San Diego offshore: COOK’S PETREL, Craveri’s Murrelets, Fulmar, Ashies
3:52 pm
An offshore expedition on 23 May out to the 30-Mile Bank area produced a single COOK’S PETREL along the outer edge of the 30-Mile Bank. This is the second-earliest arrival date for Cook’s In San Diego County waters (earliest: 21 May 2017). A pair of Craveri’s Murrelets were also on the 30-Mile Bank, which establishes the third May record for the county. One or two Northern Fulmars there were getting a bit late, a one-year-old Common Tern was perhaps slightly early for that age, whereas three Ashy Storm-Petrels were more expected. A good total of 58 Scripps’s Murrelets, about 135 Black Storm-Petrels, and just one Red Phalarope and one Rhinoceros Auklet. Also the usual standard fare. Good views of Blue Whales and Fin Whales.
The next scheduled pelagic trip to these same waters is on Saturday, 3 June, aboard “Legacy” out of Seaforth Landing. Plenty of spaces still available. See sandiegopelagics.com for further information.
–Paul Lehman, San Diego