Cruise Summary: NOAA R/V "David Starr Jordan", 06-30 October 1997

Itinerary:
_06-14Oct97_ -- CalCoFI; San Diego to San Francisco (El Nino study)
_15-30Oct97_ -- TTOP2; San Francisco to San Diego (Sperm Whale research)

Area:
Mostly along and just off the Santa Lucia Escarpment (1800-2200 fathoms),
~50-75nm off San Luis Obispo (SLO) and Santa Barbara (SB) Counties,
California (unless otherwise indicated). Sea surface temperatures average
~18C (range: 16-19C).

Quick synopsis (highlights):
Interesting cruise off California (mostly ~60 nmiles off SLO and SB Counties)
off the Santa Lucia Escarpment through October. This was specifically a
sperm whale study. In these offshore slope waters, "El Nino" birds didn't
amount to much (if at all) and were generally disappointing (Red-footed Booby
was best, and perhaps not significant enough on it's own to be interpreted as
being "El Nino" related, although it may well be).

Otherwise, it was pretty much "business as usual" in the seabird department;
sparse(!); birds tending toward colder water and Alaska species (notably
minus Black-legged Kittiwakes). There were a few obligatory Red-billed
Tropicbirds that always seem to be around in small numbers at least in late
summer and fall; other honorable mentions included Cook's Petrel, and 7
species of storm petrels (including Wilson's and Band-rumped). Alcids were
generally extremely sparse. Surprising to me at least, was the scarcity of
Xantus/Craveri's Murrelets, however a single Parakeet Auklet(!) was quite
unexpected. Northern Fulmars were the most widespread and frequently
encountered species while Black-legged Kittiwakes were notable in their
complete absence.

Inbound (San Diego) over and around Cortes Bank on 10/29 was beautiful, calm,
warm, and virtually birdless, save for a handful of Western Gulls. Bummer.

If a dispersion of "El Nino" seabirds could be interpreted anywhere, it would
have to be coastal. As Elegant Terns wandered northward in coastal waters
all the way to British Columbia in unprecedented numbers during the summer,
it seemed a shoe-in for nomination as "poster bird" of the 1997 ENSO event.
However, few or none seem to have lingered in the Pacific Northwest after
August or September. Perhaps, post-dispersal southbound birds all collected
in the San Francisco Bay area in mid-October. A spectacular feeding frenzy
of 1,650 Elegant Terns was observed as we sailed into San Francisco at dawn
on 10/14, all concentrated in rips between the Golden Gate & Alcatraz. That
stretch of track looked like a snow storm. I counted and recounted and
recounted, always coming up with the same figure, plus or minus a few.

Large concentrations of Black-vented Shearwaters (4-5,000) were just off the
SLO Co. coast on 10/08, comprising 90% of all seabirds attending two separate
schools of "short-beaked" common dolphins (_Delphinus delphis_).

Scarce to virtually absent (compared to cruises in the same area last Fall
and in Feb '97), and now appears to be attributable to "El Nino" were
Northern Fur Seals. Dead and dying fur seal pups, 3-6 months of age, have
been recently reported washing up on the beaches of Marin Co., at a similar
rate as occurred during the 1992 ENSO event. Our cruise observations noting
the absence of fur seals in the usual areas off the central coast suggests
that the adults have indeed had to abandon their young and venture further
offshore for food.

The real top drawer event of this cruise was without doubt the killer whale -
sperm whale incidents (attack and kill) which has hit the media of late --
"orca spermicide" we call it ;-)), as ~25 killer whales took on and damaged a
whole group of 9-10 sperm whales just to finally kill and separate one, in so
doing leaving several others mortally wounded with gaping holes exposing the
body cavity and dangling intestines and entrails. What a gory bloody
spectacle! Just laying there in a defensive rosette formation, head to head,
like cows at the slaughterhouse resigned to their fate. So much for those
ingrained childhood images of fighting mighty 'cachelot' in "Moby Dick,"
rising to the occasion, jaws agape, snapping a flimsy little whale boat in
two! Two orca-sperm encounters on this cruise yeilded a wealth of data in
hours of observations, notes, photos, and video into behavior and strategies
employed by both species. Call 'em KILLER whales (that's what they are!),
not always the oh-so cuddly and lovable chi-chi chic "orcas". Visualize
*this* the next time you're out ogling over the current Puget Sound (Dyes
Inlet) "L-pod" KILLER whales as they happily munch away on salmon, or on your
next visit to Sea World or similar. Propriety of data and pending
publication precludes posting any further discussion on the Internet at this
time. Sorry.

