Date: 3/29/26 4:12 pm From: Julia Larke via groups.io <coastlark...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Scaly-breasted Munias at UWWTP
Nice photos...the bird's coloration and pattern is so different. With the
(over) warming planet who knows how species ranges will adjust.
On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 3:56 PM Lisa D Walker <feather...> wrote:
> Wait til you see them doing their wild bird antics near ponds, lakes,
> estuaries, rivers and streams....
>
> Sipping the morning dew off of cattails, for example. Their little calls
> are bright and energetic.
>
> I am not sure if they are considered invasive yet; they are spreading
> northwards. I was hoping we'd see some on the coast up here but I think
> they prefer it much warmer and will likely stay inland.
>
> Photos from Santa Barbara County's Andre Clark Bird Refuge, where I met
> Hugh Ranson
>
> Lisa
>
>
>
> On 2026-03-29 3:45 pm, Julia Larke via groups.io wrote:
> > I wondered what on earth is a scaly-breasted munia and just learned
> > it's an attractive bird from India and Southeast Asia that is sold in
> > the pet trade and often called a nutmeg mannikin or a spice finch
> > (though it's a member of the waxbill family). Known for their
> > hardiness, escaped pets have established populations globally,
> > including Southern California, the Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Australia and
> > the Caribbean. In recent years, their range is apparently expanding
> > into San Francisco and the Bay Area.
> >
> > I enjoyed reading this article by Hugh Ranson, a member of the Santa
> > Barbara Audubon Society.
> >
> https://www.independent.com/2024/04/12/invasion-of-the-mannikins/#:~:text=They%20are%20popular%20cage%20birds%20and%20are,**Young%20birds%20are%20plain%20brown%20all%20over** > >
> > Julia Larke
> > Fort Bragg
> >
> > On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 9:58 AM George Gibbs via groups.io [1]
> > <ggibbs...> wrote:
> >
> >> 3/29/26
> >>
> >> Chuck Vaughn and I observed 3-5 Scaly-breasted Munias at the Ukiah
> >> Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. Previously, Chuck Vaughn
> >> had seen one bird over the winter so perhaps these birds stayed in
> >> the area. They were located along the south fence line as before.
> >> Will post photos to eBird.
> >>
> >> Nice mud showing in middle and North ponds so hopefully it will be a
> >> good spring for shorebirds at the plant. Avocets and Stilts already
> >> exhibiting some nest building behavior.
> >>
> >> George Gibbs
> >> Ukiah
> >
> >
> >
> > Links:
> > ------
> > [1] http://groups.io > > [2] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/message/9764 > > [3] https://groups.io/mt/118566389/974701 > > [4] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/post > > [5] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/editsub/974701 > > [6] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/unsub >
> --
> Lisa D Walker, Feather's Fotos
> https://facebook.com/PhotographyByFeather
Date: 3/29/26 3:56 pm From: Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Scaly-breasted Munias at UWWTP
Wait til you see them doing their wild bird antics near ponds, lakes, estuaries, rivers and streams....
Sipping the morning dew off of cattails, for example. Their little calls are bright and energetic.
I am not sure if they are considered invasive yet; they are spreading northwards. I was hoping we'd see some on the coast up here but I think they prefer it much warmer and will likely stay inland.
