San Diego pelagic trip, 15 July

The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, 15 July, aboard “Legacy” out of Mission Bay and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society took place under very pleasant conditions–good seas and nice marine overcast for much of the day. Our route took us out to the 9-Mile Bank, San Diego Trough, 30-Mile Bank, and “The Corner,” with about 10-15 minutes spent in L.A. County waters as well. Overall, bird numbers were much better than they had been for the past several weeks. Totals for the offshore waters, once over a mile or so from shore, were as follows:

Whimbrel  4

Marbled Godwit  5

Least Sandpiper  1

Western Sandpiper  75

dowitcher sp.  3

Red-necked Phalarope  10

Pomarine Jaeger  1  (30-Mile Bank)

Heermann’s Gull  8

Western Gull  55

Least Tern  7  (including all the way to 30-Mile)

Elegant Tern  65

Scripp’s Murrelet  8  (including two pairs with large young; getting late)

“Guadalupe” Murrelet  1  (30-Mile Bank; 32.66, -117.78; an “intermediate” bird likely from San Benito Island; possible genetic mixing with Scipps’s Murrelet; many photos; further discussion pending)

Craveri’s Murrelet  14  (scattered)

Cassin’s Auklet  13

Rhinoceros Auklet  1  (30-Mile Bank; rare in summer)

Black-footed Albatross  1  (in L.A. Co. waters at The Corner)

Leach’s/Townsend’s Storm-Petrel  26  (good total; 8 white-rumped, 18 dark-rumped)

Ashy Storm-Petrel  22  (good count)

Black Storm-Petrel  135

Northern Fulmar  2  (rare in summer; SD Trough, 9-Mile Bank)

Pink-footed Shearwater  145

Sooty Shearwater  190

Black-vented Shearwater  35

Brandt’s Cormorant  4

Brown Pelican  8

Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbird  1

Blue Whale  several

Upcoming pelagic trips are on 6 August (sold out), 26 August, 10 September, and 30 September. See sandiegopelagics.com for further information.

–Paul Lehman, Dave Povey, Bruce Rideout, Alex Abela, Dan Jehl, Dan King, San Diego