big white birds. After twelve days we did reach Seattle.
But That Was Then – This Is Now
Since we wrote Kittiwake - Six O’Clock, to make up for those lost sea trips of long ago, we have been down to the sea three more times! In just one trip, we’re hooked, and join the pelagic cult. Pelagic, from Gk. Pelagos – “the sea”. Pelagic birding is to go to sea to twitch species, which, except for nesting, spend their lives at sea – and there are many.
Wind, sea currents, and temperatures combine with the submarine topography of the Southern California Bight to cause a great up welling of the food rich cold waters. Here fifty-two pelagic species have been documented, of which twenty-eight occur regularly. These four sea trips explored much of the SoCal Bight plus waters off the central coast.
Although a few are, most gulls are not pelagics, however, on a trip they do count. So, while still in harbor parking lots, where the central coast’s usual cast of characters are roosting, walking, standing about and deciding which vessel would be the best to follow in the wake of - a tourist, a fishing, or a chumming pelagic boat - the twitching starts.
Though still in the harbor, controlled by the buoy markers, wake restrictions, weekend boat traffic, and confined by the piers, jetties, and breakwaters, there is no pause in the birding for there are the rock birds - Brown Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, Surf Birds, Wandering Tattlers, both Ruddy and Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers.
Breaking out to sea, chumming will attract fifty or so yelling screaming drafting parking-lot-gulls following a trail of oiled popcorn. During the day these tail-gaters will be scanned for strangers such as kittiwakes, terns, and the sought after Sabine’s Gull. Usually at this point there are Heermann, Western, Mew, Ring-bill, and Herring gulls.
Dynamic and Slope Soaring
Again, except for nesting, pelagics (seabirds) spend their lives at sea. They forage the oceans and use the air and sea to soar – seldom flapping. Longevity? Think of this, a Leach’s Storm Petrel, the size of a Purple Martin (8 inches) was recorded at 36 years. A Northern Fulmar (gull like bird), 50 years. A Royal Albatross, 66 years. Real mariners.
Winds are slowest close to the water’s surface (calmed by friction) and progressively increase with height up to about 50 feet. A seabird at the top of the gradient glides downwind at an angle, increasing its “ground” speed. As it nears the water’s surface it turns back and glides upward into the wind. As it rises, the bird encounters progressively faster winds which increases its lift.
Wind passing over waves cause updrafts. Seabirds exploit these updrafts for what is termed slope soaring. This is combined with dynamic soaring to enable pelagics to travel for hours without flapping. Picture, if you will, a zig zagging roller coaster ride. Gulls, jaegers and skuas also use slope and dynamic soaring to augment their wing beat flight.
Seabirds of The SoCal Bight
There are three common shearwaters in these waters, with the Black-vented Shearwater being seen closer in than the Sooty’s and Pink-footed. Six other shearwater species have also been documented in these waters. Shearwater? Shear, as to cut close with scissors for the bird’s manner of flight with their wings shearing the water. Sooty for its dark color.
Petrel is the common name for a group of birds which derive their name from their method of alighting on the water. Dangling their feet, seemly reluctant to land, gives the appearance of walking on water. Superficially these species resemble gulls. Storm Petrels, on the other hand, are small seabirds the size of swallows and sparrows!
Despite the vast difference in size and wingspans, shearwaters, petrels, storm petrels, fulmars and albatrosses are recognized by their naricorns – a raised horny tube at the base of the bill. Collectively, these pelagic species are called tubenoses. Since these seabirds drink only seawater, this structure drains off excess salt keeping body fluids in balance.
Larids are divided into four subfamilies: jaegers and skuas, gulls and kittiwakes, terns, and skimmers. Seven species of pelagic Larids may be seen in the waters of the SoCal Bight. Jaegers and skuas are mostly brown and dark, gulls white and gray, with terns being mostly white. Skimmers are along the beaches and are not pelagics.
Fourteen species of Alcids are also listed on the LAAS SoCal pelagic list - murres, murrelets, guillemots, puffins and auks. In addition, little phalaropes, big albatross, and, uncommonly, the Red-billed Tropicbird.
The Condor Express – In Search Of The Red-billed Tropicbird
In the dull first light the harbor is stirring. A small rubber dingy powers in, ties up, a man and medium size dog hop out and head down the marina walkway past sea kayakers launching their long, sturdy boats for a day of paddling coastal waters. Boat people are milling about the harbor while sixty-three pelagic birders board The Condor Express.
As always, Millie is checking off the manifest. “Gary.” “Gary from Bakersfield?” “No, Gary from Toledo!” From his strapped on Tillie-like hat, padded coat, rain gear pants, weathered face with gray beard to his chest, Gary-from-Toledo must be a legend. The gang, close to even, male and female, were all clearly of the pelagic sea birding cult.
This spacious, “fast, stable” catamaran is designed to go beyond the Channel Islands reaching the deep waters off the Cherry, Tanner and Cortez banks quickly. There, cold, food-rich 1000-fathom waters well-up attracting sea life. Still under a low marine layer, we slip from our Sea Landing moorings and enter the Santa Barbara Harbor channel.