Photos from Santa Barbara County's Andre Clark Bird Refuge, where I met Hugh Ranson
Lisa
On 2026-03-29 3:45 pm, Julia Larke via groups.io wrote: > I wondered what on earth is a scaly-breasted munia and just learned > it's an attractive bird from India and Southeast Asia that is sold in > the pet trade and often called a nutmeg mannikin or a spice finch > (though it's a member of the waxbill family). Known for their > hardiness, escaped pets have established populations globally, > including Southern California, the Gulf Coast, Hawaii, Australia and > the Caribbean. In recent years, their range is apparently expanding > into San Francisco and the Bay Area. > > I enjoyed reading this article by Hugh Ranson, a member of the Santa > Barbara Audubon Society. > https://www.independent.com/2024/04/12/invasion-of-the-mannikins/#:~:text=They%20are%20popular%20cage%20birds%20and%20are,**Young%20birds%20are%20plain%20brown%20all%20over** > > Julia Larke > Fort Bragg > > On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 9:58 AM George Gibbs via groups.io [1] > <ggibbs...> wrote: > >> 3/29/26 >> >> Chuck Vaughn and I observed 3-5 Scaly-breasted Munias at the Ukiah >> Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. Previously, Chuck Vaughn >> had seen one bird over the winter so perhaps these birds stayed in >> the area. They were located along the south fence line as before. >> Will post photos to eBird. >> >> Nice mud showing in middle and North ponds so hopefully it will be a >> good spring for shorebirds at the plant. Avocets and Stilts already >> exhibiting some nest building behavior. >> >> George Gibbs >> Ukiah > > > > Links: > ------ > [1] http://groups.io > [2] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/message/9764 > [3] https://groups.io/mt/118566389/974701 > [4] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/post > [5] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/editsub/974701 > [6] https://groups.io/g/Mendobirds/unsub
Date: 3/29/26 3:46 pm From: Julia Larke via groups.io <coastlark...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Scaly-breasted Munias at UWWTP
I wondered what on earth is a scaly-breasted munia and just learned it's an
attractive bird from India and Southeast Asia that is sold in the pet trade
and often called a nutmeg mannikin or a spice finch (though it's a member
of the waxbill family). Known for their hardiness, escaped pets have
established populations globally, including Southern California, the Gulf
Coast, Hawaii, Australia and the Caribbean. In recent years, their range is
apparently expanding into San Francisco and the Bay Area.
On Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 9:58 AM George Gibbs via groups.io <ggibbs=
<pacific.net...> wrote:
> 3/29/26
>
> Chuck Vaughn and I observed 3-5 Scaly-breasted Munias at the Ukiah
> Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. Previously, Chuck Vaughn had seen
> one bird over the winter so perhaps these birds stayed in the area. They
> were located along the south fence line as before. Will post photos to
> eBird.
>
> Nice mud showing in middle and North ponds so hopefully it will be a good
> spring for shorebirds at the plant. Avocets and Stilts already exhibiting
> some nest building behavior.
>
> George Gibbs
> Ukiah
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 3/29/26 3:15 pm From: Dave Bengston via groups.io <davebengston...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Royal Tern, Garcia River mouth
Good photo Tim!
Dave B
> On Mar 28, 2026, at 3:57 PM, Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> wrote:
>
> 28 March 2026 - In among a large flock (200+) of gulls at the mouth of the Garcia River, viewed from Lighthouse Point, we found and photographed a single Royal Tern. In the field it appeared to have a straighter and thicker bill than Elegant and a narrow black mask/nape, and this was confirmed by photos. There was an eBird report of one here yesterday but the description did not rule out Elegant, which is far more likely here.
>
> <ROTE crop3.JPG>
>
> The gull flock was interesting as well, still going through photos but there was one Heermann's Gull.
>
> Also nearby were three Brant and 31 Short-billed Dowitchers.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Tim
> “I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the albatross.” Robert Cushman Murphy, 1912
> mendocinocoastaudubon.org
> kzyx.org/show/ecology-hour
> kzyx.org/show/oak-and-thorn
>
Date: 3/29/26 9:58 am From: George Gibbs via groups.io <ggibbs...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Scaly-breasted Munias at UWWTP
3/29/26
Chuck Vaughn and I observed 3-5 Scaly-breasted Munias at the Ukiah Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. Previously, Chuck Vaughn had seen one bird over the winter so perhaps these birds stayed in the area. They were located along the south fence line as before. Will post photos to eBird.
Nice mud showing in middle and North ponds so hopefully it will be a good spring for shorebirds at the plant. Avocets and Stilts already exhibiting some nest building behavior.
Date: 3/28/26 3:57 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Royal Tern, Garcia River mouth
28 March 2026 - In among a large flock (200+) of gulls at the mouth of
the Garcia River, viewed from Lighthouse Point, we found and
photographed a single Royal Tern. In the field it appeared to have a
straighter and thicker bill than Elegant and a narrow black mask/nape,
and this was confirmed by photos. There was an eBird report of one here
yesterday but the description did not rule out Elegant, which is far
more likely here.
