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Road Trip USA. Part One, Salton Sea to Arctic Ocean. (1 Viewer)

29 June. Mohave Desert, Death Valley and Mono Lake

Still in a time zone ten to the east, I awoke under my Joshua tree at 2.30 a.m, the night showing absolutely no hint of dawn. For some rather daft reason, I decided to get up, write my notes and then go for a walk …at least the temperature was bearable! Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat still hopping along the tracks, plus one Black-tailed Jack Rabbit too.

First bird of the day, quite some time later, a Great Horned Owl sitting atop a Joshua tree silhouetted against an approaching dawn. In the deserts of southern California, there was one bird I was particularly keen to see – a rare inhabitant of Joshua tree areas, the bird in question was Scott’s Oriole. To my left, a granite dome of a mountain rose, its flanks a picture of Joshua trees, the area supporting one of the greatest densities of these prehistoric looking plants anywhere. I began my hike, the sun rising over the boulders of the hillside, Black-throated Sparrows immediately in evidence, Cactus Wrens providing noisy accompaniment, both birds fairly common. Red-tailed Hawks cried into the dawn, a pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers worked the trunks and branches of Joshua trees, another pair later on. Bar the Black-throated Sparrows and Cactus Wrens however, birds weren’t exactly bouncing out of the bushes – the fairly tough climb in rapidly rising temperatures adding a mere handful of additional species, fortunately including both Gambel’s Quail and Pinyon Jay. As I reached the base of the granite dome, with House Wrens churring and an American Kestrel doing a fly-by, I spotted two distant dots flying my way – two passerines on a mission! Over the Joshua trees they skimmed, passing me by a little further up the slope …and what were they, yep, a pair of Scott’s Orioles! Round the slope they continued, eventually settling way down the hillside in a Joshua tree. Well that was a bit of luck …distant, but nice. And then they vanished. I returned to the car, a dead cute White-tailed Antelope Squirrel found whilst stumbling back down.

From the Mohave, I wanted to visit Death Valley, not so much for birding, but for the spectacle. Looking at the map, the seemed to be a nice back road that I could take – and most amazing it was, an evolving desert of rugged beauty, temperature soaring and over 100 miles of gravel road without seeing another car. I did see several Say’s Phoebes and another five White-tailed Antelope Squirrels though. After a while I reached a junction that I had not been expecting, a junction without any signs. Turn right, I thought. Half an hour later, I reached an asphalt road. Hmm, odd I thought, starting to drive along. A road sign … ‘Nevada Highway 95’! Bugger, somehow I had taken a wrong turning and I was not even in California anymore!!! A slight bit of reorientating, then a stop in a Wal-Mart’s in a junction town, and soon I was back on track …but now I would hit Death Valley smack bang in the middle of the day.

Death Valley was an experience …a surreal beauty, but I managed to time my visit to coincide with one of the hottest days ever recorded in the valley – an absolutely incredible 54.4 C (130F)!!! Effectively felt that I’d opened an oven door and walked straight in, it even shattered the glass in my thermometer! Needless to say, I did not undertake any major hikes and I also did not see any birds or any, not even one!

Seeking cooler lands, I pushed on further north, reaching Mono Lake by late afternoon. Death Valley is 90 metres below sea-level, Mono Lake is almost 2000 metres above sea-level, but the higher altitude did relatively little to dent the temperature, it was still about 46 C. At Mono Lake however, plenty of birds – amongst weird tufa sculptures rising from the waters, oodles of California Gulls, the world’s second biggest breeding colony here, plus Violet Green Swallows streaming past, a couple of pairs of Ospreys, a flock of American Avocets and small gatherings of Black-necked Grebes, a bird that will number the multiple thousands later in the season. Heat not really conducive to much exploration of the excellent sage habitats stretching off in all directions, but did manage a few wanders, the results of which included a number of Sage Thrashers, both Spotted and Green-tailed Towhees, a bunch of Brewer’s Sparrows and a Rock Wren. As evening approached, I found a camping spot on the Bodie Road, a productive area of sage that should prove most excellent at dawn next day. Mountain Cottontails appearing from shrubs in the relative cool of evening, a Desert Kangaroo Rat in my camp after dark.
 

