Everyone was up reasonably early for the thirty minute or so drive back along the Pacific Coast Highway to Ventura, where we were to get our boat to Prisoner’s Harbour, Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands.
Arriving in plenty of time we had coffee and checked to see if there was anything more interesting than Great-tailed Grackles (there wasn’t) whilst we drank coffee, before boarding the boat at around 9:30am.
The journey across was superb, with the following species being recorded:
Western Grebe
Pink-footed Shearwater x 100+
Sooty Shearwater x 1000+
Black-vented Shearwater x 3
Brown Pelican
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Peregrine Falcon (just outside Ventura harbour)
Willet – on the shore leaving Ventura
Whimbrel – on the shore leaving Ventura
Red-necked Phalarope x c.200
Pomeraine Skua – single bird
Heermann's Gull
Western Gull
Elegant Tern
Murrelet sp. – flying away from boat unfortunately
Pigeon Guillemot
California Sealion
Harbour Seal
Common Dolphin
Killer Whale (!)
Harbour Porpoise
Humpback Whale (!)
Sunfish
Once upon the island we listened to a talk before deciding to explore the area around the harbour ourselves rather than go on the guided walk. A good choice as Island Scrub-jay was quickly found and Island Fox a few moments later. The first Jay we found was actually ringed (white above green on right leg) and the details of it have been sent.
Having several hours to spend we birded and hiked, seeing the following new or good birds:
Allen's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Warbling Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Bullock's Oriole
Purple Finch
The journey back was nowhere near as exciting with little seen (no idea why) but we’d had a very good day. It was then a case of driving back to Santa Barba for the pool and a sea-food dinner on the pier.
23 August 2012
Sooty Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Black-vented Shearwater, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Western Grebe, Peregrine Falcon, Whimbrel, Willet, Red-necked Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, Elegant Tern, Pigeon Guillemot, Barn Swallow
Santa Cruz Island (Prisoners)
23 August 2012
Brandt's Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Western Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Warbling Vireo, Common Raven, Island Scrub-Jay, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Lesser Goldfinch, Purple Finch, House Finch, Spotted Towhee, Western Tanager, Bullock's Oriole, Orange-crowned Warbler
