Date: 4/17/26 1:11 pm From: Ronald- Thorn via groups.io <Tronthorn...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pigeon Pt. seawatch 4/14
I did a seawatch from Pigeon Point on the 14th. Conditions were good for viewing with a high overcast and a wind at WNW 8-12 mph. Here is a list of what was noted in just under a four hour seawatch. A number of fishing boats were just under the horizon drawing in ( 8 ) Sooty Shearwaters and the first I have noted this spring ( 3 ) Pink-footed Shearwaters.Northbound were ( 112 ) Red-throated Loons, ( 263 ) Common Loons, ( 232 ) Pacific Loons, ( 776 ) Brown Pelicans, ( 870 ) Brandt's Cormorants, ( 6 ) Western Sandpipers, ( 10 )Bonaparte's Gulls, ( 1 ) Short-billed Gull, ( 46 ) California Gulls, ( 1 ) Herring Gull, ( 94 ) Western Gulls, ( 19 ) Elegant Terns, ( 8 ) Pigeon Guillemots and ( 17 ) Rhinoceros Auklets.Putting on the show was very large number of Common Murres. A large raft of Common Murres were close to shore north of the lighthouse. There was a steady pulse of CommonMurres pasting behind the rock off of the lighthouse. Many were joining the ones on the water. Other Common Murres in groups heading south that were further out. The CommonMurre activity had slowed down very little at the time when I had departed. A rough estimate of ( 20,300 ) Common Murres were noted. The plowed field behind me had a large group of Band-tailed Pigeons coming in. I was surprised when most of the group flew over the lighthouse and out over the ocean. There were about ( 400 ) in the group. Flushed by a Peregrine Falcon. A first on my Pigeon Point seawatch list of Band-tailed Pigeons over the ocean!
Ron Thorn
