Feeding Frenzy and Bait Balls

Seawater temperatures have reached record levels this year.  For many years the average sea temperature on the Central Coast has been in the mid 50s.  Today the water temperature ranges somewhere between 62° - 65°.  The warmer water attracts small bait fish such as anchovies, sardines, and smelt.  When the fish are threatened they form into a tightly packed spherical formation, the bait ball. 

For the last few weeks, feeding frenzies have become a frequent occurrence on the Central Coast.  Elegant and Royal Tern, Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Shearwaters by the thousands, Gulls, and the 40 - 50 ft. Humpback Whale are the feeders in the frenzy. 

Pelicans and terns dive from above.  The Pelicans scoop up a mouthful; Terns take only one fish.  Cormorant's and Shearwater's dive for fish. Humpback's with their huge mouths open lunge through the bait ball to the surface, gathering thousands of fish and sometimes a careless pelican into their giant maw.  Meanwhile, Gulls are after the leftovers and what ever they can steal out of the mouths of Pelicans.     (Photos by Mike Baird)

 A word of caution - Getting too close may be hazardous to your health.   Humpbacks weigh about 70,000 lbs. 

ADVENTURE ON THE CENTRAL COAST

The most exciting event of the week were Whales lunge feeding at Pismo. Photo by Mike Baird. I am also including a link to Mike's slide show on the Humpback Whales feeding at Pismo.

There are thousands of birds feeding at the same time as the whales. Pelicans are diving into the water as the whales lunge up. Unfortunately, many a Brown Pelican has gone down the gaping maw of a voracious Whale. I viewed the feeding phenomena from the Pismo Pier a few days a go.
http://www.flickr.com//photos/mikebaird/sets/72157631200845758/show/

Today, from Morro Rock, observed more of this fascinating feeding behavior. The whales and birds were feeding on bait balls, which are huge masses of bait fish packed into a globular mass. I do believe there were trillions of birds, Cormorant, Pelican, Sooty Shearwater, Gull, feeding along with three whales. The action was taking place on the Montana de Oro side of the breakwater, but was able to get an excellent view with binoculars.

Back to birding - Red-necked Phalarope has returned to the Turri Rd. ponds. There were about 40 or so spinning so fast it nearly made me dizzy. Churning up the water brings their microscopic food to the surface.
Tide was just right to see a variety of birds at the Audubon Overlook - Virginia Rail, 6 Greater Yellowleg, Dowitcher, and a very difficult bird for me to identify, Baird's Sandpiper; there were three, two immature and an adult. I spent at least an hour identifying them as they look so much like Western Sandpiper. Nearly forgot about the Spotted Sandpiper at the Morro Bay Marina. Every year one adorable Spotted Sandpiper takes up residence at the marina - was delighted to see it had returned.