On a small spit of sand just off starboard, Western, Ring-billed and Herrmann’s Gulls, along with Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings and a few Double-crested Cormorants, are loafing or foraging. At its speed the gulls will not follow this boat, for the “Express” is headed 215 miles southwest of Santa Barbara in search of the Red-billed Tropicbird.
From a green buoy’s platform, again on the right at “3 O’clock”, we are watched and barked at by a stack of California Sea Lions. As we escape the harbor confines the Captain comes on warning all aboard to keep both feet on the deck, be firmly braced and move about carefully. He then shouts, “HERE WE GO!” Against two-foot wind waves and six to eight foot swells, the engines signaled that truly – WE’RE OFF!
Other than a few Brown Pelicans, Western Gulls, Royal Terns and Brandt’s Cormorants flying high, and Common Loons floating by, the first important sightings are those of Parasitic, Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers, along with Black-vented Shearwaters.
As the “Express” aims for the west end of Santa Cruz Island, Minke whales are blowing. A bit further, spy-hopping Humpback Whales surface giving us a once over, then show us their flukes. Humpbacks will herd fish against the side of a boat, and, like pelicans, scoop them up. Fin Whales, Risso’s, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins will also be seen.
Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters appear, along with a South Polar Skua. Although there are dark birds and light birds, most pelagics are dark above and light below. Thus, identifying the species comes down to size, wing and rump markings, bare parts color and flight patterns. For example, Pink-footed Shearwaters have a distinctly upward peel- off from the trough they just “sheared” as if they were Blue Angel jets breaking away.
There are pelagic birders aboard from all three counties the “Express” will move through. So as we head west and south, the captain keeps the “listers” informed as to what county we’re now twitching. I’ve been keeping an eye out for him, however, due to the starboard spray, I’ve been hanging out to port. Gary-from-Toledo is likely on the bow.
She, the Express, has excellent observation decks, a large enclosed cabin for eating and loafing and a full service galley! In talking with an ER doctor from L.A. and Gary-of- Bakersfield, Gary and I questioned, as yet, no tropicbirds? Not to worry, the Dr. told us; they are always seen after lunch. Good point. Good idea. Ordering a tuna on sourdough and coffee, I chowed down in the warm cabin. Gary-from-Toledo did not show at lunch.
Back on deck, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, another skua and more dolphins were seen. A shout from one of the four leaders went up – TROPIC BIRD 11 O'CLOCK! There it was, flying high with its rapid wing beats, reminiscent of a Cooper’s sans the gliding. A cheer from the Ventura County listers – a Ventura Red-billed Tropicbird!
Minutes later we’re in L.A. County. “COOK’S PETREL!” Several dozen had been seen recently off Baja, so there had been prospects of this species. For early September, this was a rare and regular, perhaps an irregular, sighting. Cook’s Petrel nests on islands off New Zealand! This bird was at its range edges. Its flight is rapid, erratic, with quick turns.
Why so many after lunch sightings? Because we’re two hundred miles out over the Tanner and Cortez Banks in 1000 fathoms of up-welling food-rich water. SABINE’S GULL! This is a small, handsome artic gull, still “hooded”, with a black yellow-tipped bill. This pelagic gull hovers low over the surface, dipping down to take its food.
The sun is breaking through. A floating Cassin’s Auklet and several Leach’s Storm-petrels (both white-and dark-rumped) keep our attention. Again, over the speakers, “RED-BILLED TROPICBIRDS!” Another cheer goes up, this time from the L.A. listers. During the next fifteen minutes, FOUR tropicbirds on the water and circling in the sky!
We stopped dead in the water. In September, this is an uncommon sighting, other than in autumn, it would be rare and irregular sighting. They are red-billed with a black eyeline mask, black primary coverts, barred back, otherwise white, a wingspan of forty-four inches, and a tail whose long central retrices extends the bird’s length to thirty-six inches.
Kenn Kaufman remarks that often, seeing a ship, they will circle, then go on their way. The buoyantly floating birds leave the water, and the two overhead birds circle twice then head off into the afternoon sun ending our search for the Red-billed Tropicbird. The Express is now running two hours late. She’s headed home.
A quarter mile off the bow a long line of Common Bottle-nosed Dolphins string out, diving and leaping, following each other in single file – excellent show. Suddenly we’re into a feeding frenzy. Pink-footed and Sooty Shearwaters (hundreds) are churning up the water over a sizable area! Anchovies probably. Due to the now twilight low light it’s not possible to scan the flailing rafts of birds for other very likely present shearwater species.
Turned around, the “Express” heading is into the eight-foot swells, so now the spray is peppering the port side. I have switched to starboard, hunkered down out of the wash and wind. It was a “posh” trip – port out, starboard home. Although I did get his picture, I did not catch up with Gary-from-Toledo! I think he may have been an “x” Lake Eire boat captain. Maybe a retired lighthouse keeper? Whomever, surely a long time pelagic birder.
In the dark, the sun’s surface glimmer has given way to moon rays reflecting across the waters. Lighted oil platforms move by while Channel Island silhouettes loom large in the night. Soon, after fourteen hours of pelagic twitching, we’re in the quiet harbor. No more rolling, pitching and yawing. The Express had found us five Tropicbirds!
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comment form