Trip Report. Noyo Pelagics, 15 & 18 March, 2026
Greetings Mendobirders –
In addition to our full-day trips, dedicated more for pelagic birding, Anchor Charters also schedules impromptu whale-watching trips and educational half-day trips from time to time, at the request of local or not-so-local groups. Sometimes we birders get to come along for the ride, in return sharing what we know about the birds and other animals that we see. See the “About Our Trips” page at Noyo Pelagics for more on these trips.
We had two such trips recently. On March 15th we enjoyed a two-hour whale-watching trip with Native American tribes (including seven Pomo and one Chumash group) plus Noyo Center for Marine Science folks and a few others. The goal of the trip was to see Gray Whales, rendered as ts’im or tsimsha to different Pomo tribes and paxat (pronounced pa-ha) in Chumash. Gray Whales were revered as benevolent figures, signs of good times, and as a sustenance gift from the gods of the ocean when one washed up. We headed south along the tsimsha route and soon encountered a small group of 3-4 paxats headed northwest, which we followed at leisure and for all to enjoy. The males and non-breeding females (some with 18-month olds) are headed north now, followed soon by the mothers with their calves of this past winter.
Native American participants ready to leave the dock, Gray Whales, Parakeet Auklet, Black-footed Albatross. Photos: Peter Pyle
The weather was clear and pleasant, with light NW winds, but we could see the wind shear/whitecaps and heavier winds to the west. Much of the birding was spent watching and feeding popcorn to a flock of gulls following the boat, nine species and two hybrid combinations in all. There was good interest aboard in how to identify and age them, and many participants got introductory tips on this challenging subject. As we headed back north, a small unfamiliar alcid flushed from the water and headed northwest, away from the boat. The birder on board raised his camera and clicked away “rather hopelessly” but instead got lucky and was able to confirm a Parakeet Auklet, a species that sticks for the most part to Alaskan waters, and was only the third record for Mendocino County (eBird Checklist). As we reached our farthest point out, about 3 miles from shore, a Black-footed Albatross spotted our gull flock from the other side of the shear, where they like to be in the wind, and came over. Then, a bunch of them among the hordes out there (see below) must have spotted the one bird, and 9-10 more albatrosses quickly followed suit, to be amazed by all. A couple of them followed us all the way to the channel markers outside the harbor.
Among ten species of gulls on the two trips: first-year Heermann’s Gull, second-year California Gull, adult Bonaparte’s Gull, first-year Black-legged Kittiwake. Photos: Tim Bray and Peter Pyle.
On March 18th a biology class from the Lodi Academy high school came out for a half-day trip to Noyo Canyon. I asked, “did you come all the way from Lodi this morning?” In fact, they were staying the week at the Albion Field Station along the Albion River for a week of tide-pooling, kayaking, and bird-watching, including this pelagic trip. If you know of any school groups locally or from the Bay Area that might like to do this, check the site above to schedule a slot and contact Anchor Charters for the pelagic trip (and be sure to invite local birders and marine scientists to join!).
After several days of beautiful conditions, extra-hot inland but nice here on the coast, the fog finally rolled in that morning. We could not spot a hoped-for whale under these conditions but that did not prevent most of the class from learning a lot about upwelling, our marine ecosystem, gulls (yes!), and other seabirds. Dotting the seas were By-the-wind-sailors (Velella velella), and we bucketed one up to study up close. These organisms, related to jelly-fish, can have frontwards-S and backwards-S sails which cause each group to sail in different directions, helping toi spread the gene pool. This one had a frontwards-S sail.
Students from Lodi Academy feeding Black-footed Albatrosses popcorn and squid and studying a By-the-wind sailor that we scooped up from the ocean surface.
We put out a slick and rather quickly had 135 Black-footed Albatross around the boat, which the students enjoyed feeding popcorn and squid. One of the albatrosses was sporting some jewelry, white on red “J713,” a bird banded on Midway Atoll. This adult could well have been tending a chick on Midway, to the amazement of the class: through satellite tracking we have learned that they fly over 4000 miles to get food for their chicks, so productive are the waters off our coast in spring. The studnets and teachers also enjoyed several shearwaters, and learned to tell the difference between a white-morph Northern Fulmar and a gull.
Black-footed Albatross J713, possibly here to get food for it’s chick on Midway Atoll!. Pink-footed Shearwater, Northern Fulmar. Photos: Tim Bray and Peter Pyle.
We have a slate of full-day trips scheduled for 2026, the next one for April 4th (see the 2026 calendar at https://noyopelagics.com/). We have also just scheduled a half-day trip to Noyo Canyon on April 19th, for a marine biology class from Pacific Union College to check oiut all the albatrosses and hoplelyy see some Pterodroma petrels. There is some room on the boat for more and we have just added a sign-up button at https://noyopelagics.com/.
