Changes in latitudes

  

Wow!  News started trickling in yesterday afternoon that a Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) had been spotted at Cordell Bank (5 October 2025).  I wasn't on the boat, but I asked if I could share a couple of photos because this is an intriguing record — and a first for North America!

Waved Albatross are more often seen off Ecuador, Peru, and northern Chile.  They nest on Española Island in the Galápagos and on Isla de la Plata off Ecuador.  They are unusual among albatross species in having a primarily tropical distribution.  Prior to this record, the farthest north one had been observed was off Costa Rica (looks like possibly two records there, one in 1993 and another in 2014?).  Marin County is the farthest north a Waved Albatross has been seen by far.

This is a distinctive albatross.  Note the pale head and dark body/wings, the large yellow bill, a hint of yellow (sometimes called a suffusion) along the back of the head and neck, beautiful black-and-white vermiculations along the lower neck area, and blue legs and feet.  [You can click on the images for larger versions.]

 

 

Not sure why this species appeared in Marin County at this time, but others have mentioned that prior out-of-range records might have been associated with warmer water conditions.

With many thanks to Glen Tepke who kindly provided these terrific photos.

For the record

I had kind of an "off" day for bird photographs during the pelagic boat trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 6 October 2019.  I was often in the wrong place for photos, or the birds were at odd angles or just out of focus.  But for the record, here are some shots that were interesting for various reasons:

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster), a rarity in Sonoma County:

 

Flyby Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis):

 

Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes), an uncommon visitor from Australia or New Zealand:

 

A "ballet" of Buller's Shearwaters (Ardenna bulleri):

 

A Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) and the moon:

 

Velvety brown

 

An immature Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata), photographed offshore during our return trip from Cordell Bank on 6 October 2019.

Notched

 

Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) flukes, photographed on the way back from Cordell Bank on 6 October 2019.  (During the week, I hope to share a few more photos from today's offshore boat trip.  Stay tuned!)

 

¡Hola, amigo!

 

Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), near Cordell Bank on 22 September 2019

 

P.S.  A follow-up the to Laysan Albatross that I showed in a blog post on 27 August 2019.  That albatross had a numbered leg band that could be read from photographs.  Alvaro followed up and learned that individual was from a nest on Isla Zapato, an islet just south of Guadalupe Island off Baja California, Mexico.  The albatross hatched in February, was banded in May, and fledged in June (and it won’t return to the breeding colony until it is 6-7 years old).

Fall flights

I know I promised more pictures from the pelagic trip, but there was also an interesting flight of butterflies today that I thought was worth documenting.  So, here's a bit of both.

First, from the pelagic trip.  Here are two views of arcing shearwaters on the horizon taken from the boat on our way back from Cordell Bank on 22 September 2019.  The winds had picked up (probably ~15-20 knots), creating conditions when seabirds are often soaring high above the ocean surface:

 

 

Second, the butterflies.  During the fall, when inland air temperatures are very high, we can see flights of butterflies at the coast.  Today there were quite a few California Tortoiseshells (Nymphalis californica) coming in off the ocean and crossing over Bodega Head.  Most of them rocketed by, but occasionally they landed briefly, either on the ground or on the outer walls of buildings:

 

 

Flights of shearwaters and tortoiseshells — a nice combination!

Translucent

 

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea), offshore near Bodega Canyon/Cordell Bank, 22 September 2019

 

The marauder

 

I joined a pelagic trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank today aboard the New Sea Angler.  It was a bit rough, but we made it out there thanks to Rick and saw some seabirds and marine mammals along the way. 

Above, a South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) approaches the boat.  Note the overall dark coloration and the white wing markings.  The white markings are subtle when viewed from this angle, but I liked the head-on perspective.

More offshore highlights to come this week!

P.S. Happy Fall!

 

Dream waves

I mentioned that the light and sea conditions were interesting on the boat trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 25 August 2019. Here are a few more examples.  [You can click on the images for larger versions.]

Dream wave:

 

Just a hint:

 

Glide (Black-footed Albatross):

 

Gray on gray (Red Phalarope):

 

Power surge

 

I didn't get a chance to finish "pelagic week," so I'll be sharing a few more photos from the boat trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 25 August 2019.

Tonight's post features Pacific White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquens).

 

 

 

Not too far

 

We were lucky to encounter several Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) offshore near Bodega Canyon/Cordell Bank on 25 August 2019.  

You can tell individual Blue Whales apart by the details of the patterning on their skin and the shape of their dorsal fins.  Here's a different individual than the one shown above:

 

Below, this is the same individual as shown in the first photo, but the view is further forward and the "splashguards" surrounding the blowhole are visible (right side).

 

It's always nice to see Blue Whales and fun to think about them feeding offshore, not too far away.

 

Just visiting

 

A few Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) images from a boat trip to Bodega Canyon/Cordell Bank on 25 August 2019.  [You can click on the images for larger versions.]

 

 

 

P.S.  For an introduction to Laysan Albatross, see the post called "Incoming" on 2 September 2012.  (And note that they also breed on Guadalupe Island off the west coast of Baja California, Mexico, which I neglected to mention in that earlier post.)  And for some fun audio recordings of Laysan Albatross, check out "Largely silent at sea" on 9 September 2015.

Named after William Elford Leach

 

Although not a great photo, this was the first time I've seen a Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) on an offshore boat trip to Cordell Bank, so it seemed worthwhile to include a photo for the record. (Photo taken on 14 October 2018.)

For a look at the more frequently encountered storm-petrel species in this area, you can review the posts called "A stormy cast of characters"on 4 September 2013 and "Ocean runners" on 14 August 2016.

P.S.  William Elford Leach was an English zoologist active in the early 19th century.

Over smooth seas

 

Buller's Shearwater (Ardenna bulleri), offshore between Bodega Canyon/Cordell Bank and Bodega Head, on 14 October 2018.

 

Three different bills

A few alcids from the offshore boat trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 14 October 2018.  [The Alcidae family includes small seabirds such as auklets, guillemots, murres, murrelets, and puffins.] 

 

Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus)

 

Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata)

 

Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata)

 

Blue views

On Sunday, I mentioned that we had great views of a few groups of Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) during the boat trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 14 October 2018.  They're impressive animals, so I can't help but show a few more images.  [You can click on the pictures for larger versions.]

With spout:

 

Two individuals close together:

 

Silvery:

 

 

Mottled: 

 

 

With diatoms (the bronze patches) on its skin:

 

 

Flukes!

 

 

One Blue Whale was fairly close to Bodega Head.  I'm not sure of the distance, but it might have only been 1-2 miles from the coast:

 

Even though they aren't often visible from land, I love knowing that Blue Whales are spending time offshore of Bodega Head.

 

Three in a row

 

Three Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) on an offshore trip to Cordell Bank on 14 October 2018.

These individuals are on the smaller side.  For a few more photos of larger Ocean Sunfish, check out the post from 24 August 2014.

 

Riding the bow wave

I'm at a work-related meeting, so I haven't had much time today, but here's a Dall's Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) photo from the offshore boat trip on 14 October 2018:

 

For a little more information about Dall's Porpoises, review the post called "Splish..." on 12 September 2017.

Up at the surface

 

A few Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus) photos from the pelagic trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 14 October 2018.

Note the large eyes; pale whiskers; conspicuous ear pinnae (external part of the ear); and long flippers.

 

 

P.S.  I shared some information about Northern Fur Seals in a couple of earlier posts: "Jughandling" on 29 August 2014 and "The little bear with the beautiful nose" on 29 March 2016.