2018 Scrub-Jay Pelagic trip report
Island Scrub-Jay at Prisoner's Harbor, Santa Cruz Island
March 10th, 2018:
Island Packers hosted another Island Scrub-Jay Pelagic birding trip, this time in the month of March rather than February. At first glance, the weather forecast looked dreary but a closer look revealed a window of relatively good weather for the morning and early afternoon. We did of course get some good rain the last hour or so of the trip but by then we had seen a great number of birds.
The targets for this particular trip are the Alcids, and of course the Island Scrub-Jay. With that in mind we had a terrific time sliding through the still waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. We found a number of obliging birds including Cassin's Auklets, Scripps's Murrelets, and Northern Fulmars.
Cassin's Auklet
Scripps's Murrelet
Northern Fulmar (dark)
Northern Fulmar (light)
Typically by late February into March many of the local seabirds that nest on the Channel Islands begin moving back into this area. Some are already well into establishing a nest and even fledging young (Brown Pelicans) or just getting their spot all fixed up like these Cormorants.
Pelagic Cormorant, Anacapa Island
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorants on Scorpion Rock, Santa Cruz Island
We decided to check out a very large group of Surf Scoters on the south side of Anacapa Island and that eventually led us into a nice little group of Bottlenose Dolphin and a few Brown Pelicans.
Brown Pelican (note the calm water, no stormy weather here!)
Bottlenose Dolphin sharing the air space with a Brown Pelican
At this point we had some great looks at quite a few birds and were making progress towards Prisoner's Harbor on Santa Cruz Island. When we arrived we budgeted one hour to find the Island Scrub-Jay, explore the area and then hop back on the boat before the real rain arrived.
Island Scrub-Jay
We timed it just right and managed to stay dry while ashore. There was a great turn out of Island Scrub-Jays that were active around the landing area. We had multiple birds around us including the confiding one on the side of the road pictured at the top of this post.
Island Scrub-Jay
Before the rain really set in we spotted more Cassin's Auklets, Scripps's Murrelets, and even a Rhinoceros Auklet.
Rhinoceros Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Of course there were other birds that day, so here are a few more we saw along the way.
Black Oystercatchers (near Scorpion, Santa Cruz Island)
Pigeon Guillemots
Brandt's Cormorants
Thanks to all who braved the rain to make this trip a success! and a big thank you to David Pereksta, Hugh Ranson, Wes Fritz, and Peter Gaede for taking the time out of their busy schedules to help make this trip a success and for their efforts on getting out the ebird lists to everyone. A final thank you to Island Packers for continuing to host these excursions. We look forward to setting the dates soon on a few more pelagic trips this summer and fall. Stay tuned...
Our trip totals:
0050 Mallard
0004 Ruddy Duck
1502 Surf Scoter
0001 Red-throated Loon
0001 Common Loon
0002 Pacific Loon
0007 Eared Grebe
0415 Western Grebe
0002 Clark's Grebe
0495 Brandt's Cormorant
0003 Double Crested Cormorant
0016 Pelagic Cormorant
0110 Brown Pelican
0008 Black Oystercatcher
0040 Sanderling
0011 Northern Fulmar
0026 Black-vented Shearwater
0002 Rhinoceros Auklet
0231 Cassin's Auklet
0031 Pigeon Guillemot
0053 Scripps's Murrelet
0006 Bonaparte's Gull
0002 Ring-billed Gull
0840 Western Gull
0004 California Gull
0005 Heermann's Gull
0001 Royal Tern
0008 Swallow sp.
0002 Belted Kingfisher
0001 Anna's Hummingbird
0001 Allen's Hummingbird
0001 American Crow
0016 Common Raven
0008 Island Scrub-Jay
0002 Northern Flicker
0001 Bald Eagle
0001 American Kestrel
0001 Peregrine Falcon
0002 Black Phoebe
0002 Hutton's Vireo
0002 Bewick's Wren
0002 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
0001 Hermit Thrush
0012 Orange-crowned Warbler
0001 Fox Sparrow
0002 Song Sparrow
0002 Spotted Towhee
0002 House Finch