30 June. Bodie, Saddlebag Lake and Yosemite.

High altitude brought a cool dawn, most refreshing. And on the Bodie Road, birds and mammals galore – Least Chipmunks scampering everywhere, Belding’s Ground Squirrels standing alert on roadside embankments, California Ground Squirrels shuffling along. Bodie however is most famed for one particular bird – emerging from the sage bush at dawn in the atmospheric settings of a ghost town, Sage Grouse are fairly reliable at this locality.

Knowing the temperature soon to hit, I was on the road before the sun was up, plenty of Sage Thrashers, plenty of Brewer’s Sparrows, Green-tailed Towhees on every other bush. At the gates to the ghost town, a point it is not permitted to pass until the rather late opening hour of 9.00 a.m., I stopped to photograph Least Chipmunks playing on a roadside fence, but soon my attention was straying to the verge on the opposite side - trailing four or five well-grown chicks, a female Sage Grouse slowly made her way through the vegetation.

Now 7.00 a.m., the temperature was already climbing again, but today I had a secret weapon – the snowfields of the High Sierra, temptingly close to my immediate west. Journeying back down the Bodie Road, past colonies of Cliff Swallows and Brewer’s Blackbirds, I arrived in the valley heading towards Lee Vinings and turned south to drive the few miles to the settlement of Lee Vinings, gateway town to the Sierras and Yosemite beyond. Suddenly brought my car to a screeching halt, a big black blob was moving though a lush meadow in the valley beneath the road. One big Black Bear, magnificent. Munching what I presume to be flowers, she ambled on through the meadow, eventually entering forest at the opposite end. What a pleasant way to begin the day, I continued to Lee Vinings , pulling in at a gas station for morning coffee.

Before dropping down to Yosemite on the other side, my destination for the morning was Saddlebag Lake, a pristine Alpine location sitting at an altitude of 3100 metres and surrounded by glacial peaks and bowls of snowfield. The climb up was dramatic, stops in areas of pine also productive – Red-breasted Sapsucker, Warbling Vireo, Mountain Chickadee and Western Wood-Pewee amongst the haul. At Saddlebag, my targets were three high altitude mammals, Yellow-bellied Marmot, American Pika and Alpine Chipmunk, all found here with relative ease. A crisp fresh bite to the morning air as I climbed from my car, Clark’s Nutcrackers on stunted pines all around, Cassin’s Finches present too. The Alpine Chipmunks were very easy to find, several darting about in an area of open pines just below the lake, but for the other mammals on my hit list, I would need to take a hike to scree slopes off yonder. Glorious beasts in a mottling of yellows, greys and golden browns, Yellow-bellied Marmots were the first to fall, four particularly lazy individuals sunning themselves on boulders aside the dam wall. Initially eyeing me with suspicion, soon this seemed far too much effort for them, marmots and I sat enjoying the sun just metres apart. A little further along, past patches of stony meadows favoured by singing White-crowned Sparrows, I arrived at a fairly extensive slope of loose scree, habitat of the American Pika. A shrill whistle, and there was one of the little animals – oversized ears on a biddy little ball of fur, sitting atop a rock looking at me. Soon found another, a rather more timid individual.

Time to hit Yosemite, a locality hardly requiring an introduction – one of the USA’s greatest of national park, a showpiece of spectacular landscapes, mega-fauna including Black Bears and Mountain Lions and a pretty impressive birdlist, topped by the highly elusive and almost mystical Great Grey Owls, Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch and Pine Grosbeaks. Entering from Saddlebag Lake end, my first concern was to travel to the slightly lower altitude near Yosemite Valley and find a campsite for the next couple of nights. Fortunately plenty of space at my preferred site – the quiet and undeveloped Tamarack Flat – so slung up my tent, then took a wander to explore. Amongst the birds seen, White-headed Woodpeckers around the campsite, the much rarer Black-backed Woodpecker feeding a youngster just above, along with Yellow-rumped and MacGillivray’s Warblers, Chipping Sparrows and abundant Dark-eyed Juncos. I however was more interested in seeking out mammals, Yosemite taking the day’s total to 13 species – both Lodgepole and Yellow-pine Chipmunks seen near the campsite, four Belding’s Ground Squirrels and another American Pika on the road back towards Toulumne Meadows and California Ground Squirrel and a couple of Douglas’s Squirrels along the road to McGurk's Meadow. Best of the lot though was my second Black Bear of the day, a fairly small individual sitting behind a bush watching me for a while before ambling off up the slope.

