Seawatch Report - Nov 21

Today's continuing south and moderately strong winds (SE 15-17.5 knots at outer buoy; SSW at 8-9 knots at the count) were the likely culprit for another quiet day at the count. A Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel that briefly appeared from the swells just beneath the count site was a nice afternoon surprise, and an adult Pomarine Jaeger that still had most its "spooners" was the morning's avian treat. We had a pinniped treat, too--a Steller's Sea Lion that had hauled up onto the buoy. It was the first I've seen at Pt. Pinos, and I was amused by the fact that, while four California Sea Lions fit easily on one side of the buoy, the other side was entirely taken up by the Steller's.

Only 101 Surf Scoters were tallied today, and the alcid flight was quiet too: 78 Rhinoceros Auklets, 379 Common Murres, and 4 Ancient Murrelets. On the loon front, we had just 283 Red-throats, 245 Pacifics, and 6 Commons. Tubenoses were scarce: 1 Sooty Shearwater; 8 Northern Fulmars. During the morning, the bay was filled with Bonaparte's Gulls--it's been a few days since they've been numerous, and we tallied 706 today.

See the full checklist here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/294500

- Alison Vilag