Here are some Gulf of the Farallones observations from this Fall from Rich Stallcup and me:

The coastal migration of Red-necked Phalaropes takes place offshore. This fall, the were scarce on our pelagic surveys and abundant onshore at every estero, pond, and cow tank west of the coast ranges. Red Phalaropes are generally later than RNPH and the first few are turning up, also onshore.

95% of central California's nesting swallows (5 species) departed 3-5 WEEKS earlier than normal. Barns, Cliffs, and Purple Martins -- the ones with farthest to go -- bailed earliest.

Magnificent Frigatebirds were NOT an unusual presence along the California coast. Only 6-8 records, probably fewer individuals. Normal.

The NOAA Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Beach Watch volunteers did not find unusual mortality in Common murres or, as predicted (by me) Cassin's Auklets. (See Michelle Hester's report for 27 August .) Most departed the central California shelf waters.

We saw a 6-foot leatherback at Cordell Bank on 31 August. Skipper Roger Garcia told me he had seen "several" there during August but none since. -Rich Stallcup

On a Rich Stallcup pelagic trip October 4, we saw concentrations of Black-vented Shearwaters in the hundreds between Bodega Head and Cordell Bank, concentrations typical of Falls with warm water. -- Burr Heneman burr@igc.org
Back to The 1997 El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)