In past years, I have twice searched for Great Grey Owl in Yosemite, and twice failed. At their favoured localities of McGurk's Meadowand Chevron Meadow, they periodically appear an hour or so before dark, hunting in the rodent-rich meadow edges. As both of my previous attempts had been at Chevron Meadow, I opted for McGurk's Meadow this time, arriving far too early and merely presenting myself as fodder for the many mosquitoes that also like this locality! With the appearance of a female Pine Grosbeak, a bird generally as elusive as Great Grey Owl at Yosemite, omens appeared good …but I have to confess I got bored of waiting about half an hour before the best period and departed, promising to return the next evening! Drove back to camp in growing darkness, a group of Mule Deer feeding in a meadow. Back at camp, one American Deer Mouse entertained during the night, plus a translucent ghostly white snake slowly slithering along.



1 July. Yosemite.

Yosemite, day two. Red-breasted Sapsucker, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Grey Warbler, highlights of an early morning wander from the campsite, but the better treat was awaiting just down the road! Mid-morning, I decided to have a quick look at the Chevron Meadow with a view to another attempt on Great Grey Owl in the evening – quickly became engaged with the multitude of butterflies active in the flower-rich meadow, an assortment of skippers, blues and browns. So engaged in fact that I largely overlooked birds – do remember a Dusky Flycatcher and some Lincoln’s Sparrows, but then all of a sudden, a big flap of wings from the forest edge, a big heavy bird launching from a spindly pine and appearing to land in the depths of the pine grove beyond. Ooo, giddy me, I knew what that was! I quickly changed track and circled round …and there, sat in the dark of the forest, one superb Great Grey Owl!!! I really had not expected to find the bird during the day, so I quietly backtracked out and resolved to return in the evening, surely it would be out hunting.

A little bit of sightseeing during the day, White-throated Swifts, Peregrine Falcon and Mountain Quail as added attractions, then evening approached. An hour and a half before sunset, I returned to the meadow, thinking to conceal myself and await this spectacular ghost of a bird. Half way down the meadow, I stopped with a gasp, the Great Grey Owl was already out and hunting, currently perched on a snags of the roots of an upturned tree, intently peering at the meadow below. I sat myself on a stump and marvelled the moment. Seen several in Europe, but you can never tire of such a bird. Then it flew even closer to me, settling on a dead tree directly opposite, perhaps 100 metres distant.

I thought it could not get any better …but then it did! Clambering onto a rotten trunk some way to my left, a magnificent blond Black Bear emerged from the forest and proceeded to claw into the decaying wood, termites clearly on his thoughts. Owl ahead, bear to the left, magic. And so it remained for the next hour, the bear slowly moving through the meadow, edging closer and closer to me and the owl, the owl moving from vantage point to vantage point, not in the least concerned by the presence of the bear or I.

Just for good measure, three Mule Deer then also appeared in the meadow, the finale to the day now perfect, one species on each side, Black Bear to the left, Great Grey Owl directly in front, Mule Deer to the right, all within 150 metres of me. Can’t get much better than that.
 
Jos Stratford said:

30 June. Bodie, Saddlebag Lake and Yosemite.

High altitude brought a cool dawn, most refreshing. And on the Bodie Road, birds and mammals galore – Least Chipmunks scampering everywhere, Belding’s Ground Squirrels standing alert on roadside embankments, California Ground Squirrels shuffling along. Bodie however is most famed for one particular bird – emerging from the sage bush at dawn in the atmospheric settings of a ghost town, Sage Grouse are fairly reliable at this locality.

