Ocean Tides

Not social distancing.  The CDC recommends wearing a mask if you decide to get that close:)  

As the desert heat overtook Tucson, we made an escape to the much cooler California coast. 

Black Oystercatcher

We found some open and lovely spaces to keep away from the crowds. And when we encountered groups of people, we wore our masks. 

It was a much needed mental break from the day-to-day routine. It was also great to see that in many parts of Southern California that 90 percent of the people wore facial masks and observed social distancing.  It wasn't until we got closer to the Orange County border that we noticed more people not wearing them.  La Jolla was a great example of people NOT wearing masks or observing the 6 foot rule. 

I love it when people paint on the beach.  So nice to see. 

We sat in our chairs and watched the waves crash against the shore.  As the tide began to rise, the cold waters began to erase the footprints on the sand.  The waves hit the ending beach point of the nearby estuary.  Ocean waters rushed into the salt marsh with great vigor forcing the inland river to rise. Slowly the sand eroded around us and the beach disappeared. 

The Snowy Egret has yellow feet

Hundreds of terns flew over the "sweet spot" where the river and ocean met.  There, they collected tiny fish from the waters. 

California Sea Lions

The sun filtered through the clouds.  And often the clouds won their gray battles. 

the beaches of Torrey Pines

It was during that night of the ocean tides entering the salt marsh that I noticed a pair of Gull-billed Terns hunt over the tidal rivers of the marsh.  At one point, I saw a bird collecting nesting material. 

My only 2020 lifer so far, the Gull-billed Tern!

This has been such a strange year.  We have a fire on our mountain in Tucson. Then there's the George Floyd protests amid the rising number of covid cases in AZ.  And then my summer job was cancelled.  No summer school.  We don't even know how school will start up with the cases on the rise again.  My Panama trip was cancelled yet airlines want everyone to get back on a plane like it's okay when clearly it's not. There's a lot of mixed messaging happening. We talk about all lives having value and yet we are allowing our elderly to die at elevated rates over money. Basically, we're all on our own even when they annoyingly say, "We're all in this together." No we are not.  So watching terns at an estuary was a welcome mental retreat.  

California ground squirrel

You can see people wanting to get back to normal.  California state closed the parking lots to national and state parks making access to the beaches almost impossible.  I know little tricks to avoid the public craziness, but even I had challenges on this adventure. We figured it all out and had a great time. 

Snowy Plover

Snowy Plovers were in good numbers as were terns and other shorebirds.  It was a lot of fun doing some ocean birding and getting out of the Arizona heat.  I actually felt a spark of excitement on this trip after observing the tern.  The road is calling for me again.  In the next post, I'll cover ID points for terns and some other fun observations. 

Our first day on the beach was a welcome moment.  Like a mental sigh of relief. I didn't realize how much stress I have been carrying inside of me. Ocean breezes, cooler temps, awesome birds and lots of people watching.  Life finds a way to go on even during a pandemic.  Until next time....

A Monterey Pelagic

Sea Otter

On the road and with a mission in mind, I flew to Monterey to meet up with Debi Love Shearwater to find 4 target birds, the Flesh-footed and Buller's Shearwater, Black-footed Albatross and Pigeon Guillemot.

This would be my one and only trek out to Monterey for the rest of my life.  In some ways, it's sad to imagine and yet I still have many many more birds to find in so many different places. I have one more pelagic out of Northern California/the Pacific Northwest that I must make next year. For now, it was about finding a handful of shearwaters and perhaps an albatross or two.

Black-footed Albatross

Pelagics are not easy when it comes to photography.  The boat is constantly spinning around the hilly waters while this birder, me, is trying to keep his hand steady on the lens.  Of course, it begins with the naked eye on the horizon searching for flight patterns.  Then the binoculars to focus.  Once we have the ID, it's a quick grab for the camera to capture that moment!

My first lifer, the Black-footed Albatross, flew across the bow of our ship and delighted the crew as it searched for a little squid snack.

I am in my element.  I love the cool winds and rough waters as we continue searching together for these amazing ocean birds.

Alex Rinkert focuses on the horizon

A Humpback Whale slaps its' tail up and down on the ocean waters with a lot of energy. We also notice birds flying around this amazing creature.

Debi shouts out, "BULLER'S SHEARWATER!  BULLER'S SHEARWATER AT 11:00 CROSSING THE BOW!"

Buller's Shearwater on the move

This shearwater stands out among the rest as it has beautiful gray, black and brown shading on its' wings. 

 At this point, I am loving the shearwater show. It's incredible!

I feel at peace.  I am happy.  I watch birders speak about ticks and checks on their lists.  I remain hidden on board happy to be alone.  Only Debi knows me.  I watch her do her job in an amazing fashion.  She's direct and to the point.  I like her.  I like how she operates. And the birders on board are very nice people.

Sea Lions

For the first time on one of my pelagics, there is no chumming(feeding birds from the boat) allowed. It was now illegal to do so because it has become a protected marine sanctuary.  It made our work a little more difficult, but we accomplished our goals.

Everyone is alert in the morning, but by the afternoon, people start feeling tired or getting seasick.  I was getting tired and forgot that I had packed a bunch of goodies in my backpack.  It seemed to do the trick.

Pink-footed Shearwater

My trek out to California was a smart idea.  I had become tired of the Arizona birding scene and this little adventure recharged my spirits.

