[CINC] Mola mola

[Marty Flam]

Fellow CINCers, 
 
Speaking of that fish some say is so big you've got to repeat it's name (mola x 2), a unique sighting for me, with the help of some observant hikers, 
 
about noon Friday, Aug. 26 from Cavern Point bluff overlook on East Santa Cruz Island, through binoculars:   
 
an assortment of birds plus a pinniped feeding on  the flesh of a big fish, possibly a Mola mola; and a few meters away, 
 
western gulls picking stuff (presumably parasites) off the top of an apparently healthy cooperating Mola mola.
 
Marty 
 
PS Mola is apparenlty Latin for millstone it's said to resemble.

From: Barbara Hilburn <hilburndesigns at gmail.com>
To: Channel_islands_naturalist_corps at rain.org
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2011 10:58 AM
Subject: [CINC] Fwd: Condor, August, 22, Monday


The correct date for this report should have been August 22, 2011.  Sorry.

Barbara Hilburn



Begin forwarded message:

From: Barbara Hilburn <hilburndesigns at gmail.com>
>
>Date: August 23, 2011 9:22:58 AM PDT
>
>To: Channel_islands_naturalist_corps at rain.org
>
>Subject: Condor, June 22, Monday
>
>
>
>
>Sightings:
>700 common dolphins
>1 blue whale
>6 mola mola fish (Pacific sun fish)  
>>
>sea lions
>
>>
>
>>
>Naturalists:
>>
>Don G.
>>
>Dino D-- PID
>>
>Barbara H.
>>
>
>>
>Crew:
>>
>Capt. Mat
>>
>Dave
>>
>Matt
>>
>
>>
>
>Details:
>>
>
>>
>Bumpy ride with three to four foot seas, wind, and foggy sky almost obscuring Islands. High spray forced passengers inside for a time.  Boat full of passengers,
>including those from France, Germany, U.K., Canada, New York and Baltimore.  Headed out to San Miguel, no whales.  Turned east and found one blue whale
>in the gap between S. Rosa and S. Cruz.  Followed whale eastward for an hour and Dino was able to get ID photos.  Passengers much relieved upon sighting
>whale.
>
>>
>Barbara Hilburn
>>
>
>

_______________________________________________
Channel_islands_naturalist_corps mailing list
Channel_islands_naturalist_corps at rain.org
http://www.rain.org/mailman/listinfo/channel_islands_naturalist_corps
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.rain.org/pipermail/channel_islands_naturalist_corps/attachments/20110827/0ca076f9/attachment.html>