Knowing the temperature soon to hit, I was on the road before the sun was up, plenty of Sage Thrashers, plenty of Brewer’s Sparrows, Green-tailed Towhees on every other bush. At the gates to the ghost town, a point it is not permitted to pass until the rather late opening hour of 9.00 a.m., I stopped to photograph Least Chipmunks playing on a roadside fence, but soon my attention was straying to the verge on the opposite side - trailing four or five well-grown chicks, a female Sage Grouse slowly made her way through the vegetation.

Now 7.00 a.m., the temperature was already climbing again, but today I had a secret weapon – the snowfields of the High Sierra, temptingly close to my immediate west. Journeying back down the Bodie Road, past colonies of Cliff Swallows and Brewer’s Blackbirds, I arrived in the valley heading towards Lee Vinings and turned south to drive the few miles to the settlement of Lee Vinings, gateway town to the Sierras and Yosemite beyond. Suddenly brought my car to a screeching halt, a big black blob was moving though a lush meadow in the valley beneath the road. One big Black Bear, magnificent. Munching what I presume to be flowers, she ambled on through the meadow, eventually entering forest at the opposite end. What a pleasant way to begin the day, I continued to Lee Vinings , pulling in at a gas station for morning coffee.

Before dropping down to Yosemite on the other side, my destination for the morning was Saddlebag Lake, a pristine Alpine location sitting at an altitude of 3100 metres and surrounded by glacial peaks and bowls of snowfield. The climb up was dramatic, stops in areas of pine also productive – Red-breasted Sapsucker, Warbling Vireo, Mountain Chickadee and Western Wood-Pewee amongst the haul. At Saddlebag, my targets were three high altitude mammals, Yellow-bellied Marmot, American Pika and Alpine Chipmunk, all found here with relative ease. A crisp fresh bite to the morning air as I climbed from my car, Clark’s Nutcrackers on stunted pines all around, Cassin’s Finches present too. The Alpine Chipmunks were very easy to find, several darting about in an area of open pines just below the lake, but for the other mammals on my hit list, I would need to take a hike to scree slopes off yonder. Glorious beasts in a mottling of yellows, greys and golden browns, Yellow-bellied Marmots were the first to fall, four particularly lazy individuals sunning themselves on boulders aside the dam wall. Initially eyeing me with suspicion, soon this seemed far too much effort for them, marmots and I sat enjoying the sun just metres apart. A little further along, past patches of stony meadows favoured by singing White-crowned Sparrows, I arrived at a fairly extensive slope of loose scree, habitat of the American Pika. A shrill whistle, and there was one of the little animals – oversized ears on a biddy little ball of fur, sitting atop a rock looking at me. Soon found another, a rather more timid individual.

Time to hit Yosemite, a locality hardly requiring an introduction – one of the USA’s greatest of national park, a showpiece of spectacular landscapes, mega-fauna including Black Bears and Mountain Lions and a pretty impressive birdlist, topped by the highly elusive and almost mystical Great Grey Owls, Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch and Pine Grosbeaks. Entering from Saddlebag Lake end, my first concern was to travel to the slightly lower altitude near Yosemite Valley and find a campsite for the next couple of nights. Fortunately plenty of space at my preferred site – the quiet and undeveloped Tamarack Flat – so slung up my tent, then took a wander to explore. Amongst the birds seen, White-headed Woodpeckers around the campsite, the much rarer Black-backed Woodpecker feeding a youngster just above, along with Yellow-rumped and MacGillivray’s Warblers, Chipping Sparrows and abundant Dark-eyed Juncos. I however was more interested in seeking out mammals, Yosemite taking the day’s total to 13 species – both Lodgepole and Yellow-pine Chipmunks seen near the campsite, four Belding’s Ground Squirrels and another American Pika on the road back towards Toulumne Meadows and California Ground Squirrel and a couple of Douglas’s Squirrels along the road to McGurk's Meadow. Best of the lot though was my second Black Bear of the day, a fairly small individual sitting behind a bush watching me for a while before ambling off up the slope.