The gull flock was interesting as well, still going through photos but
there was one Heermann's Gull.
Also nearby were three Brant and 31 Short-billed Dowitchers.
--
Cheers,
Tim
“I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the
albatross.” Robert Cushman Murphy, 1912
mendocinocoastaudubon.org
kzyx.org/show/ecology-hour
kzyx.org/show/oak-and-thorn
Date: 3/28/26 8:08 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Weather looking good for April 4th pelagic trip
Greetings Mendobirders -
I just checked the forecast and it currently calls for light NW winds on the 4th over Noyo Canyon, so we are anticipating a great full-day pelagic trip to the canyon and beyond.
On March 18th we put out a slick out there and counted 135 Black-footed Albatrosses, some of them coming over from a boat fishing for black cod. Albatross numbers only build during April, as more and more breeding adults visit our waters to find food for their chicks in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. April and May are also the months when Short-tailed Albatrosses are most frequently seen out there, as well as Laysans and many other tubenose species.
We have also set up a sign-up button for the half-day trip on the 19th mentioned below. This trip was set up for a college class and there are only a few additional spaces so, if interested, I'd consider signing up soon. A half day allows us to spend 3-4 hours over Noyo Canyon and put out 1-2 slicks for tubenoses.
To sign up for these and additional trips, including one on April 26th and two in May, see
On 3/16/2026 8:17 AM, Peter Pyle wrote: > Yesterday on a whale-watching trip involving local tribes I got lucky > and photographed a Parakeet Auklet flying away from the boat. > > https://ebird.org/checklist/S309622949 > > Also when we reached our maximum distance from shore (only about 3 > miles) 9-10 Black-footed Albatrosses spotted our gull flock and came > pouring in from the west. Several followed us all the way to the > channel markers just outside the harbor. > > March-May are the peak months for albatrosses off our shores; we had > 600-1000 on one trip last April, and also saw three Short-tailed > Albatross and 6-8 Laysans during these months (not to mention a whole > bunch of Pterodroma petrels of four species). > > We have full-day trips coming up April 4th and 26th and May 9th and 30th: > https://noyopelagics.com/ > > Also we have just scheduled a half-day trip for April 19th leaving at > 7:30 am. Stay tuned on how to sign up for this. > > Finally, we have attempted this year to organize some back-to-back > trips along the NorCal coast, or with a day or two in between. > Unfortunately at this time there are no trips planned to Cordell Bank > since the Bodega Bay skipper sold his boat this winter. Hopefully > something will work out there soon. For now, we have some back-to-back > or even week-long opportunities for multiple trips from Sausalito, > Fort Bragg, and Eureka. I have listed these below (with sign-up > information below the dates); if you know of ABA folks or others > around the country that may be interested, please pass this along. > We've also set up a Google calendar for these at: > > https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/month/2026/10/1?cid=bG9nYW5rYWhsZWJpcmRAZ21haWwuY29t > > > Hope to see you up here for a trip, or two, or more! > > Good birding, Peter > > Northern California Pelagic Trip dates: > > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 4th (Saturday) > Sausalito - SF waters trip April 18th (Saturday) - currently full but > see below* > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 26th (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - May 2nd (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 9th (Saturday) - > Eureka RRAS - May 10th (Sunday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 30th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - June 13th (Saturday) > Sausalito Al's Adventures - Farallon Islands trips weekly June 13 - > August 8 > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 14th (Sunday) > Eureka RRAS - June 20th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 26th (Friday) > Eureka RRAS - July 18th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - July 20th (Monday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - July 25th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 3rd (Monday) > Eureka RRAS - August 15th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - August 29th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 30th (Sunday) > Eureka RRAS - September 5th (Saturday) > Sausalito Al's Adventures - SF trip September 13th (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - September 19th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - October 3rd (Saturday) > Eureka RRAS - October 10th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - October 17th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - October 24th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - November 1st (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - November 14th (Saturday) > Eureka RRAS - November 21st (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - December 5th (Saturday) > > *The 4/18 trip from Sausalito is full but there are still spaces left > on the back-up date (4/21). Contact Logan Kahle <logan...> if > interested in this back-up trip. > > Contacts and to sign up: > > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics): https://noyopelagics.com/ > Eureka Rob Fowler: contact Rob at <migratoriusfwlr...> > Eureka RROS: contact Sean McAllister at <whiteouters...> > Sausalito Al's Adventures: > https://www.alvarosadventures.com/pelagic-dates-2026.html > > Note also the many trips planned by Al's Adventures from Half Moon Bay > and further south.
Date: 3/16/26 8:29 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] CORRECTION April 19th, not April 18th for thehalf day trip. Parakeet Auklet, albatrosses, upcoming trips
On 3/16/2026 8:17 AM, Peter Pyle via groups.io wrote: > Yesterday on a whale-watching trip involving local tribes I got lucky > and photographed a Parakeet Auklet flying away from the boat. > > https://ebird.org/checklist/S309622949 > > Also when we reached our maximum distance from shore (only about 3 > miles) 9-10 Black-footed Albatrosses spotted our gull flock and came > pouring in from the west. Several followed us all the way to the > channel markers just outside the harbor. > > March-May are the peak months for albatrosses off our shores; we had > 600-1000 on one trip last April, and also saw three Short-tailed > Albatross and 6-8 Laysans during these months (not to mention a whole > bunch of Pterodroma petrels of four species). > > We have full-day trips coming up April 4th and 26th and May 9th and 30th: > https://noyopelagics.com/ > > Also we have just scheduled a half-day trip for April *19th* leaving > at 7:30 am. Stay tuned on how to sign up for this. > > Finally, we have attempted this year to organize some back-to-back > trips along the NorCal coast, or with a day or two in between. > Unfortunately at this time there are no trips planned to Cordell Bank > since the Bodega Bay skipper sold his boat this winter. Hopefully > something will work out there soon. For now, we have some back-to-back > or even week-long opportunities for multiple trips from Sausalito, > Fort Bragg, and Eureka. I have listed these below (with sign-up > information below the dates); if you know of ABA folks or others > around the country that may be interested, please pass this along. > We've also set up a Google calendar for these at: > > https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/month/2026/10/1?cid=bG9nYW5rYWhsZWJpcmRAZ21haWwuY29t > > > Hope to see you up here for a trip, or two, or more! > > Good birding, Peter > > Northern California Pelagic Trip dates: > > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 4th (Saturday) > Sausalito - SF waters trip April 18th (Saturday) - currently full but > see below* > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 26th (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - May 2nd (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 9th (Saturday) - > Eureka RRAS - May 10th (Sunday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 30th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - June 13th (Saturday) > Sausalito Al's Adventures - Farallon Islands trips weekly June 13 - > August 8 > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 14th (Sunday) > Eureka RRAS - June 20th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 26th (Friday) > Eureka RRAS - July 18th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - July 20th (Monday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - July 25th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 3rd (Monday) > Eureka RRAS - August 15th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - August 29th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 30th (Sunday) > Eureka RRAS - September 5th (Saturday) > Sausalito Al's Adventures - SF trip September 13th (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - September 19th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - October 3rd (Saturday) > Eureka RRAS - October 10th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - October 17th (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - October 24th (Saturday) > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - November 1st (Sunday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - November 14th (Saturday) > Eureka RRAS - November 21st (Saturday) > Eureka Rob Fowler - December 5th (Saturday) > > *The 4/18 trip from Sausalito is full but there are still spaces left > on the back-up date (4/21). Contact Logan Kahle <logan...> if > interested in this back-up trip. > > Contacts and to sign up: > > Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics): https://noyopelagics.com/ > Eureka Rob Fowler: contact Rob at <migratoriusfwlr...> > Eureka RROS: contact Sean McAllister at <whiteouters...> > Sausalito Al's Adventures: > https://www.alvarosadventures.com/pelagic-dates-2026.html > > Note also the many trips planned by Al's Adventures from Half Moon Bay > and further south. > > > > >
Also when we reached our maximum distance from shore (only about 3 miles) 9-10 Black-footed Albatrosses spotted our gull flock and came pouring in from the west. Several followed us all the way to the channel markers just outside the harbor.
