The San Diego pelagic trip on Sunday, 11 Sep, aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society was…..awesome! Well, certainly three hours of it in the morning were extra awesome. Sea conditions were surprisingly pleasant, post-“Hurricane KAY,” all day. Just several miles out to sea we had a very cooperative sitting RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD that allowed us to get quite close. That was followed by two separate sub-adult Nazca Boobies. Then, as we crossed the San Diego Trough in quick succession we had a BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY circle the boat–a casual visitor to coastal California–and then a casual, light-morph WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER–the third record for San Diego County and perhaps only around ten or so records for the state–which flew around and in front of the boat for an extended period. This was a new California bird for everyone on the boat except for two folks. Not too long after that an adult Nazca Booby appeared, followed immediately by a Red-footed Booby! Later on we added a Masked/Nazca Booby (photos will be examined further) and another Nazca! Also present were Least Storm-Petrels for much of the trip, a few exceedingly close to the boat, as well as a small-to-moderate number of Townsend’s and Leach’s Storm-Petrels and one Ashy Storm-Petrel. And then to cap it all off at the very end, there was an adult male MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD circling around near the dock when we returned!! Perhaps the strangest sight of the day, in a depraved sort of way, was the flock of five Killdeer that flew past the boat several miles offshore–not your typical “pelagic” species. We also had good looks at a Guadalupe Fur Seal.

Offshore totals for the day were as follows:

KILLDEER  5  (!!!)

Red-necked Phalarope  140

Red Phalarope  17

Pomarine Jaeger  6

Parasitic Jaeger  3

Cassin’s Auklet  1

Craveri’s Murrelet  3

Sabine’s Gull  3

Heermann’s Gull  8

Western Gull  400

California Gull  1

Common Tern  120  (good count)

Elegant Tern  125

RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD  1  (3.8 mi off n. Point Loma)

Leach’s Storm-Petrel  9

Townsend’s Storm-Petrel  8

Leach’s/Townsend’s Storm-Petrel  27

Ashy Storm-Petrel  1

Black Storm-Petrel  55  (low)

Least Storm-Petrel  95  (along entire route)

WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER  1  (21.8 to 21.3 mi W of tip of Point Loma)

Pink-footed Shearwater  48

Black-vented Shearwater  5000

MASKED/NAZCA BOOBY  1

NAZCA BOOBY  4  (high count; 1 immature, 2 sub-adults, 1 adult)

BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY  1  (21.7 mi W of  tip of Point Loma)

Brown Booby  7

RED-FOOTED BOOBY  1  (23.4 mi W of tip of Point Loma)

Brandt’s Cormorant 17

Brown Pelican  16

_________________________________________

Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Alex Abela, Jimmy McMorran, Gary Nunn

The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, 13 August, aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society visited the 9-Mile & 30-Mile Banks, San Diego Trough, and “The Corner,” out to the edge of San Diego County waters. The seas were moderate on the way out, but lightened the remainder of the day. It was a very good trip, with some of the highlights being a well-seen Cook’s Petrel at The Corner, at least three different Black-footed Albatrosses (The Corner, 30-Mile Bank, w. SD Trough), 3 or 4 Least Storm-Petrels (The Corner & 30-Mile), 1 Ashy, 12+ Townsend’s & 22+ Leach’s Storm-Petrels (some of which were closer to shore than usual, as close as the 9-Mile Bank), 11 Craveri’s Murrelets, 5 Long-tailed Jaegers, 9 Sabine’s Gulls, 1 Arctic Tern (30-Mile), a good count of 50 Common Terns, 3 Northern Fulmars (very rare at this time of year), and 9 Brown Boobies.

And we are on a roll!!!  For the THIRD scheduled pelagic trip in a row (June, July, August), despite our attempts to sift through flocks of Black-vented Shearwaters in hopes of finding a very rare Manx Shearwater, but to no avail, a Manx has indeed been found after the conclusion of the trip via folks looking carefully at their photos. This trip’s installment of the saga is courtesy of Barbara Wise, who studied her many trip photos from yesterday and found a Manx sitting in a large flock of Black-venteds in the eastern San Diego Trough.