In past years, I have twice searched for Great Grey Owl in Yosemite, and twice failed. At their favoured localities of McGurk's Meadowand Chevron Meadow, they periodically appear an hour or so before dark, hunting in the rodent-rich meadow edges. As both of my previous attempts had been at Chevron Meadow, I opted for McGurk's Meadow this time, arriving far too early and merely presenting myself as fodder for the many mosquitoes that also like this locality! With the appearance of a female Pine Grosbeak, a bird generally as elusive as Great Grey Owl at Yosemite, omens appeared good …but I have to confess I got bored of waiting about half an hour before the best period and departed, promising to return the next evening! Drove back to camp in growing darkness, a group of Mule Deer feeding in a meadow. Back at camp, one American Deer Mouse entertained during the night, plus a translucent ghostly white snake slowly slithering along.



1 July. Yosemite.

Yosemite, day two. Red-breasted Sapsucker, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Grey Warbler, highlights of an early morning wander from the campsite, but the better treat was awaiting just down the road! Mid-morning, I decided to have a quick look at the Chevron Meadow with a view to another attempt on Great Grey Owl in the evening – quickly became engaged with the multitude of butterflies active in the flower-rich meadow, an assortment of skippers, blues and browns. So engaged in fact that I largely overlooked birds – do remember a Dusky Flycatcher and some Lincoln’s Sparrows, but then all of a sudden, a big flap of wings from the forest edge, a big heavy bird launching from a spindly pine and appearing to land in the depths of the pine grove beyond. Ooo, giddy me, I knew what that was! I quickly changed track and circled round …and there, sat in the dark of the forest, one superb Great Grey Owl!!! I really had not expected to find the bird during the day, so I quietly backtracked out and resolved to return in the evening, surely it would be out hunting.

A little bit of sightseeing during the day, White-throated Swifts, Peregrine Falcon and Mountain Quail as added attractions, then evening approached. An hour and a half before sunset, I returned to the meadow, thinking to conceal myself and await this spectacular ghost of a bird. Half way down the meadow, I stopped with a gasp, the Great Grey Owl was already out and hunting, currently perched on a snags of the roots of an upturned tree, intently peering at the meadow below. I sat myself on a stump and marvelled the moment. Seen several in Europe, but you can never tire of such a bird. Then it flew even closer to me, settling on a dead tree directly opposite, perhaps 100 metres distant.

I thought it could not get any better …but then it did! Clambering onto a rotten trunk some way to my left, a magnificent blond Black Bear emerged from the forest and proceeded to claw into the decaying wood, termites clearly on his thoughts. Owl ahead, bear to the left, magic. And so it remained for the next hour, the bear slowly moving through the meadow, edging closer and closer to me and the owl, the owl moving from vantage point to vantage point, not in the least concerned by the presence of the bear or I.

Just for good measure, three Mule Deer then also appeared in the meadow, the finale to the day now perfect, one species on each side, Black Bear to the left, Great Grey Owl directly in front, Mule Deer to the right, all within 150 metres of me. Can’t get much better than that.
Click to expand...

Wow! Sounds wonderful Jos.

Great Grey Owls - every birdwatcher should try to see one of these during their lifetime, in my opinion.
 
Ouch - Pine Grobeak and and Great Grey Owl - two huge target birds for me together there . . . plus more bears than you can shake a stick a - a wonderful session!

Cheers
Mike
 
Still alive ...and several thousand kilometres further north ...near 24 hours light is buggering up ideas of writing my trip report as I go, but nevertheless a little bit of catch-up from back south to follow.
 
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2 July. Yosemite, San Luis Refuge & San Simeon.


Plan for today was to visit Glacier Point at Yosemite at dawn, not only one of the singularly most spectacular landscape points in the world, but also a class one locality for Sooty Grouse if you get there before the mass of tourists arrive later in the day.

