Pelagic to 30 Mile Bank — Townsend's Storm-Petrel, Craveri's Murrelet, 09 August 2020
Four of us, Nancy Christensen, Mel Senac, Peter Ginsberg, and myself, ventured offshore Sunday 09 August 2020 to investigate far San Diego County waters on the 30 Mile Bank and down to "The Corner". From there we motored north and east to the "182", an underwater feature on the east side of the 30 Mile Bank. Then moved east a little ways further into the San Diego Trough where we put out a chum and oil slick waiting there about 1.5 hours. After which we returned home. 79.9 NM traveled on the water.
Almost no bird life bottom of the 30 Mile Bank and The Corner. Found more birds at the "182" and then attracted a good number of birds to the chum and oil slick. Also a pretty good concentration of shearwaters and Black Storm-Petrels on the west side of the 9 Mile Bank, many birds entrained there with a large number (800+) of Common Dolphin heading north.
Highlights were 2 TOWNSEND'S STORM-PETREL, one on the dropoff from the 30 Mile Bank and the other over the trough making passes at our chum slick. Also a couple pairs of CRAVERI'S MURRELET were seen.
Complete bird list, including species seen on exit from San Diego Bay:
2 small plover sp.
49 Red-necked Phalarope
2 Pomarine Jaeger
1 jaeger sp.
4 CRAVERI'S MURRELET
3 Cassin's Auklet
1 Heermann's Gull
69 Western Gull
1 Least Tern
6 Royal Tern
104 Elegant Tern
3 Leach's Storm-Petrel (Chapman's)
2 TOWNSEND'S STORM-PETREL
1 jaeger sp.
4 CRAVERI'S MURRELET
3 Cassin's Auklet
1 Heermann's Gull
69 Western Gull
1 Least Tern
6 Royal Tern
104 Elegant Tern
3 Leach's Storm-Petrel (Chapman's)
2 TOWNSEND'S STORM-PETREL
https://ebird.org/checklist/S72283804 and https://ebird.org/checklist/S72283812
4 Ashy Storm-Petrel
87 Black Storm-Petrel
5 storm-petrel sp.
67 Pink-footed Shearwater
64 Sooty Shearwater
42 Black-vented Shearwater
2 Double-crested Cormorant
4 Brown Pelican
87 Black Storm-Petrel
5 storm-petrel sp.
67 Pink-footed Shearwater
64 Sooty Shearwater
42 Black-vented Shearwater
2 Double-crested Cormorant
4 Brown Pelican
Marine mammal sightings included (Offshore) Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, and a surprisingly cooperative Northern Elephant Seal.
PLEASE NOTE: The next San Diego Pelagic charter trip is going out Sunday August 16, 2020. Reservations phone number is at this link https://sandiegopelagics.com/reservations/
—
Gary Nunn
Mobile: 650-305-0029
Mobile: 650-305-0029
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports