Day One - Sunday 28th March
Pacific Coast - Todos Santos Island
We headed out towards Todos Santos Island. On the way we found a group of 300 Long-beaked Common Dolphins. They were feeding on small anchovies which the dolphins would chase to the surface where the Brown Pelicans, Western and Heermann’s Gulls snatched them up.
We stopped by the southeast corner of Todos Santos Island to have a look. These volcanic islands were unusually green and covered with bright yellow Coreopsis flowers, a result of recent winter rains. We managed to see a Pelagic Cormorant showing its distinctive white patches on the flanks and a pair of Black Oystercatchers. Usually, we see thousands of Western Gulls busy in their nesting activities, however the island was very quiet, most likely due to a lack of food in this
El Nino year.
Heading south, we saw a variety of sea birds including Northern Fulmar and Sooty, Black-vented and Pink-footed Shearwaters. All were
seen gliding over the sea. The sightings of Xantus’s Murrelet was especially noteworthy.
At about 11:00, we spotted a group of three Gray Whales. We followed them up swell (north) for a while watching them spout and surface as they travelled to their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. We could see the entire whale through the clean water as they came to the surface. Usually Gray Whales are found in murky coastal water and are rarely seen beneath the surface. A fourth Gray Whale came and joined the three and then moved off again.
After lunch, we came across a very large group (800 or so) of Long- beaked Common Dolphins. These animals come together in tight groups during the day to socialise and protect their young from predators.