Events transpired to deprive me of the grouse! Two years earlier I had arrived to find them wandering in the car park, today however I arrived to find a rather bigger beast wandering in the car park – one of the biggest Black Bears I have ever seen, a pure blond female at that. Quickly squatted down on the ground to watch her approach ...with a slow deliberate swagger she came straight forward. Cool, she was one beauty. She however had misdemeanours on her mind, bee-lining directly towards a red SUV parked nearby, one of the only cars in the car park. A few sniffs into the air, then paws onto the wheels, then wing of the car, she was now a mighty sized bear standing up on her back legs towering over the car, impressive. And then with a thud on the bonnet, she was on the car, angling to the side window, climbing onto the roof. What was about to happen next was blatantly clear, the side window was open a fraction and the fools who had left the car had also left a cooler box in plain view – another few seconds and the window would have been shattered. Not good for the owners of the car, but also not good for the bear – becoming a problem bear is effectively a death sentence, breaking into this car would take her one step closer to that end.

Over the edge of the car the bear went, claws into the gap in the window, it was now or never if I was going to intervene. Rushing at the bear, shaking my camera and shouting, she stopped with a start and clambering back onto the bonnet, I fully expected her to continue going and run back into the forest. Instead, she grunted a warning and climbed back on the roof. Two other tourists arrived, they backed off and called 911 to get rangers to the scene. Paws back at the window, I rushed her again, but the bear stood its ground right until I was at the back of the car, then jumped off the car completely and gave what I can only determine as a polite threat. I eyed my escape route, but decided against backing off. One big blondie, one little me, not a very fair match I thought. Then she took one look at me and clearly thought the same, back onto the roof she clambered. Stubborn bugger, I thought, and ran directly at her. No response at all, she was clearly pondering her next move. My car was adjacent, so I went to the car, reversed it out and then straight towards the car, hooting horn. She jumped off again and then proceeded to just sit there – if I backed off, she moved towards the car. If I stayed put, so did she. Stalemate. And so it remained until the big guns arrived. Alerted by the 911, a ranger arrived with a pepper gas gun …pooff pooff pooff, a rapid succession of shots and the bear was running, down the slope into the trees. A quick look at the car and the ranger was not impressed – a clear violation of park rules, it is drummed into tourists not to leave food in view and not to leave windows open. With the owner probably on a hike somewhere, the bear would just return if we left the car. Ranger’s response, call in the tow truck, the car was removed … the owner would pay a hefty fine and tow fee for return of his vehicle.

Anyhow, as a result of all that action, any lingering Sooty Grouse were long gone by the time I finished my adventures, so walked over to the viewpoint instead, admiring the views and photographing the various small mammals also present, Merriam’s Chipmunk another addition for the trip list, a splendid Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel also seen nearby. Not much in the way of birds though, two Red Crossbills flying over, one Calliope Hummingbird and a couple of White-throated Swifts about best.

The weather forecast promised no let up on the excessive heat, high altitude Yosemite expecting 41 C on this day. Rather than spend the day wilting again, I decided to leave and head for the coast, relatively cooler conditions guaranteed. A fairly long drive, punctuated at a stop at the San Luis Refuge in the Central Valley. This wetland refuge is of primary interest in the winter months for mass congregations of Snow Geese and other water birds, but as it was on route, I decided to give it a go. Predictably, it was stinking hot and dusty, little open water was present, but still not bad at all – not only a selection of dry land birds such as Swainson’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Lark Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak and Tricoloured Blackbird, but also a chance to have a gander at the herd of Tule Elk that reside in the refuge, big-antlered beasties! Didn’t stay too long however, the lure of the coast was calling.

