Red-footed Booby, 2 Scripps's Murrelets, Varied Thrush

On 18 Nov, Dave P., Matt S., and myself went offshore as far out as the 30-Mile Bank. Best bird offshore was a pair of very unseasonal Scripps's Murrelets. This species is typically absent locally between June or July until the very first few birds return around New Years or so. Also a Common Murre and 5 Brown Boobies. Otherwise standard fare for the trip. On both the way out and back in we stopped at the bait barge near the mouth of San Diego Bay to look for the stakeout Red-footed Booby. We managed to miss the bird both going and coming, but we talked to the workers there, and they say it was still present as of yesterday (though obviously somewhat sporadically) and that they are feeding it. At the Zuniga Jetty we saw 1 Black Oystercatcher. Offshore totals for the trip:

Surf Scoter 1
Red Phalarope 2
Pomarine Jaeger 8
Parasitic Jaeger 3
Common Murre 1
SCRIPP'S MURRELET 2 (25 mi W of Mission Bay)
Cassin's Auklet 15
Bonaparte's Gull 3 (low)
Heermann's Gull 3
California Gull 150
Western Gull 250
Pacific Loon 27
Common Loon 1
Northern Fulmar 12
Pink-footed Shearwater 20 (a fairly good count for this late in the month)
Sooty Shearwater 2
Black-vented Shearwater 210
Brown Booby 5
Brown Pelican 35
Brandt's Cormorant 13

In other news, via Lea Squires, a Varied Thrush killed itself against a window in Carlsbad on 10 Nov and is now a specimen at SDNHM.

–Paul Lehman, San Diego