San Juan Islands

One of the world's most beautiful gulls is a September visitor to the San Juan Islands. On our farewell evening cruise out of Friday Harbor into San Juan Channel, we watched numerous Heermann's gulls flying about the ship and squabbling in raucous feeding frenzies. Heermann's are a dark gull with white contrasts and a bright red beak. They are a highlight of our Whales and Wildlife voyage during April in Baja when we visit their breeding colony on Isla Rasa, where nearly their entire population nests. After breeding is over, Heermann's gulls disperse north as far as Vancouver Island and the San Juans where they stay for about three weeks in September before heading back down south. Seeing these friends from the south at the conclusion of our northwest voyage sparked some anticipation of voyages yet to come.