It's True. All of it.

Rumors are to be believed. Rob Rockly and Don Mastwell are heading back out to the Farallones. Rob's trip was cut short by a pesky eyeball infection(?), resulting in some Seriously Missed Birds, but the pain was more obtuse than it could have been.

If rumors suggest that I am already on The Island, those rumors are Lies.

Rumors that I have unfinished business, however, are true. I do have unfinished business. Here you will find business, finished. The final blog of the 2015 season.

First order of business:

107.04	101.1
SCI	SEFI

Alas, it is true. The Stahlian Hordes were able to surge to victory in the great Battle of El Niño. However, a rematch has been ordered and will commence Saturday, 24 September, upon the arrival of Don and Rob on The Island.

Here, now, are your eight missing portraits from 2015. 

[Portait #1 is the new frontispiece of the blog (look up there ^)]

A traditional portrait of a traditional man

This is a Pelagic Cormorant. Contrary to unpopular belief, this is not a snake.

This must be one of the least disappointed bird species that ends up on SEFI, the lovely Rock Wren. Please, friend, inform the Canyon Wrens of our stony bounty.

"Bloody Mary Bloody Mary Bloody Mary" The smaller of these two Elephant Seals (bottom) took a grazing bite from a shark--it was a shallow wound and likely healed right up.

"Hello"

Red-breasted Nuthatches are probably somewhat more disappointed than Rock Wrens. Few things to hatch.

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)

Who needs enemies...

   Good evening dear readers--and welcome back to the land of TPAD.

   Rob Rockly has arrived safely on Southeast Farallon Island (hereafter, SEFI) after an uneventful trip under the Golden Gate and a much-better-than-expected sail (forecast 7-9 feet at 8 seconds and 20-30 knot winds...less-than-pleasant).  He is accompanied by the inimitable James "El Jefe" Tietz, Laurel Ann "Boo" Curry, Jonathan "The Shoe" Shore and Coulter "Coltrane" Cook.  They were met on the island by the outgoing seabird crew and will be joined for the first three weeks by Eva "The Pollard" Gruber.

This is a Tufted Puffin.  The first few weeks of the Fall crew are blessed by the constant presence of these wonderful creatures--and the population on SEFI is increasing.  This is objectively good news as no one wants fewer Puffins.  No one.

   Day 0.5 and 1.0 are now over (I'm writing this on day 2.5, don't tell, thanks) and have been busy getting things ordered, organized, and ready for the waves of migrants which are surely in our future. The species list is low but is slowly crawling upwards and onwards--the first land-bird spotted was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (not a common bird on the island, ~60th record) followed by Bullock's Oriole and Lark Sparrow.  The slow trickle, God willing, will burst forth into a deluge over the coming weeks.

"I want a mustache."

   WHICH BRINGS US TO: The Battle of 2015.  An unexpected declaration of war was made by various inhabitants of an island to the south.  Emperor Stahl of San Clemente Island sent a carefully worded diplomatic dispatch that read, more or less,

"San Clemente Island will rise to claim the Crown of Fall Migration.  Let the battle begin!"

What does this mean?  It means that the two island crews will tally their respective daily lists and see who comes out on top.  Updates will be posted (along with the usual eBird checklists) on each blog post (Current score: 31:32, SEFI in the lead).

A final note: the posts this year might come out the day after actual events.  It is too difficult (usually) to get posts out at a reasonable hour at the end of a long day.  All of this is done with The Readership's best interests at heart.

I will leave you with further Puffin.  Things could be worse. Much worse.

Quality vs. Quantity

Today's conditions were excellent--but produced very low numbers of birds.  However, the birds that were produced were excellent; Prairie Warbler, Ovenbird, Bay-breasted Warbler, and a smattering of others.  Light winds and high overcast continue, as they have for over 90% of my stay--and tomorrow promises more of the same.

Note, dear readers, that my time on the island dwindles.  My boat for the mainland departs in a mere 7 days.  Let us hope for a final week that is filled with wonderful portrait subjects.

This Bay-breasted Warbler showed up at the lighthouse and spent most of its time hiding at the bottom of Owl Chute--here it is seen cooperating with the portraitist.

This Prairie Warbler was a tag team spot by Don and Rob.  Good work, guys.  Here it is, acting coy.  I hope that it's here tomorrow and allows for some better portraits.

And, finally, today's eBird checklist.

Kites, Kestrels, and Shark Watch

We started shark watch today--the daily 8-hour vigil begins.  During the first watch, we had the following fly past the lighthouse over a half-hour period:  7 Lesser Goldfinches, an American Kestrel, and a White-tailed Kite.  Excellent shark watching.

This is my first art photograph: a Western Wood-Pewee taken through Jim's bedroom window.  The screen gave the photo a soft look and I decided to roll with it.  Plus, there have been fewer portrait subjects as of late.

This Lark Bunting was flushed off of the marine terrace by one Rob Rockly.  Snowden got a lifer; Rockly got a county bird.  Take that, Pereksta.