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FARALLONATHON BEGINS

Two days ago we began our annual Farallonathon. The Farallonathon is similar to a Bird-a-thon, but on the Farallon Islands, we do things a little different. Instead of counting just species of birds, we count all of the animals we encounter including birds, fish, marine mammals, insects, and any other wildlife we find. We even

Mini Migrant Wave and Fog

Here on Southeast Farallon Island during the fall songbird monitoring season, weather determines much of what we do because of the way in which it affects songbird migration. Based on work done by Pyle et al. (Condor 1993), migrating birds arriving at Southeast Farallon Island are strongly influenced by local weather conditions. During much of

The Fall Begins!!!

The transition from the Summer Seabird breeding season to the Fall migration period always comes during the second half of August. With the field crew change, so too do changes come over the Island. The breeding birds are finishing up their nesting activity, while seal pups born in June and July are quickly gaining weight.

Delving into the Gull JuJu Archives…

Here on the Island, we’ve noticed that the Western Gulls have a particularly unique and fascinating taste for edible-looking things and nest decorations. When walking through gull territories, one will often notice a collection of rib bones, regurgitated bits of plastic trash and other such goodies, brought back lovingly from the mainland, some 30 miles

Whale Town

Last week the clouds lifted for a few days allowing us a glimpse of life off the island. Not only could we see civilization on the mainland, but other marine life was suddenly visible. The most prominant visitors we had were the Humpback Whales. Two Humpbacks near the Farallones These whales are well known for

Baby Chicks = Diet Watch/Collection

There is nothing more exciting than cute little baby chicks! Right?!? Right!!!! Three species that have already fledged some chicks are the Common Murre, the Cassin’s Auklet, and the Pigeon Guillemot. The Rhinocerous Auklets haven’t fledged their chicks quite yet, but are getting close! adult Common Murre in breeding (summer) plumage adult Pigeon Guillemots in

Island Dreams

The Farallones is a very intense place. When you first arrive out here, you are surrounded by sights, sounds, and some choice smells that most people have never experienced. After a hard day of fieldwork, people tend to have some pretty elaborate dreams, most of them about the island in some fashion. For the past

The darker side…

Common Murre with a fresh egg Not too long ago, it felt like Easter. Eggs were popping up all over the place – Western Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots, Ashy Storm Petrels, Common Murres, Brandt’s Cormorants, Cassin’s Auklets, and Rhinoceros Auklets – just about all the birds on the island. It’s so contagious that even the Farallon

Walk this Way – for Storm Petrel Wings

Every five days on Southeast Farallon, an overworked and windblown (but well fed) intern has to undertake the burden of what is euphemistically named the “Ashy Wing Walk.” This falsely conjures up images of a casual stroll while marveling at the flutter of wings as storm petrels dance like fairies around your head. If only.

Another new breeding species on the Farallones!

California Gull on the nest Over the last few seasons we have seen an influx of new breeding species on the island (or at least a return of some species that had not bred here in a very long time). First were California Gulls, which suddenly started breeding on SEFI during 2008. This was not

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