The Californian coast, especially around San Francisco, is famous for its fog, the cold Pacific waters hitting a hot land mass leaving a bank of fog that frequently shrouds the coast for up to a kilometre or two inland. And given the exceptional heat of the moment, it came as no shock to plunge into a thick pea soup just as I arrived in the Monterey area …not very good, I was scheduled to take a trip out into Monterey Bay the following morning. Ideas of looking for Californian Condors at Big Sur were duly cancelled – couldn’t see the sky, let alone any birds, so instead made a mad dash down Highway 1, the iconic coastal road that skirts the Pacific from start to end. Stunning scenery normally, but given (a) it was foggy and (b) I was driving like a loony to get to San Simeon before dark I can’t say I really lingered to appreciate the views. Fortunately, about 30 km short of San Simeon, I broke out of the fog, spectacular blue skies and a sparkling sea in its place.

Arrived at San Simeon just in time, a sun setting over the Pacific, a hundred grunting Northern Elephant Seals plastered across the beach, the massive males sparring, younger animals shuffling to get out of the way.

Nice end to the day, I motored back towards Monterey, camping somewhere near the Big Sur, hopefully no fog the next day.
 
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I have no words mate.....please tell me someone video'd you and it's on YouTube....????!!!! Absolutely brilliant and mad all in one!!
 
3 July. Monterey Bay & West Pinnacles.


Day of my first venture onto the Pacific Ocean for this trip, a morning in Monterey Bay aboard a whale-watching boat. Fog at dawn was a little disheartening, but as we sailed out from dock, honking Californian Sea Lions alongside, it was to a glorious backdrop of blue skies and a sparkling sea. It didn’t last long! Pigeon Guillemots at the harbour’s edge, Western and Heermann’s Gulls drifting about, but ahead an ominous bank of fog waiting to swallow us up.


And so we sailed into it, visibility rapidly dropping off and my hopes of big whales and super seabirds fading equally rapidly. As it turned out however, it was not so bad – Sooty Shearwaters were already milling through the fog, the ghostly shapes sweeping past the boat in droves, a few Common Murres on the water and fog periodically lifting to reveal expanses of sea. In previous days, a number of Blue Whales had been feeding at the edge of the continental shelf some miles south, a mouth-watering incentive to push on through the fog. As we headed that way, the number of seabirds began to climb significantly, the Sooty Shearwaters now in their thousands, a few Pink-footed Shearwaters amongst them. Then the heavyweights – four most resplendent Black-footed Albatrosses cruising aside the boat, drifting in and out of the mist, super birds. And then a little miracle – just as we reached the designated spot, we happened upon a curious hole in the fog, a patch of blue sky and good visibility. And there were, whales ahoy! Not just a couple of whales, but loads of them! And stonking great giant ones at that, a pod of 12 Blue Whales lunge-feeding at the surface, unbelievable! For the next half hour, we just sat there, the world’s biggest creatures all around us, massive gaping mouths assaulting surface shoals of krill, a show indeed. And just for good measure, two Humpback Whales too, plus oodles of seabirds snapping up food around the whales. Sooty Shearwater a ’plenty, but also a few most welcome guests joining the party – 12 Cassin’s Auklets in the immediate vicinity, one Rhinoceros Auklet flying past and, a totally unexpected addition, two Scripp’s Murrelets, the latter a new species for me.


Ah, it was time to head back to land, back through the fog to sunny Monterey. One South Polar Skua, one Red-necked Phalarope, several Brown Pelicans and two Caspian Terns, and then we were in port. Not a bad morning on the water!


For after-sea adventures, I spent a while at Moss Landing, a small inlet a few miles north of Monterey – a selection of early returning waders, including Marbled Godwits and Long-billed Curlews, but better were the mammals present – a mega raft of 70 Sea Otters all floating on their back, plus about 50 Harbour Seals on the sand bank adjacent. Nearby scrub also revealed a Brush Rabbit.

Then inland again, destination for the evening Pinnacles National Monument ...
 
PS. at current moment, I'm sat by the road about 160 km south of Fairbanks, nine Grizzlies yesterday and, as I type, Grey Jays and American Red Squirrels alongside. Ahead, the challenge of the trip awaits, the Dalton Highway, reckon I'll be at the southern end tomorrow ...and then it's hundreds of kilometres of nothingness all the way to the Arctic Ocean. Reckon I need a bit of luck...
 
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