|
Trip Report: 4/27/02 Condor Express - Santa Barbara,CA This trip was the inaugaural deepwater pelagic birding trip aboard the Condor Express. After many years of loyal, faithful service from the Condor, a new era has begun with the high-tech, high-speed catamaran, Condor Express. This is the finest vessel ever available to the general public for pelagic birding on the west coast and maybe the whole country. Instead of departing at 11 p.m., and trying to sleep our way out to deepwater, we departed at 5 a.m., and in less than 2 hours we were past Pt.Conception, heading asea. The first 90 minutes was deceptive in the calm, flat waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. 30 knots and you can't really tell how fast you're going. A few birds became evident as it got light and we neared Conception .... some Pacific and Common Loons, a Red-throated or two, a few Brandt's Cormorants, and several flocks of Black Brant each containing 150-300 birds. Some Surf Scoters flew past, one partially albinistic with the outer wing white. It was a white winged Scoter, but not a White-winged Scoter. A Pigeon Guillemot was near the kelp beds just inside Pt. Conception. A few Sea Otters, a Harbor Seal, and a Gray Whale were seen in the area too. But, now for the rude awakening. Perhaps the greatest change in oceans and weather, consistently, within a 5 minute stretch of sea, would be rounding the corner at Pt.Conception. Legend has it, that it makes its own weather. There is usually a wall of standing 10' swells there waiting to greet you to the real sea! And we were not disappointed! Well, some were .... It was quite rough for some as we headed out, but not at all for others. Particularly the first hour of hitting the big swells. As you head to deeper water, things aren't being pushed up by the bottom so much, and it usually calms down a bit. Of course, we'd just had this cutoff low hang offshore for 3 days before making landfall, and the post-frontal blow was just finishing up as we arrived. We had about 15 knots of wind, and 8-10 swells stacked up pretty close. It layed down throughout the day, with wind and wave diminishing significantly. But, during the course of the day, we saw swells and wind from South, West, and North! We also saw rain and sun. The first 6 hours or so we mostly head as far west and northwest as we can, and shortly after 1p.m., turn downswell, and downwind, for a smooth calm ride the rest of the day. We averaged 22 knots into the 10' seas, not bad! We got over 80 miles west of Conception! We spent over 8 hours past the 1500 fathom line, and probably 6 past the 2000 fathom line, transecting some 150+ miles of very deep water. Pterodroma hunting is not like regular pelagic birding. You go to where there are very few birds. It is not like nearshore pelagic trips where there are usually lots of birds to look at, and almost always at least something to look at. There is often nothing to look at. You scan and scour a vast empty sea for signs of life. Hour after hour. You might see one bird an hour, for several hours. Deepwater is as different from shallow nearshore waters as the desert is from the mountains. The first bit of excitement came in the form of our first Albatross, a Black-footed, crossed our wake, but not too closely, at 14 miles west of Pt.Conception. We were getting a few Sooty Shearwaters, some Cassin's and Rhinoceros Auklets, and Red-necked Phalaropes. Then a Fulmar, Pomarine Jaeger, and Sabine's Gull, all loosely assorted with a group of 6-8+ feeding Humpback Whales, about 37 mi. SW. of Pt.Conception. A couple each of Western, Herring and California Gulls were noted, and 4 Sooty Shearwater. In the next hour heading WSW we saw a dozen Pink-footed Shearwater, 6 Sootys, and a couple more Pomarine Jaeger. One observer saw a couple dark Storm-Petrels. Then our first sign of real deepwater animals appeared in the form of a pod of logging Sperm Whales! They were loosely scattered over an area of several hundred square yards, perhaps 8, or more of them. We pulled up to a bull, and sat next to him for 15 minutes. While doing so, a LAYSAN Albatross flew right up our wake, and past the rail, and through the frame of cameras videoing the Sperm Whale! It was a field of view few will ever forget! After the whale gave us that incredible vertical fluke, we headed towards another to see a nice white-rumped Leach's Storm-Petrel, hanging over it! We turned N into the swell for about 20 miles from 11:30 to 12:30. Another Leach's, and some Pacific White-sided Dolphins were seen. And then a most unusual looking, mostly snow white bird appeared. We floored it and gave chase. It required 32 knots to overtake the bird (fun into the swell!). It apparently was an abberrant, partially albinistic Fulmar! It is not fair for the bird gods to do this to us, the only bird in an hour, out over 2000 fathoms, what are we supposed to think!?! Hoping to get away from this bird, we headed west, further out over the abyss of the deep. We are plying waters 12000 feet deep! We pretty much did a big square about 20 miles per side out over the deep. We turned S about 1:30 and the ride smoothed to nothing, from then on, no longer beating into the swell and wind. White caps were all but gone. We had seen a few swells that were 12'. But this vessel, with a hull specially designed for "rough water", handles it incredibly well. Most were amazed at how there is almost no side to side roll - pitch or yaw - only front to back motion. Stability at sea is crucial to getting looks satisfactory to make positive identifications. This is a new world. 