Been away from the computer and late to all the discussions, but just
wanted to add a thought or two about Cape Blanco. Colin Dillingham and
Tim Rodenkirk and ourselves had done some seawatches from the point of
Blanco when we used to band passerines there. As Alan pointed out, the
public has no access to the tip, so simply put you can't get out there
if you wanted to. But furthermore there are a lot of rocky shoals off
shore and the birds that do pass are rather far out, so even though you
are up high and it sticks out very far, the conditions for good viewing
are limited. In my experience birds pass closer to Cape Arago, but
then again, I haven't spent a whole lot of time at Blanco besides a few
days during fall.
Cheers
Dave Lauten
On 11/3/2015 10:36 AM, Alan Contreras wrote:
The problem with Blanco as a fall seawatch location is that the last quarter-mile of the point is inaccessible, somewhat higher than the “saddle” and half-covered with trees. If the “tourist station” out there isn’t open, you can’t get even that close to the end. Thus the seawatch is from the saddle and is basically limited to a partial arc north or a somewhat better arc south. Also, the north view (and approach path) is partly occluded by rocks at the mouth of the Sixes River.
My impression is that it is a better place in spring with nw winds than in fall with sw winds because the view to the south is much better and there are fewer rocks in the “pocket” that the birds move into.
On the Port Orford CBC we have permission to go the end to watch, and that is somewhat better, but access is clumsy, the NW view mostly occluded by trees (there used to be a rudimentary trail through them, not sure if it is still there) and there are no safety features at all. It’s too bad that the actual tip of Blanco can’t be given to the state for a park site, it has some symbolic value as the westernmost piece of connected land in the lower 48, I think. There is an island in Washington that is further west.
Arago is better than Blanco in fall partly because of the wonderful open view from Shore Acres (a fee site). You can also hide behind the windbreak of the “view house”. I have better luck there than from the tip of the cape, but the tip is pretty good. In winter storm conditions with a typical sw wind, the north cove at Arago is partly protected by Shell Island (where the pinnipeds haul out) and can be a great place to see jaegers, gulls, alcids, Red Phals and other birds that don’t want to weather the cape or are just looking for food.
I have had good luck at the Heceta Head lighthouse in winter; I may try it this month.
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx>
On Nov 3, 2015, at 10:18 AM, Phil Pickering <philliplc@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:philliplc@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
http://s1014.photobucket.com/user/villaesc/media/Birds/2015/BB_zpsaw1phwdr.jpg.html
Great thanks Dawn. You can see how southbound
blow-ins over a large section of ocean to the N/NE could
potentially be focused by west winds right to the point -
to an even greater extent than some headlands that are
much more impressive visually. Sort of a pelagic version
of the Pt. Pelee effect.
Cape Arago is similarly situated. And of course Cape Blanco appears to be the ultimate version of this,
although I don't recall ever seeing a report of a storm
related seawatch from there. A few in fair weather.
Phil
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