Seabirds in attendance at this gory bloody buffet and expansive oil slick was
interesting. One would expect that such an offering would attract every
seabird within 50 miles which should have been a lot. Not so. I think the
relatively low showing and diversity confirms our general impressions that
there really wasn't much out there. However, why no shearwaters in
attendance or even investigating the feast baffles me. Small numbers were
around (Sooty, Pink-footed, Buller's), but not there. In all of six hours
while parked on the kill site, ONLY one southbound Sooty Shearwater whizzed
through and didn't stop to shop or even slow down.

Seabirds in attendance (estimated maximum total after 6 hours of
observations):
Black-footed Albatross 8
Northern Fulmar 250
Sooty Shearwater 1* (passing through)
Wilson's Storm Petrel 1 (possibly two, and observed for ~3 hours)
Fork-tailed Storm Petrel 3
Leach's Storm Petrel 25
Ashy Storm Petrel 45
Black Storm Petrel 15
Least Storm Petrel 2
unid. storm petrels ~100
Red Phalarope 15
Pomarine Jaeger 2
South Polar Skua 1 (colorfully lugging off bloody stringy entrails)
Western Gull 2
-----

Annotated list of sightings:
(casual ancillary sightings and general unofficial and subjective
perceptions):

* Black-footed Albatross --uncommon (usually 2-6 per day; ~80% immature).

* Northern Fulmar -- uncommon to fairly common and generally the most
widespread and numerous procellarid in the study area along the Santa Lucia
Escarpment. Mostly dark (occasional intermediate) morphs with numbers
gradually increasing through mid-late October (SEE sperm / killer whale
account below).

* Cook's Petrel -- rare.
_17Oct97_ -- one, 3828'N, 12331'W (150nm W. Pt. Conception);
_22Oct97_ -- one (probable), 3515'N, 12222'W (57nm SW Pt. Piedras Blancas)

* Pink-footed Shearwater -- uncommon & decreasing to occasional by late
October.

* Flesh-footed Shearwater -- rare (one sighting).
_26Oct97_ -- one, 3536'N, 12238'W (66nm W Pt. Piedras Blancas / 55nm SW Pt.
Sur), off SE slope of Davidson Seamount
* Buller's Shearwater -- uncommon & encounters decreasing by late October.

* Sooty Shearwater -- uncommon & encounters decreasing by late October.

* Black-vented Shearwater -- Widespread and locally large concentrations ONLY
along the near shore southern and central California coast north to at least
San Francisco (early - mid October).
Noteworthy:
_08Oct97_ -- ~5000 3-8nm off the San Luis Obispo Co., California coast
between Avila Beach and Point Piedras Blancas. Two large flocks (2500 and
1500) comprised ~90% of the total seabirds associated with two schools of
"short-beaked" Common Dolphins (_Delphinus delphis_).
_10Oct97_ -- one flock of 200, 0.5 nmile off Big Sur Coast at Julia Pfeiffer
Burns State Park, at sunset. Coastal area was unusually spectacular this time
as viewed from the perspective of the sea, bathed in pink and golden setting
sunlight amidst billowing black, pink, and golden storm clouds, with curtains
of heavy passing rain squalls, and rainbows. Priceless image!!

* Wilson's Storm Petrel -- rare (one sighting).
_21Oct97_ -- 3506'N, 12214'W (57nm SW Pt. Piedras Blancas / 66nm W Pt.
Buchon); one (possibly two) in clean fresh plumage associated with the killer
- sperm whale kill and was under observation intermittently for three hours.
Frequently showing typical Wilson's pattering behavior, long legs with feet
projecting beyond the tail and yellow webs. Observers: RAR, RLP, LB.

* Fork-tailed Storm Petrel -- occasional; small numbers scattered in shelf
break waters off the central coast from Point Conception to San Francisco.

* Leach's Storm Petrel -- uncommon, deep pelagic waters only, becoming more
widespread and numerous 100+ nm offshore, south of 36N. Much variation
ranging from white to dark rumped forms, and complete range in between.

* Ashy Storm Petrel -- variably uncommon, irregular and unpredictable in
slope waters along and off the Santa Lucia Escarpment off SLO & SB Counties.
Highest number ~45 associated with killer/sperm whale kill and on 21Oct.

* Band-rumped Storm Petrel -- rare, but perhaps not so rare in the outer
fringes of the SoCal Bight, north to at least 35N, ~100-150nm west of SLO
/ SB Counties.
_09Oct97_ -- two, 3508'N, 12344'W (110nm WSW Point Piedras Blancas);
_17Oct97_ -- two, 3425'N, 12341'W (150nm W Point Arguello);
_17Oct97_ -- one, 3442'N, 12250'W (110nm W Point Arguello);

* Black Storm Petrel -- occasional (scattered in small numbers, slope &
shelf).

* Least Storm Petrel -- occasional (scattered in small numbers, slope &
shelf).

