June 15th

The Vanguard at berth Oxnard Harbor

ANACAPA Island Revisited

A day out with James and Tracey. Laurie van Stee was also on the Island Packers tour. She was working as crew on the Vanguard and she had organized for us complimentary tickets. Bart Francis, a volunteer naturalist, was the chief guide on the island.
Opposite the marina berth from which we set off was a small colony of Great Blue heron. At least three nests were visible in the crown of a pine or cypresses and two nests had two large nestlings apiece. On the way out we passed through a feeding frenzy of Brown Pelican and Double-crested Cormorants with a few Western Gulls working over a large scattered group of 100+ dolphins.

Dolphin riding a wave

Tracey and James

Distant view of Anacapa from the north

Brown Pelicans loafing on rocks at the cliff base

Part of small colony of Brandt's Cormorant.
Note the blue faces not shown in field guides -at least not in Sibley!

Distant Pigeon Guillemot - traveling fast

The landing on Anacapa

Getting off the boat across the stern
The Vanguard departs
James at a colourful poster
The stairway up to the top of the island
Arriving on the main plateau
Rangers quarters
Lunchtime outside the Visitors Center (sic)
Benches in front of the visitors 'center'
The old lighthouse.
A very loud fog horn blasts away constantly -
irrespective of visibility!
View west from near the lighthouse
Heading west across the plateau of the island
Central area of the island looking north.
Here is the only campsite
Northern cliffs above the seals - looking west
South side of the island looking west
Steep slopes and ridges at the western end of the island

The Western Gulls had chicks, many now well grown downies. Our best vagrant find was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a possible Ovenbird was seen briefly by Laurie shortly after we had re-located the grosbeak moments before we had to scurry off to meet the boat for our return to Oxnard.

Splendid male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Orange-crowned Warbler - numerous on Anacapa

Some Brandt's Cormorants with spectacular blue faces were seen on the north side of Anacapa. We spotted these, in a small colony of about 30 birds, as we cruised along the the cliffs just before arrival. A few Pigeon Guillemot were seen and three Surf Scoter that appeared to be sub-adult males or males already loosing alternate plumage. There were large numbers of Brown Pelican and several good sized groups of Californian Sea-lions. However, without doubt the day was mainly taken up by noisy gulls!

Noisy adults including a flagstaff sentinel!

Various downy chicks and sitting adults
Most broods were of three chicks

Mites around the eyes perhaps?

A fight that started with three adults
Seems to me that there is a great danger of eye injury in this sort of encounter
Triumphant!

The eye of the gull!

Brown Pelican

Noisy bull Californian Sea-Lion guarding harem

Californian Sea-lions loafing in the kelp

About half way back on the return trip to Oxnard harbour we saw a Blue Whale but only at a distance and mainly as a clear view of the tail fluke as it sounded It was an overcast but pleasant day with light winds and hardly any swell.

Looking up at the old and new light.
The one on the left is the automtic system now in operation

East end of the island as seen from the sea

The remarkable arch rock off the east end of the island.
Viewed in calm conditions!

Tail fluke of the Blue Whale

Sub-adult Brown Pelican