SD Pelagic — RB Tropicbird, Least SP, M Booby, Craveri’s M, 16 Oct 2021

Five of us ventured offshore today making a speedy circuit of south San Diego County pelagic waters out to the 30 Mile Bank, vicinity of The Corner, then cutting northeast across the San Diego Trough and upper Nine Mile Bank to La Jolla, ending with a zigzag south to retrace our track back into San Diego Bay. We encountered flat calm conditions most of the day with one particular stretch in the western San Diego Trough a vertigo inducing mirror like ocean surface. 93 NM traveled today.Most interesting birds were encountered in the western San Diego Trough. Much hollering ensued when a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD, our best find of the day, was spotted flying high in the sky due south, this was 21 NM west of Ocean Beach. Also in the trough a single LEAST STORM-PETREL, a subadult MASKED BOOBY (photographs to be checked for confirmation), and two CRAVERI’S MURRELET that sneaked up behind us flying by very close to the boat.Full species lists and numbers will be on our eBird checklists. Also seen were eight Humpback Whales scattered around.Gary Nunn,Pacific Beach.