New Trip Reports: Three Easy Mammalwatching Destinations (Monterey Bay, Fraser’s Hill & Queensland’s Dugongs)
Here is a report – a first report I think – from Michael Johnson.
Monterey Bay, Fraser’s Hill & Queensland’s Dugongs: Michael Johnson’s 2019 report of three easy to access mammaling spots.
Jon
4 Comments
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Michael Johnson
I did the trip in late August, 24th August to be precise, so it sounds as if I might have been very lucky with the Sabine’s gull. The two things I think are unique about this trip is that it was a 12 hour trip with a very small number of passengers. I couldn’t find anything similar with any other company.
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Murray Lord
For anyone looking for Dugongs north of Brisbane, a cheaper option is this morning tea tour in the Pumicestone Passage near Bribie Island: https://www.ferryman.com.au/cruises/morning-tea-cruise/ When I did it a couple of years ago we saw several, and the crew told me they see them most days they go out.
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CharlesHood
Thank you for sharing this. For Monterey, it is of course a must-do site for birding, so the “start-stop” dates for species there are well known. (The eBird list for Monterey has 499 species on it.) Sabine’s Gull for example is a rare fall migrant, while the more expected Black-footed Albatross starts in early summer and generally carries on into early October. Vivek Menon and I missed albatross this year on an early November boat; earlier in the season you might even see one from shore. Your trip had the expected range of seabirds for mid-fall, but I just want to caution those who don’t bird California often that the bird list is highly seasonal. You have a chance for Sabine’s Gull more or less just one month out of the year and the other 11 months… not. And last, for whales, I do want to recommend Monterey Bay Whale Watch as first among equals. For seabird trips, also look at the trips run by Alvaro Jaramillo (“Alvaro’s Adventures”). / Charles Hood