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Offshore (beyond one mile out) totals for the day were as follows:

Red-necked Phalarope 135

Red Phalarope 3

Pomarine Jaeger 5

Long-tailed Jaeger 5

jaeger sp. 3

Craveri’s Murrelet  11

murrelet sp. 4

Cassin’s Auklet 12

Sabine’s Gull 9

Heermann’s Gull 13

Western Gull 140

Common Tern 50

ARCTIC TERN 1

Elegant Tern 180

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS 3

Leach’s Storm-Petrel 22

Townsend’s Storm-Petrel 12

Leach’s/Townsend’s Storm-Petrel 13

Ashy Storm-Petrel 1

Black Storm-Petrel 75

LEAST STORM-PETREL 3

Northern Fulmar 3

COOK’S PETREL 1

MANX SHEARWATER 1

Sooty Shearwater 14

Pink-footed Shearwater 40

Black-vented Shearwater 1200

Brown Booby 9

Brandt’s Cormorant 1

Brown Pelican 15

Also a Guadalupe Fur Seal.

______________________

–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Dan King, Gary Nunn, San Diego

The 16 July San Diego pelagic trip out to the 30-Mile Bank/The Corner area, aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society, was blessed with light seas and some good birds. The star of the show was the extremely cooperative Guadalupe Murrelet halfway across the San Diego Trough (32.626, -117.584; 19.9 miles W of tip Point Loma)–a species that is only casual within San Diego County waters. Only brief or distant views were had of a Red-footed Booby only a mile off Ocean Beach, of a Townsend’s Storm-Petrel along the outer edge of the 9-Mile Bank, and of a Black Tern in the San Diego Trough. The smooth seas were great for alcids, and we also had a super total of 77 Craveri’s Murrelets, which is possibly a new one-day record for the county (previous high 68?), 35 Cassin’s Auklets, and 2 Common Murres. Other highlights included two immature Long-tailed Jaegers at the 30-Mile Bank/The Corner, a falling-apart Northern Fulmar, two Sabine’s Gulls, and small numbers of both Leach’s (dark-rumped) and Ashy Storm-Petrels. Just after the trip, Nick Thorpe went through all his photos and discovered a MANX SHEARWATER he had photo’d at 9:22AM. At that time, we were down fairly close to the border and near the 9-Mile Bank. Congratulations to Nick for deducing the Manx from his photos, and lumps of coal to all the rest of us who missed this bird when it flew by…

Offshore totals for the day were:

Whimbrel 3

Western Sandpiper 17

Red-necked Phalarope 7

LONG-TAILED JAEGER 2

COMMON MURRE 2

GUADALUPE MURRELET 1

Craveri’s Murrelet 77

Cassin’s Auklet 35

Sabine’s Gull 2

Heermann’s Gull 1

Western Gull 120

BLACK TERN 1

Least Tern 2

Elegant Tern 275

Leach’s Storm-Petrel 7

TOWNSEND’S STORM-PETREL 1

Ashy Storm-Petrel 5

Black Storm-Petrel 250

NORTHERN FULMAR 1

MANX SHEARWATER 1

Pink-footed Shearwater 40

Sooty Shearwater 130

Black-vented Shearwater 1500

RED-FOOTED BOOBY 1

Double-crested Cormorant 3 Brown Pelican 50

______________________

Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Nancy Christensen, Jimmy McMorran, Gary Nunn, San Diego

The San Diego pelagic trip on 14 May aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society took place under beautiful sea conditions. We explored out to the western edge of San Diego County waters. The light seas provided for fine looks at virtually all species and for excellent photographic opportunities. The biggest surprise was the loose group of 3 breeding-plumaged Black Terns at the inside of San Diego Trough. eBird lists with lots of photos will be posted in the next couple days.

Offshore totals for the day were as follows:

Brant 16 (northbound)

Red-necked Phalarope 170

Red Phalarope 18 (incl. in full breeding plumage)

Pomarine Jaeger 2

Cassin’s Auklet 29

Scripps’s Murrelet 68 (excellent total, and incl. large chicks)

Sabine’s Gull 2

Heermann’s Gull 5

Western Gull 180

California Gull 15

Herring Gull 1 (getting late; first-cycle)

BLACK TERN 3 (breeding plumage; 17.8 mi off Point Loma)

Least Tern 25 (good number well offshore)

Royal Tern 2

Elegant Tern 350

Pacific Loon 31 (northbound flocks)

Northern Fulmar 8 (starting to look worn and tattered)

Pink-footed Shearwater 38

Sooty Shearwater 48

Black-vented Shearwater 3

Ashy Storm-Petrel 4 (good comparisons with Blacks)

Black Storm-Petrel 300

Brandt’s Cormorant 1

Brown Pelican 180

Great Blue Heron 1

passerine sp. 1

On Sunday, 24 April, a half-day San Diego pelagic trip aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society ventured out to the 9-Mile Bank area. Seas were moderate at first, but improved later in the morning. Northbound shearwaters are clearly moving through the area, and Northern Fulmars continue in good numbers. A surprising lack of alcids. The lone rarity of the trip was an adult Masked/Nazca Booby (probably Nazca) unfortunately seen and photographed by only a single observer as it crossed way behind the boat.

Offshore totals for the 6 hours:

30 Surf Scoter
2 Mourning Dove
5 Whimbrel
[3 Surfbirds–jetty]
20 Western Sandpiper
40 Red-necked Phalarope
1 Pomarine Jaeger
1 Parasitic Jaeger
1 Bonaparte’s Gull
10 Heermann’s Gull
80 Western Gull
7 California Gull
1 Glaucous-winged Gull
9 Royal Tern
250 Elegant Tern
50 Pacific Loon
22 Northern Fulmar
30 Pink-footed Shearwater
50 Sooty Shearwater
150 Black-vented Shearwater
10 Black Storm-Petrel
1 MASKED/NAZCA BOOBY (probably Nazca–will view photos in near future)
2 Brown Booby
250 Brown Pelican
30 Brandt’s Cormorant
4 Double-crested Cormorant

–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Justyn Stahl, Dan Jehl, Tom Blackman, et al., San Diego

The October 3rd San Diego pelagic trip sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society aboard “Legacy” out of Mission Bay, out to the edge of San Diego County waters around 33 miles offshore, enjoyed nice weather and several good birds. We had extended views of a casual WILSON’S STORM-PETREL at the border between the sw. 30-Mile Bank and “The Corner,” two separate very rare MASKED BOOBIES at and inside the 9-Mile Bank, and a dozen LEAST STORM-PETRELS at the 30-Mile Bank and The Corner. Also several Brown Boobies and a pleasing number of jaegers. Lots of photos forthcoming with eBird reports when ready soon. Overall numbers of many species were rather low. Offshore (beyond 2 miles) totals for the trip were:

Sanderling 4

Red-necked Phalarope 100

Pomarine Jaeger 18

Parasitic Jaeger 9

jaeger sp. 4

Cassin’s Auklet 5

Rhinoceros Auklet 1

Sabine’s Gull 1

Heermann’s Gull 20

Western Gull 300

California Gull 4

Common Tern 5

Elegant Tern 150

Common Loon 1

WILSON’S STORM-PETREL 1 (32.631, -117.778; border between 30-Mile Bank and The Corner)

Black Storm-Petrel 90

Least Storm-Petrel 12

Pink-footed Shearwater 55

Black-vented Shearwater 3200

MASKED BOOBY 2 (approx. 2nd-year and 3rd-year birds; at n. end 9-Mile Bank and 7-1/2 miles W Mission Bay, respectively)

Brown Booby 3

Brown Pelican 75

Brandt’s Cormorant 11

Yellow-rumped Warbler 1

passerine sp. 1

–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Todd McGrath, Tom Blackman, Jimmy McMorran, Matt Sadowski, Nancy Christensen, San Diego

The Sept 19th Buena Vista Audubon Society sponsored pelagic trip aboard “Legacy” out to the 9-Mile Bank, 30-Mile Bank, and “The Corner” was quite successful and took place under very pleasant weather and sea conditions. Highlights included fine views of a sub-adult Nazca Booby at the inner San Diego Trough, an adult Nazca Booby at the 30-Mile Bank, and a dark-morph immature Red-footed Booby at the outer San Diego Trough, as well as one Brown Booby; a total of 17 Least Storm-Petrels seen well and with good comparisons scattered mostly on the 30-Mile Bank and at The Corner, 1 Townsend’s Storm-Petrel in the SD Trough, about 8 Leach’s Storm-Petrels at the 30-Mile and The Corner, an unseasonal Northern Fulmar, 3 Sabine’s Gulls, and plenty of jaegers of three species. Totals offshore were:

Northern Pintail 17

Red-necked Phalarope 7

Pomarine Jaeger 20

Parasitic Jaeger 11

Long-tailed Jaeger 1 or 2

jaeger sp. 12

murrelet sp. 3

Rhinoceros Auklet 1

Sabine’s Gull 3

Heermann’s Gull 3

Western Gull 250

California Gull 1

Common Tern 40

Elegant Tern 150

Leach’s Storm-Petrel 8 (incl. mostly white and mostly dark rumped birds)

TOWNSEND’S STORM-PETREL 1

Black Storm-Petrel 240

LEAST STORM-PETREL 17

NORTHERN FULMAR 1 (ratty looking; likely summered locally)

Pink-footed Shearwater 140

Sooty Shearwater 5

Black-vented Shearwater 1100

NAZCA BOOBY 2 (sub-adult and adult)

Brown Booby 1

RED-FOOTED BOOBY 1 (dark-morph imm)

Brandt’s Cormorant 10

Brown Pelican 120

For additional information and the 2022 schedule (not posted until early 2022), see sandiegopelagics.com –Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Matt Sadowski, Justyn Stahl, et al., San Diego

The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, 14 August, aboard “Legacy” and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society, out to the 30-Mile Bank and “The Corner” was very successful! Reasonably good sea conditions, excellent birds, and more bird activity for much of the day than has been the norm in recent times! A major highlight certainly was the 6 (possibly 7) COOK’S PETRELS scattered during the day, with good views and including birds as close to shore as the eastern San Diego Trough. Also good looks at various TOWNSEND’S STORM-PETRELS–as many as 8+ birds–a high count of approx. 30 Leach’s Storm-Petrels, 2 Ashy Storm-Petrels, a BLACK TERN and a young ARCTIC TERN with Common Terns, some 5 LONG-TAILED JAEGERS, 5 Sabine’s Gulls of varying ages, 2 rare-in-summer NORTHERN FULMARS, some 8 CRAVERI’S MURRELETS (mostly only in flight), a rare-in-August Scripps’s Murrelet, and 8 Brown Boobies. Unfortunately, a single LEAST STORM-PETREL was seen by just a very few observers. Several Surfbirds were on the Mission Bay jetties. Copious photos from the trip will be posted with the e-Bird reports in a few days, and elsewhere. Totals for the day beyond 2 miles offshore were:

Red-necked Phalarope 60

Pomarine Jaeger 1

Long-tailed Jaeger 5 (scattered)

Scripps’s Murrelet 1 (very rare this late in season)

Craveri’s Murrelet 8 (scattered, seen almost only in flight)

murrelet sp. 4

Cassin’s Auklet 3 (poor views)

Sabine’s Gull 5

Heermann’s Gull 12

Western Gull 160

Black Tern 1 (30-Mile Bank)

Common Tern 16

Arctic Tern 1 (30-Mile Bank)

Elegant Tern 500

Ashy Storm-Petrel 2

Leach’s Storm-Petrel 30 (including many dark-rumped “Chapman’s” types)

Townsend’s Storm-Petrel 8

Black Storm-Petrel 80

Least Storm-Petrel 1

COOK’S PETREL 6 (1 at the Corner that put on a good show, 2 on 30-Mile Bank, 3 in SD Trough to within about 18 miles of shore)

Northern Fulmar 2

Pink-footed Shearwater 170

Sooty Shearwater 25

Black-vented Shearwater 250

Brown Booby 8

Brown Pelican 17

Double-crested Cormorant 1

Also, brief views of Fin, Briede’s, Humpback, and probably Minke Whales.

The September pelagic sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon aboard Legacy is full, but the early October trip still has space and has the same good potential.

—Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Dan Jehl, Gary Nunn, and the many participants; San Diego

The San Diego pelagic trip on 13 June, sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon

Society and aboard “Legacy” out to the 9-Mile and 30-Mile Banks and “the

Corner” (up to 35 miles offshore) took place in 3-to-4-fot seas and a

nice overcast in the AM and sunshine in the PM. As has been the case in

recent times, overall bird numbers and diversity were only so-so,

although there were some well seen and photo’d highlights, and there was

a good whale show. The best birds were two pairs of CRAVERI’S MURRELETS

and a surprise breeding-plumaged BLACK TERN (32.686, -117.652). Also

good looks at Scripps’s Murrelets, still several late-lingering Northern

Fulmars, numbers of Ashy Storm-Petrels, a Brown Booby, and a couple

mid-June well-offshore landbirds. One of the Blue Whales put on a good

show. Photos will be posted with the eBird reports to appear in the

following couple days. Offshore (beyond 2 miles) totals for the day were

as follows:

Scripps’s Murrelet 11 (a typical “late date”)

CRAVERI’S MURRELET 4 (two pairs; one at “the Corner” well seen, the

other at NW corner 9-Mile Bank)

Cassin’s Auklet 18

Heermann’s Gull 2

Western Gull 100

Least Tern 8 (including all the way offshore to the Corner, 33+ miles

offshore)

BLACK TERN 1 (feeding adult in San Diego Trough, 23 mi W of Point Loma;

some Black Terns are indeed pelagic in non-breeding season, but date

locally is somewhat odd for this rare migrant)

Elegant Tern 275

Black Storm-Petrel 250

Ashy Storm-Petrel 12

Leach’s Storm-Petrel 1 (briefly seen in L.A. Co. waters)

Northern Fulmar 3 (rare in summer; various color morphs)

Pink-footed Shearwater 1 (low)

Sooty Shearwater 20

Black-vented Shearwater 15

Brown Booby 1 (just inside 9-Mile Bank)

Double-crested Cormorant 1

Brandt’s Cormorant 2

Brown Pelican 150

Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbird 1 (presumably a post-breeding dispersing

Allen’s?)

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER 1 (far offshore at “the Corner”; probably a

post-breeding disperser)

Blue, Fin, and Humpback Whales, Common Dolphins, Mola-Molas

–Paul Lehman, Jimmy McMorran, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Justyn Stahl,

et al., San Diego

The San Diego pelagic trip on 15 May, sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society and aboard “Legacy,” went out to approximately 30 miles offshore–to the 30-Mile Bank and “the Corner.” It was a good day offshore, with light seas, nice neutral-lighting overcast, good photography, and a reasonable number of birds to look at almost all day long. Offshore (beyond 2 miles) totals were as follows:

Red-necked Phalarope 125

Scripps’s Murrelet 41 (including a couple fully-grown young with parents, providing excellent views and photos)

Cassin’s Auklet 12

Rhinoceros Auklet 1

Sabine’s Gull 2

California Gull 1

Western Gull 200

Least Tern 12

Forster’s Tern 1

Royal Tern 15

Elegant Tern 250

Pacific Loon 40 (northbound migrants)

Ashy Storm-Petrel 10

Black Storm-Petrel 420

Northern Fulmar 1 (dark)

Pink-footed Shearwater 32 (mostly northbound)

Sooty Shearwater 500 (noticeable northbound movement all day long)

Black-vented Shearwater 1

Brown Pelican 250

Brandt’s Cormorant 1

It was also an excellent day for marine mammals, with numbers of Fin Whales, a couple Humpbacks, Minke Whale, and at least one Bryde’s Whale, as well as a good-sized, cooperative group of Risso’s Dolphins.

–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Matt Sadwoski, et al., San Diego