* Red-billed Tropicbird -- rare (two sightings). Fewer sightings than I
expected.
_09Oct97_ -- 2 (1Ad, 1sAd), 3447'N, 12303'W (100nm SW Point Piedras
Blancas);
_17Oct97_ -- single adult, 3442'N, 12250'W (105nm W Point Arquello)

* _Red-footed Booby_ -- vagrant (one sighting).
25Oct97 -- single dark morph immature, 3452'N, 12203'W (68nm W Pt. Sal /
63nm SW Pt. Buchon). Like dark morph adult; slender light build, uniform
brown but paler head, underparts, and tail including upper tail coverts.
Bill mostly uniform dark slate gray with slight hint of fleshy or pinkish
base. Legs or leg color not seen. Attracted briefly to the vessel, passing
twice before and over the bow (~50 meters), then dropped back in the wake and
disappeared. Total viewing time ~5 minutes (excellent for about one minute
in 7X & 10X bins). --0bservers: RAR, RLP, LB et.al.

* unid. booby sp. -- _26Oct97_ -- 3523'N, 12219'W; "uniform brownish"
booby, possibly same Red-footed as yesterday, but no closer than ~2nm, and
then making a few passes over mixed group of sperm and killer whales. I was
too absorbed in the developing situation with the whales and by the time I
thought to look for the booby again, it was gone.

* Red Phalarope -- uncommon, variably scattered small flocks of <10 (high
flock count ~300 26Oct97).

* Pomarine Jaeger -- uncommon (most frequent of the three species).

* Parasitic Jaeger -- uncommon.

* Long-tailed Jaeger -- occasional (least frequent of the three species).

* South Polar Skua -- occasional.
_10Oct97_ -- three, 3552'N, 12220'W (33nm SW Pt. Sur);
_10Oct97_ -- one at shelf break 20nm SW of Point Sur (3603'N, 12203'W);
_21Oct97_ -- one among seabirds attending killer / sperm whale kill;
_25Oct97_ -- one dark morph, 3500'N, 12217'W (67nm SW Pt. Buchon).

* Heerman's Gull -- None offshore. Uncommon to locally common, coastal &
shelf waters only.

* California Gull -- uncommon offshore (usually never more than 2-6 per
day).

* Herring Gull -- occasional offshore by late October (1 or 2 per day).

* Western Gull -- uncommon offshore (usually never more than 5-10 per day).

* Black-legged Kittiwake -- NONE. Significant in that there were no
sightings.

* Elegant Tern -- None offshore, BUT!.....
_14Oct97_ -- 1650 counted at dawn (~0700hrs) inbound San Francisco Bay in
tidal rips between the Golden Gate and Alcatraz. This was the largest
concentration that I've ever encountered anywhere! Outbound through the same
area on 10/15 (1130hrs), those tide rips were gone as were the terns. About
6nm west of the Golden Gate, small tide rips were encountered over which only
~200 Elegant Terns were counted. Other species in these outside rips
included Parasitic Jaeger (10), Heerman's Gull (80), Common Murre (~150),
Western Grebe (~65), and Clark's Grebe (~15).

* Sabine's Gull -- occasional and decreasing.

* Arctic Tern -- uncommon, but mostly gone by end of October

* Common Murre -- occasional.

* Xantus Murrelet (_S. h. hypoleucus_) -- rare? (Occasional?)
_22Oct97_ -- one, 3441'N, 12201'W (68nm W. Pt. Arguello)

* Xantus/Craveri's Murrelet sp? -- occasional, but all total way way fewer
than expected. Sum total probably less than 10 sightings, always in one's
and twos.
Where did they all go? Oregon? Washington? Past cruises in recent years in
those areas suggest that these may be more widespread and not so uncommon in
far offshore waters, 100-300nmiles offshore around the sea mounts off Oregon
and Washington.

* Ancient Murrelet -- rare (at least on this cruise). Only one sighting.
_10Oct97_ -- one, 3606'N, 12155'W (10nm off Big Sur), 500 fathoms.

* Cassin's Auklet -- occasional. Usually in one's and two's, and of all the
alcids on this cruise, the most frequent, albeit still scarce as were all
alcid species.

* Parakeet Auklet -- vagrant (one sighting).
_17Oct97_ -- single winter adult, 3434'N, 12312'W (125nm W Pt. Arguello)

-----

land birds onboard (all off Santa Lucia Escarpment, 50-75nm off SLO / SB Co,
California):
Short-eared Owl -- 22Oct97 (1);
Mourning Dove -- 18Oct97 (1); 25Oct97 (1); 26-27Oct97 (1);
Yellow-rumped Warbler -- 21Oct97 (1); 25-26Oct97 (1);
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco -- 20Oct97 (1);
Brown-headed Cowbird -- 19Oct97 (1); 21Oct97 (2); 26Oct97 (1); 27Oct97(1)
Western Meadowlark -- 21Oct97 (2).
---------------

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
~4734'N, 12208'W