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Whales and Birds
Tour
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The Great Whales Tours - San Ignacio Lagoon and Baja California In 1978 a Gray Whale approached Art Taylor's boat in San Ignacio Lagoon. Instead of retreating, Art found that the creature's inquisitive nature led it to play among the small skiffs attached to the rear. Art was able to pet the whale as he looked closely into its eye - first contact was made. This incredible act led Art to return with others who also enjoyed the same closeness, and he has been visiting the whales annually ever since.
Art's trips give such good views of whales without disturbing them that we want you to share the unique experience that Laguna San Ignacio and Baja has to offer. The whales are free to decide whether they want approach our boats, and time after time people have been astounded by their encounters with these giants. Although adjacent to a major industrial nation, Mexico's Baja California, is one of the remotest places on earth, with an ecosystem that parallels that of Galapagos. Due to its remoteness, it is one of the few places to retain safe havens for whales and healthy populations exist in its surrounding waters. At least 20 species of cetacean have been recorded in the areas we visit, and it is possible to see in excess of a dozen of them during a two-week trip. The massive, Blue, acrobatic Humpback and confiding Gray Whales will be the main targets of this journey, but other species are possible.
Large gatherings of dolphins indulging in coordinated attacks on the Yellow-finned Tuna, often bow ride with us; groups in excess of 150 are not unusual. Baja is rich in other wildlife and four species of seal can be seen, including Elephant and the rare Guadalupe Fur. As this is a Bird Holidays trip, the birds will not be ignored, and as well as looking for pelagic species such as Shearwaters and Murrelets, we will land on islands and isolated parts of the peninsula to track down Baja's special birds; several found nowhere else in the world. There are surprises on every voyage, from turtles and sunfish to sharks and jumping rays. We will not be wasting time by making excursions from a land-based location, 8 nights will be spent relaxing on board our ship, the Searcher. One of the few vessels with special authorisation to enter San Ignacio Lagoon, a World Heritage site. After the cruise there is time to seek out more of Baja California's unique birds.
Sites and Wildlife - Cruising the Baja Peninsula This is a typical Itinerary, but varies each year so please contact us for updated information. The Searcher will be in the harbour, a ten minute ride from the airport and we will board ship for the start of our nine day cruise itinerary. After settling in we will depart San Diego late evening to stop briefly at Ensinada the next morning to clear Mexican Customs. Where else can you look for Western Grebe and Royal Terns while being issued with a visa? We then cruise along the Todos Santos Islands to view nesting sea birds, such as Brandt's Cormorant, Western Gull and the elusive Black Oystercatcher. Harbour Seals also give birth here. We spend the afternoon whalewatching for migrating Gray Whales, dolphins, and sea birds such as Xantus Murrelet and Cassin's Auklet on board Searcher. On Islas San Benito we hike to an old lighthouse and observe the Elephant Seals crowded in each cove. It is breeding season and jousting males, nursing pups, and resting females make for wonderful photography. With luck we may find some endangered Guadalupe Fur Seals nearby and Californian Sealions may also be sun bathing, our fourth seal species. We'll observe nesting birds, such as Osprey and Raven; the latter take nectar from the unique desert plants. An endemic race of Savannah Sparrow occurs only on this island, and we hope to see several. Having entered Laguna San Ignacio through a narrow entrance where Surf Scoters ride the waves, we anchor among the Gray Whales! We spend the next two days in this sheltered lagoon, whalewatching and birdwatching from smaller boats. A large population of Gray Whales spend the winter here and it is possible to see over well 50 animals. These confiding leviathan often approach to enable us to see eye-to-eye with them.
The females will be caring for their young which are protected in the lagoon from the Killer Whales that refuse to enter the lagoon. It is a never forgotten experience to marvel at the power and grace of breaching and spyhopping whales. Birds are not neglected as we find time to explore pristine beaches and the mangrove channels. We will endeavor to find the shy Clapper Rail and endemic Mangrove Yellow Warbler. Many wildfowl and shorebirds winter in this area, Marbled Godwit, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Surf Scoter, Black Brant, Great Northern Diver, Brown Pelican and Reddish Egret are just a few of those we hope to see. Moving to the famous Bahía Magdalena (Magdalena Bay), we spend more time with gray whales in a different setting, a much larger lagoon with spectacular scenery. The area is also famous for attracting the enormous Blue Whale, the largest creature on earth. Other whale species also occur here and we should see large gatherings of dolphins. They jostle for position at the front of the boat and we will look down onto these most playful of creatures as they ride with us. Seabirds in the area may include Pink-footed and Black-vented Shearwaters, Pomarine Skua, Heerman's and Sabine's Gull or Magnificent Frigatebirds.
Entering the mouth of the Sea of Cortez, the area is famous for the groups of Humpback Whales that spend time at Gorda Banks. Humpback whales may be the most acrobatic of whales, breaching, spyhopping, and lunging which are spectacular to observe and photograph. We will still be watchful for seabirds and a tropicbird or albatross is always a good possibility in these rich waters. This is also the best are to look for Black Petrel and Craveri's Murrelet. We will stop at the Los Frailes area for a walk among chaparral habitat that contains desert birds. These can include Phainopepla, Verdin, Cactus Wren and the endemic Gray Thrasher. Any hummingbird will be checked for the endemic Xantus Hummingbird, while the range of species could include Bullock's Oriole, Loggerhead Shrike, Orange-crowned Warbler and Gila Woodpecker. Yellow-footed Gull, another Baja Endemic can also occur here.
Baja and San Diego Disembarking Searcher in Cabo San Lucas the next morning, it will be a shock that 9 days on a boat can be so short. We take a short ride to Cabo San Jose to check the estuary for birds. Birds seen here previously, has included Chestnut Collared Seedeater, Hooded Oriole and the endemic Belding's Yellowthroat. The next day we drive to La Paz, and if time allows we will look for Road Runner, Caracara and other desert birds on route. At La Paz we take a short flight to the border, where we go through US customs and take a taxi to our Hotel in San Diego. San Diego offers perhaps the best urban birding in the world, large reserves such as the Tijhuana Estuary or Mission Bay Park present us with many new species, such as Bushtit, Anna's Hummingbird, Horned Lark, Elegant Tern, Song Sparrow, California Towhee, Oregon Junco, Black Phoebe and the endemic Belding's Savannah Sparrow. There are always good numbers of waders, waterfowl, herons and gulls, so plenty to see. Deeper into the Sea of Cortez - an alternative extended cruise If our tour is a twelve day cruise, we venture north into the Sea of Cortez for additional days in search of more cetaceans and birds. Sperm Whales are particularly numerous here and transient Orcas hunt for seals. Hiking ashore in this breathtaking landscape, we are able to spend time looking for the endemic birds, reptiles and plants that make this place so unique.
During the cruise, birdwatching on the Pacific Islands and on the Baja Peninsula will be led by a Bird Holidays guide or on-board naturalist, however participants are often free to explore and photograph at will. This service may not be available if traveling independently, or if numbers do not permit. Please let us know if this is important to you.
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