44 minutes and 30 miles west from where we left the odd snow white Fulmar with a couple gray inner primaries, we saw another bird finally.... the same freakin' Fulmar! It had not been sighted between. We turned south attempting again to get away from this abberant freak Fulmar... A couple Parasitic Jaegers flew past us and a couple more Leach's Storm Petrels were seen. Then 62 minutes later, some 85 miles SW of Pt. Conception, the same damn Fulmar shows up again! Three times in three hours, we recorded the same bird, each time some 20-30 miles from the previous sighting! By now of course, I don't think this is soooo funny, and feel like the bird gods are taunting me! We have probably established that there are neither many birds, or boats out here... A couple more Black-footed Albatross are seen. Just after 4 p.m. all hell breaks loose when Pterodroma is called out .... first I had heard people saying something about "get on this shearwater." When I got to the other side of the boat, the first thing I thought upon laying eyes upon it was, "this ain't no shearwater!" Fortunately, ace seabirder Todd McGrath was up on the flybridge and got a good enough look at the underwing to confirm that it was indeed a MURPHY'S PETREL! It was obviously a large dark Pterodroma Petrel. I only got a good enough look to confirm that much of an identification, unequivically. I did not see the underwing well enough to my satisfaction to claim an ID, which is why you need a other good eyes aboard! We gave chase, but like a good fighter pilot, it lost us in the glitter path. After a search pattern in the area, we laid an oil slick. Two immature Black-footed Albatross, 2 Pink-footed shearwater, 4 Pomarine Jaeger, and a Western Gull came in, but that was it. Initially, there were 2 birds together when the dark Pterodroma was spotted. Although we all focused on one bird pretty quickly, it was my belief both birds were the same. I don't know how many people saw the bird, but fair number did! A bunch saw it well enough to say dark Pterodroma! At least someone was aboard who knew enough, and got good enough looks to confirm the specific identification as Murphy's, the mathmatically most likely dark Pterodroma. Thank you Todd McGrath! The bird was right on the 2000 fathom line. Water was about 54 degrees F.. Finally after 150 miles of solid Valella, we began to see fewer and fewer .... one can't help but wonder how they affect bird and other animal distribution. Surely the can consume incredible amounts of plankton, depleting the food source of say anchovies, which are often a food source of our quarry, birds. We had some Dall's Porpoise before and after the Murphy's Petrel too. As we headed east back toward the CA coast, we were still over deepwater, but could see Pt. Conception in the distance to the NE, as well as San Miguel Island to the SE. I had a bird fly by that was likely another dark Pterodroma, but it was unchaseable. Eventually more Western Gulls were evident. A few more Rhinos, and Cassin's again, and the numbers of Pink-footed and Sooty Shearwater increased. Another group of feeding Humpback Whales were found and watched for a while. A couple of more Fulmars were seen, and another Sabine's Gull, this a 1st summer bird sitting in the water. A group of Risso's Dolphins were found and gave excellent views in the nearing sundown light. Finally, as we ran out of light, dinner was served, tri-tip or chicken, and after sundown we were treated to a great view of the planetary alignment. A fitting end to a great first birding expedition to the socal deepwater on the Condor Express. It was an unbelievably great mammal day too, and it seems without the prop whine, the animals are far less jumpy at our approach, and even very nonchalant about our presence at all. Perhaps the low rumble of the turbos is less disturbing .... it certainly seemed like it ??? It was a great group of people aboard for the trip, which has a lot to do with how much fun a trip is! I'd like to thank everyone for their support! For most it was an incredible, unforgettable experience! The Captains Fred Benko and Ron Hart deserve special mention and thanks for the outstanding job they do! Thanks to all who went, and made the trip possible! Join us on May 25th for another expedition to the deep after Pterodroma Petrels - Cook's & Murphy's targets. |
 Sperm Whale © Martin Meyers, 2002 - All Rights Reserved Mammals Sea Otter - 6+ - in kelp just inside Pt. Conception California Sea Lion - xxx Harbor Seal - 2+ Pacific White-sided Dolphin - 12+ Common Dolphin - xx Risso's Dolphin - 8 Dall's Porpoise - 6-8+ - never close up Gray Whale - 3-4+ Humpback Whale - 20+ - two feeding groups Sperm Whale - 8+ - logged at surface for 30 mins.! Beaked Whale sp. - 2 - 2 observers - prob. Curvier's probable Fin or Blue blows - several  Sperm Whale © Martin Meyers, 2002 - All Rights Reserved I'm sure I missed some things, but it is hard to record it all .... I appreciate any corrections, but reserve the right to reject or ignore them :):):) The ocean rocks! Tubenoses rule! Mitch 
Get me to that sign-up page NOW!!!!!! |
|
Condor Express Photo |