March-May are the peak months for albatrosses off our shores; we had 600-1000 on one trip last April, and also saw three Short-tailed Albatross and 6-8 Laysans during these months (not to mention a whole bunch of Pterodroma petrels of four species).
Also we have just scheduled a half-day trip for April 18th leaving at 7:30 am. Stay tuned on how to sign up for this.
Finally, we have attempted this year to organize some back-to-back trips along the NorCal coast, or with a day or two in between. Unfortunately at this time there are no trips planned to Cordell Bank since the Bodega Bay skipper sold his boat this winter. Hopefully something will work out there soon. For now, we have some back-to-back or even week-long opportunities for multiple trips from Sausalito, Fort Bragg, and Eureka. I have listed these below (with sign-up information below the dates); if you know of ABA folks or others around the country that may be interested, please pass this along. We've also set up a Google calendar for these at:
Hope to see you up here for a trip, or two, or more!
Good birding, Peter
Northern California Pelagic Trip dates:
Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 4th (Saturday) Sausalito - SF waters trip April 18th (Saturday) - currently full but see below* Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - April 26th (Sunday) Eureka Rob Fowler - May 2nd (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 9th (Saturday) - Eureka RRAS - May 10th (Sunday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - May 30th (Saturday) Eureka Rob Fowler - June 13th (Saturday) Sausalito Al's Adventures - Farallon Islands trips weekly June 13 - August 8 Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 14th (Sunday) Eureka RRAS - June 20th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - June 26th (Friday) Eureka RRAS - July 18th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - July 20th (Monday) Eureka Rob Fowler - July 25th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 3rd (Monday) Eureka RRAS - August 15th (Saturday) Eureka Rob Fowler - August 29th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - August 30th (Sunday) Eureka RRAS - September 5th (Saturday) Sausalito Al's Adventures - SF trip September 13th (Sunday) Eureka Rob Fowler - September 19th (Saturday) Eureka Rob Fowler - October 3rd (Saturday) Eureka RRAS - October 10th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - October 17th (Saturday) Eureka Rob Fowler - October 24th (Saturday) Fort Bragg (Noyo Pelagics) - November 1st (Sunday) Eureka Rob Fowler - November 14th (Saturday) Eureka RRAS - November 21st (Saturday) Eureka Rob Fowler - December 5th (Saturday)
*The 4/18 trip from Sausalito is full but there are still spaces left on the back-up date (4/21). Contact Logan Kahle <logan...> if interested in this back-up trip.
Date: 3/10/26 11:30 am From: Robert Keiffer via groups.io <rjkeiffer...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Clean nestboxes
10 March 2026, This is a reminder to all who have nestboxes … make sure that they are cleaned out. I am still in the process of cleaning mine. As you can see from the photos the prior year’s nest building can bring a new nest up close to the hole where jays or other predators can reach in and snag the adult, eggs, or young. Good birding. Bob Keiffer. <rjkeiffer...>
Date: 3/9/26 8:47 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] April pelagics
Noyo Pelagics has full-day trips scheduled for Saturday April 4 and
Sunday April 26 and you can now book those online: https://noyopelagics.com/
Spring trips have been really exciting here, with birds and marine
mammals galore. This is the time to find Murphy's Petrel, Laysan
Albatross, and Short-tailed Albatross. Murrelets and Auklets are likely
as well. Sign up now and don't miss out!
--
Cheers,
Tim
“I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the
albatross.” Robert Cushman Murphy, 1912
mendocinocoastaudubon.org
kzyx.org/show/ecology-hour
kzyx.org/show/oak-and-thorn
Date: 3/2/26 1:28 pm From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Noyo Pelagics Trip report - March 1st
Greetings Mendobirders -
We kicked off our 2026 Noyo Pelagics year in fine fashion yesterday,
March 1st. Around 15 participants joined Richard and Corinne on the
Kraken and Anchor Charters <https://anchorcharterboats.com/> for a
half-day trip to look for whales and get over Noyo Canyon. We thank
Richard and Corinne for making this trip a go, despite a lighter roster
than usual. Winds were light from the south for the entire trip, skies
were mostly cloudy to mostly clear, and swell was low, all adding up to
a great day on the water.
