Instead of catching fish, we thre them back, sort of. Huli Cat did a bird watching and nature trip. Headed out for the Farallon Islands. The main target was birds, but folks were also keen to enjoy the marine mammals encountered on the journey. I had saved rockfish carcasses to throw to the birds. once a few seagulls are following the boat, other birds flock in from miles around to get in on the 'party'. Before we left the harbor, we 'x'ed off the three cormorants, brants, double crested and pelagic. A few different guls, oystercatchers and marbled murrlets. Soon we were into the murres and shearwaters. Tufted puffins at the Farallon Islands, albatross, auklets added to the total. Blue whales, humpback whales, Stellar and CA sea lions and various dolphins and porpoises added to the list. On the way back, split tailed storm petrels and several othres whose name escapes me. Back in the harbor, the seawall gave us a whimbrel et al. Cleaned out the freezers of crab bait and fish carcusses. Water was very calm, we hit the dropoffs south of the Farallons, looked for creatures in 3,500 feet of water and in as tight as 12 feet of water at the Islands. Risso's dophins, harbor porpoises, white sided added to the list. The binoculars and cameras got a good workout!
Bird Watching & Nature Trip out of Half Moon Bay on Huli Cat
Posted: 08/02/2011
