San Diego Bay “pelagic” trip

Tuesday morning, four of us putt-putted around San Diego Bay from just north of the Coronado Bridge to the south end of the Bay. Highlights included 3 Common Mergansers together along the shore in northern Coronado off Harborview Park at the foot of E Avenue. One or two birds had been reported in this area back on 19 January. Very rare on saltwater and in South County, these three birds join the other up to three individuals that are currently present also on saltwater on n. Mission Bay. A continuing female Black Scoter was in the usual section of Bay between Chula Vista and Coronado Cays. Tallies of scaup at the south end of the Bay included the often-impressive aggregation of some 1800+ Greater Scaup…..Yes, that is not a typo, 1800+ Greaters, mostly in a couple tight flocks, whereas the hundreds of Lessers are typically scattered more widely. Two separate Ring-necked Ducks were somewhat rare for saltwater. A roost of 65 Ruddy Turnstones. Also, one Loggerhead Shrike along the Silver Strand near the end of Attu Avenue–a species that has become pitifully rare along the coast.

–Paul Lehman et al., San Diego