Date: 6/8/25 4:31 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [SanDiegoRegionBirding] San Diego pelagic trip Saturday: 7+ Cook's Petrels, Red-billed Tropicbird, Cocos Booby, Craveri's Murrelets
The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, June 7, aboard "Legacy" and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society was quite successful. Not many birds in some areas, but very large numbers of feeding shearwaters along the junction between the outer San Diego Trough and the 30-Mile Bank, with the Trough and entire 30-Mile Bank being good for some additional sought-after species. Many birds were gorging on anchovies forced to the surface by bonito. The clear highlights included excellent views of between 7-9 Cook's Petrels in that area (30-Mile Bank, plus one at The Corner), an adult Red-billed Tropicbird in the mid-San Diego Trough that circled right over the boat for almost 20 minutes, and an adult male Cocos Booby also in the Trough. The total of four Craveri's Murrelets were seen only flying away. Also surprising were the well offshore, very late MacGillivray's Warbler and late Lazuli Bunting, as well as two Willow Flycatchers. Photos will be posted with the many shared eBird checklists available later today or tomorrow.
Totals for the day once were over a mile offshore were:
Pomarine Jaeger 1
Parasitic Jaeger 1 (adult; rare in June)
Scripps's Murrelet 1
Craveri's Murrelet 4 (30-Mile Bank area)
Cassin's Auklet 11
Sabine's Gull 3 (incl. one full adult; not sure if wandering non-breeders or very late migrants)
Western Gull 100
Least Tern 3
Common Tern 14 (a good total)
Elegant Tern 250
Red-billed Tropicbird 1 (32.676, -117.586; 19-1/2 mi. W of Point Loma)
Pacific Loon 1
Ashy Storm-Petrel 1
Black Storm-Petrel 90
Cook's Petrel 7-9 (at least 7, perhaps 9 if no duplication; 24-32 miles offshore)
Sooty Shearwater 3500
Pink-footed Shearwater 2000
Black-vented Shearwater 18
Cocos Booby 1 (adult male with pale head)
Brandt's Cormorant 2
Brown Pelican 35
Willow Flycatcher 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 1 (30-Mile Bank)
Lazuli Bunting 1 (The Corner)
Also, Mission Bay jetties: 2 Black Otystercatchers, 1 Black X American Oystercatcher
And: Risso's Dolphins, Blue Whale (spout only), Mako Shark, Mola Mola
For a schedule of upcoming trips in July, August (3), September (3), and October, see sandiegopelagics.com
--Paul Lehman, Bruce Rideout, Alex Abela, Dan Jehl, Jimmy McMorran, Matt Sadowski
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