Some birds are difficult to find in the US.  Such is the case with the Flesh-footed Shearwater. This bird made an appearance several times during our trek to the delight of many birders. Debi, as her last name suggests, sure knows her shearwaters:)

Flesh-footed Shearwater

This was probably the most difficult bird to get photos of during our trek thanks in part to the rough waters. At one point, I fell on my keister:)

Harbor Seals taking a nap

It was so much fun birding with Debi.  I had made plans for the weekend so I couldn't bird with Debi the next day but hopefully we'll get a chance to do some birding down the road.  Thank you Debi for an awesome day out on the Pacific Ocean.

More to come.....

The Shearwater show!  FIVE species of shearwaters that day.  From left to right starting with the left side.
Top to Bottom, Pink-footed Shearwater, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Buller's Shearwater
Right side, Black-vented Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater

Rocky Shores

The scenic view from the harbor and the allure of seafood captured our attention.  

It was a special day. We were going to find the Atlantic Puffin and visit one of their nesting grounds on Eastern Egg Island!

The morning began with a bit of a breeze.  As the day went on, the breeze became something stronger. 

Gulls, like the Great black-backed gull, soared and swirled above our heads. 

We boarded our vessel and began to leave dock.  By now the wind had become rather gusty.  The waves grew large as we left the harbor. 

Common Eiders

 As we passed Common Eiders, passengers were warned of the rough conditions.  But we had come for the Atlantic Puffin.  It was a life bird for all of us.  There was no turning back. 

Eastern Egg Island

The boat began to rock.  Waves began to splash the passengers.  Three boys on the bottom deck screamed with delight as each cold spray hit their faces.  The Audubon guide bravely stood his ground as the ship pitched and turned. Yet even after being pelted by shards of ice water, he kept going. The ship seesawed even more.  As we crept closer to the island, I began to see little white darts in the sky.  Terns!  And rare ones!  Several passengers became sick.  Others attempted to lock their bodies around rails.  This was going to be a challenge. 

The vessel lurched forward throwing some passengers to the side rails. Someone screamed, "LOOK!  A PUFFIN!"  For a brief moment, the ship stopped moving long enough for everyone to observe the amazing Atlantic Puffin!

Atlantic Puffin

The Atlantic Puffin disappeared from the coast of Maine during the early part of the last century.  They were hunted for their eggs, meat and feathers. After years of work by Audubon, these birds have made a comeback to the coast of Maine where they now breed once again. 

Everyone locked their binos and cameras on the birds.  Or at least tried.  Some had their heads in a bag.  Others clung to their loved ones.  Was it worth it? 

As we approached the island, I noticed my second target bird!  The Black Guillemot!!!  It was a thrill to see so many around the rocks! The vessel rolled and I was knocked over a bench. Ouch!  I CAN DO THIS!  CONCENTRATE!  FIND THEM!  OBSERVE THEM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!  YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO COMPLAIN LATER ON!

I tried to keep my shaking hands steady.  Focus you desert rat!  There will not be another opportunity to do this again!

Black Guillemot

And the Guillemot flew with what looked like a twizzler in its' beak!  Puffins were gathering small fish and eels as well.  I would stare, amazed, at the crazy things they were pulling out of the water.  

On shore, the "Hilton" was home to several human guardians.  They observed the nesting birds, collected data and protected the Puffin's breeding grounds. 

TERNS!  The true test for me began.  Not many people were interested in the terns twisting and gliding around our vessel at light speed.  I was.  

Another sway and rooooooollllll!!!

Two terns would be life birds for me......IF I could ID them.  A lot of my energy went into finding the endangered Roseate Tern and Arctic Tern. There were a few scattered in between many Common Terns.  With the boat constantly pitching back and forth and the terns banking sharply around us, it was hard to focus visually.  As Obi-Wan told Luke in the first Star Wars movie....."Luke, let go.  Use the force."  I switched off my eyes and listened for the calls to hone in on their location.   

Roseate Tern

ki, RIK!!!  ki, RIK!!!!  HIGH UP!  A CLOUD OF "NOT" COMMON TERNS!  SOMETHING DIFFERENT!  ROSEATE TERNS!!!!!!  One banked sharply to the port.  CAMERA ON!  NOW!!!  SNAP SNAP!

Arctic Tern-bill is reddish, but in this pic the lighting makes it look a tad orange

LURCH!!!  I HEAR YOU!  I HEAR YOU!  THE STARBOARD! keeeyuuuuurrrr! And SNAP! 

A seal passes by our vessel

And just like that, it was over.  It was one of the most satisfying experiences in my life.  I did it!  All target birds achieved with great observations.  However the aftermath wasn't pretty.  I'll let Kathie tell her story:) Both of my comrades fell ill during the voyage.  However, they survived the experience and won't forget their encounter with the Atlantic Puffin anytime soon. Some life birds can be painful.  

As the last Atlantic Puffin flew from my sight, I looked over the rough ocean waters and thought about how exciting this life of discovery is.  

This is just the beginning of our Maine story.  There is still so much more to come.  As of this write, I have observed and discovered 432 birds this year in North America.  We began in California, scoured Arizona, got a taste of New Mexico, walked the beaches of Northern Mexico and explored Florida.  Life is truly a dream. For more about the Puffin tour, check out the Hardy Boat Cruises. And for more birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday!