Afternoon Whale Watching Boat (6/16/20)

I made a last minute decision to get on the afternoon whale watching boat "Privateer" out of Mission Bay, today (6/16/20). It was a little bumpy and breezy out there, but very nice to be on the ocean again. 

Given the circumstances we all are in with COVID-19, the crew did an amazing job keeping folks at safe distances from others when possible, ensured masks were worn by all, and sanitized high-touch areas (railings, etc.) multiple times throughout the trip. 

During the 3 hours at sea, species of interest were:

Least Tern – 8  

Elegant Tern –  (Numerous)

Ashy Storm-Petrel – 3

Black Storm-Petrel – 20

Northern Fulmar – 1 (dark brown or gray individual; lighting and distance were an issue for this unseasonal observation)

Pink-footed Shearwater – 1

Sooty Shearwater – 2

Black-vented Shearwater – 70

Common Dolphin – 30-ish

Good Birding,

Jimmy McMorran

Leucadia, CA

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