Field Trip: Bodega Pelagic Trip

Date: Sunday December 04, 2022

Time: 7:00 AM

Captain Rick Powers is offering a late Fall Pelagic Trip out of Bodega Bay on his 65 foot boat, The New Sea Angler. The planned route is to head Northwest to Bodega Canyon (Sonoma Co.) and sail down along the Cordell Banks (Marin Co.) before returning to port. (NSAS Event)

Details:

Leader: Mark & Lucas Stephenson

Description: Lucas and I are coordinating with Captain Rick Powers to organize a late Fall Pelagic trip out of Bodega Bay on his 65 foot boat, the New Sea Angler. He was willing to stop crab fishing for a day and reserve Sunday, December 4th for a Pelagic trip that would take off from Porto Bodega in search of late Fall sea birds. The planned route is to head Northwest to Bodega Canyon (Sonoma Co.) and sail down along the Cordell Banks (Marin Co.) before returning to port. Many groups used to take trips at this time of year, but weather often forced them to cancel. In recent years, December has seen some mild weather making the prospect of this trip a possibility. As you know, the numbers of sea birds will be fewer in the Late Fall, as large numbers of early migrating sea birds have already passed through our area. However there are many less common species that may be seen at this date making the prospect of this trip exciting! Possible birds that may be seen in late Fall include: Flesh-footed, Manx, and Short-tailed Shearwaters along with strangling Sooty, Buller’s and Pink-footed Shearwaters; Parasitic & Pomarine Jaegers and South Polar Skuas; Rhino & Cassin's Auklets and possible Parakeet Auklets; Marbled and Ancient Murrelets along with possible Long-billed Murrelets; Tufted and possibly Horned Puffins; Black-footed and Laysan Albatrosses along with possible Short-tailed Albatrosses, and even the possibility of a Mottled Petrel to name a few. On October's Trip with Redwood Regional Ornithological Society we were treated to both Scripp's & Guadalupe Murrelets! We also expect to see many sea mammals including Gray, Blue, Fin, Orcas and Humpback Whales, Risso’s & White-sided Dolphins, Harbor & Dall’s Porpoise, and other sea mammals that will make the trip memorable. Taking Bonine or wearing a prescribed "patch" is highly recommended to ward off Sea-sickness.

Directions: Reservations must be made by November 1st and the trip will have a limit of 34 participants. Participants will be selected on a First-come, First-served Basis. Contact: Mark Stephenson at NapaBirder@gmail.com Cell: 707-246-2795

Cost: $175

Make Checks Payable to: Lucas Stephenson

Mail to: 4106 Salmon Creek Lane, Napa, CA 94558

If the trip is canceled due to poor weather or rough seas, a full refund will be given.

submitted on October 24, 2022, at 01:46 PM PST

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