10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2015

Offshore Sea Life ID Guide: West Coast is designed to be a quick, handy resource for use on whale watching and one-day pelagic trips. Tail, fin, blow, and back for whales; fin, back, leaping whole body, and tail splashes for dolphins and porpoises. We saw two Blue Whales on our trip, quickly identified by the boat’s crew.

Dolphins 162

Dolphins Whales Whaling Porpoises 162

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

Yes, the same Kaikoura I keep banging on about that is a great place to see albatrosses. This is one of the smallest dolphin species in the world, not much bigger than the common Harbour Porpoise Americans might be familiar with. We set out with Black Cat Cruises to see these diminutive dolphins and to have a swim with them.

Dolphins 154

Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 154

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2012

Soon afterwards a confident shout heralds the sighting of the first albatross of the day… This is usually a Shy Albatross as sweeps in slow and graceful flight over the wake before veering away on motionless wings giving all the opportunity to see the characteristic axillary ‘thumb-print’ on the mainly white underwing.

Albatross 177

Albatross Penguins Dolphins Whales 177

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

But what I have long wanted to do is get out on a boat in California, the fabled land of albatrosses, murrelets, and auklets. I’ve been on a whale-watching trip in Orange County , twice gone out to Santa Cruz Island , and even visited Protection Island off the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Black-footed Albatross (LIFER!!!!!!)

Whales 108

Whales Whaling Albatross Dolphins 108