Date: 10/7/25 8:19 am From: David Pereksta via groups.io <pereksta...> Subject: [venturacobirding] Oct 12 pelagic trip with Island Packers from the Ventura Harbor
There is still space available for a 10-hour pelagic trip (7:00 am-5:00 pm) out of the Ventura Harbor on Sunday, Oct 12 with Island Packers. We will be searching the waters around the northern Channel Islands, which can be very productive this time of year when hundreds (sometimes thousands) of shearwaters crowd into the inter-island gaps and concentrate over offshore banks and canyons. We will be looking through flocks of Black-vented, Pink-footed, and Sooty Shearwaters for Buller's, Flesh-footed (uncommon), and Manx (rare) Shearwaters. We have had Streaked Shearwater twice in the last few years and intend to check that area again on Sunday. There has also been a few Short-tailed Shearwaters around over the last month and a trip I was on out of Redondo Beach on Sunday had good looks at several. This is peak season for seabird diversity so in addition to the species already mentioned Black, Ashy, and Leach's Storm-Petrels; Cassin's and Rhinoceros Auklets; Pomarine, Parasitic, and Long-tailed Jaegers; and Red and Red-necked Phalaropes are all possible. It is a good time of year for South Polar Skua, Sabine's Gull, and Arctic Tern. There is also a potential for sought-after species like Cocos Booby, Townsend's Storm-Petrel, Least Storm-Petrel, and Craveri's Murrelet. The last few years have been exceptional for Craveri's Murrelet off southern California and with warm water continuing, our chances to find this elusive species may be good. I have had Craveri's on the last six trips I have been on over the last two months. We will decide what our offshore destinations will be after reviewing oceanographic conditions at the time of the trip, which will help determine where birds and other marine life may be present.
The trip will be on an ultra-fast catamaran that featured a spacious and comfortable cabin, galley, and excellent viewing from both the upper and lower decks. A full contingent of outstanding seabird leaders will be present to make sure we see all that is out there. The Captain and crew know how to run birding trips and are enthusiastic and helpful. In addition, we work hard to creep up on birds and get them in the right light...photographers will not be disappointed!
Trips can be booked over the phone by calling (805) 642-1393 or online at https://islandpackers.com/book-wildlife/ Hope to see you at sea!