Right out of the harbor we spotted Gray Whale blows. This is a time when
all but breeding females and pups begin to head north, although some of
the whales were also headed south. By the Fort Bragg Gray Whale Festival
later this month they all should be heading north; check out the Noyo
Center for Marine Science (NCMS) webite/events page
<https://www.noyocenter.org/whale-festival-2026> for lectures, whale
watching opportunities, educational tours, and other events surrounding
the festivities. Several NCMS folks and whale enthusiasts were aboard
and were busy snapping photos of the Gray Whales to contribute to Happy
Whale <https://happywhale.com/>'s known-individual catalogue, enabling
the study of individual movement patterns.
We then headed up to the canyon and within a few minutes had our first
Black-footed Albatrosses, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and shearwaters. We
wound up with 30-40 Black-foots but could not come up with any of the
semi-expected Laysan or the semi-unexpected Short-tailed Albatross. We
had 6-10 Laysans and three Short-taileds in April and May last year, and
we'll be scanning the horizons again this year on our four scheduled
upcoming trips <https://noyopelagics.com/> in these months. Kittiwakes
were with us all day, 30-40 of these as well, and we tallied about 6
Pink-footed, one Short-tailed, one Sooty, and a few other dark
shearwaters that got away without ID, not unanticipated with these two
difficult-to-spearate species. We also enjoyed all of the other usual
birds over the canyon; four species alcids included two early Pigeon
Guillemots in breeding plumage heading south, well off shore, probably
to the Farallones. And, yes, gulls, a healthy flock of which followed us
all day and consumed six bags of popcorn and two bags of Utz red-hot
cheese balls. Among the gulls was a nice frosty individual that had us
thinking of several rare species or combinations thereof, though after
studying the photos we settled on the uncommon (but still interesting)
American Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull, or "Cook Inlet" gull. Around
this time a nice 8-10' Salmon Shark was spotted right off the bow, among
an early crop of by-the-wind sailors (Velella velella).
*Humpback Whales*! The highlight for most if not all on the trip was
finding at least four Humpbacks back in the area, super early this year.
Last year we did not see any until July. Not only did we see humps but
also flipper flapping, breaching, and plenty of fluking, enabling us to
record the under-tail patterns for individual ID. Often we know who they
are and their entire history within 15 minutes of getting the shots.
Interestingly, this time, none of them came up on Happy Whale at first,
indicating unknown or poorly known individuals. Could this be due to the
unusually early date for these at this location? Time and more
photo-documentation will tell. By the time we got to the dock we did
find a match for one of them, which we will highlight in our Trip Report
(with photos), available soon at NoyoPelagics.com
<https://noyopelagics.com/>. As we headed in from the last whale, it
twisted and waved half of its body and tail at us about 15 times. Yep,
see you again, in April we hope.
We teased our lead-up to the trip by saying we'd see Gray Whales,
albatrosses... "and who knows what else? There has been very little
coverage offshore in late February." Well, humpbacks for one. For two,
on our way back in, just 3.25 miles from shore, Tim spotted a small
alcid on the water that wound up being a very confiding (for this
species) Scripp's Murrelet! This species is rare off our coast, usually
far offshore, in August-October but is completely unexpected in early
March. Checking eBird data, there are no records in Northern California
in February and only one in March, toward the end of the month in
Monterey Bay. It just goes to show that almost anything is possible on a
Noyo Pelagics trip!
Some photos of the frolicking whale and murrelet are here:
and we will include these and others on out soon-to-be-posted trip
report. Our next full-day trip is planned for April 4th and we should
have the sign-up buttons working this week at NoyoPelagics.com
<https://noyopelagics.com/>. We may also schedule more short-notice
half-day trips (5-10 days in advance) and if you want to keep appraised
of these, monitor Mendobirds and/or sign up for the Mendo-Pelagics list
serve at <Mendocino-Pelagics...> | Home
<https://groups.io/g/Mendocino-Pelagics>.
Hope to see you out there for some more unexpected findings!
