Date: 8/24/26 11:09 am From: Alvaro Jaramillo via groups.io <chucao...> Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] San Diego pelagic Aug 22: Wilson's & 25 Least & 5+ Townsend's,; Guadalupe & 16 Craveri's; Laysan & 14+ Black-footeds; Nazca; Fulmar
Paul et al.
A couple of points: 1) Wilson’s Storm-Petrel – the status of this species is confusing to me. I think up in the Half Moon Bay – Bodega latitudes they are super regular. Sometimes we see numbers. Yet, they are not consistent. It seems to me that this year they are being seen more consistently in a broader latitudinal range than the norm? I am not sure, but the question is why? If it is warm water, it suggests that birds from farther south are moving north. I doubt this is the case, as the core region of occurrence seems to be central California. In any case, this bird always puzzles me. Also, all evidence thus far suggests that we see exasperatus the Antarctic breeding population (likely a species) we have termed Antarctic Storm-Petrel.
2) Laysan Albatross. Individuals are usually easily identified as individuals by underwing patterns. We use this all the time up here. The presence of a band means little, unless you can see the number of course, as nearly all of the birds we see up here are banded and are of the increasing Guadalupe Island population. That population is increasing exponentially.
From: <CALBIRDS...> <CALBIRDS...> On Behalf Of <lehman.paul...> via groups.io
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2026 12:51 PM
To: <calbirds...>
Subject: [CALBIRDS] San Diego pelagic Aug 22: Wilson's & 25 Least & 5+ Townsend's,; Guadalupe & 16 Craveri's; Laysan & 14+ Black-footeds; Nazca; Fulmar
The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, August 22, aboard "Legacy" out of Seaforth Landing and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society was quite good. Highlights of the trip included a fairly cooperative Wilson's Storm-Petrel at the 30-Mile Bank (31 mi WSW of Point Loma), initially found roosting in a Black Storm-Petrel raft, a total of 25 Least Storm-Petrels (scattered, but mostly at 30-Mile Bank), plus a small number of Townsend's (5+) and moderate numbers of Leach's (30+). A cooperative Guadalupe Murrelet was closer to shore than normal at the outer edge of the Nine-Mile Bank (13-1/4 mi SW of Point Loma), and a puzzling intermediate Guadalupe-type (probably a "San Benito Murrelet") was photographed earlier in the day in the San Diego Trough (photos will be analyzed). Also 16 Craveri's. A fine Laysan Albatross (30-Mile Bank) was likely the same banded bird seen on our trip in the same area two weeks earlier, and as many as ca. 14+ Black-footed Albatrosses were seen. An unseasonal Northern Fulmar was 5-3/4 mi W of Point Loma. An adult Nazca Booby flew over the boat in the San Diego Trough, and 3 immature Masked/Nazca Boobies were at two sets of buoys: 2 birds in the mid- San Diego Trough and 1 on the inside of the Nine-Mile Bank. We shall see if the many photos obtained might elevate one or more of these young birds to full species rank. A total of 7 Cocos Boobies included one pale-headed adult male. A Forster's Tern 9-3/4 mi W of Point Loma was farther offshore than normal. Water temperatures continue to run a bit warm, with readings mostly between 71.5 and 73.5 degrees.
Lots of photos from the trip are and will be posted with the shared eBird lists that came out earlier today.
Totals for the trip once we were over a mile offshore were as follows:
Least Sandpiper 1
Red-necked Phalarope 1600
Red Phalarope 7
Guadalupe Murrelet 1.5 (see above)
Craveri's Murrelet 16
Cassin's Auklet 35
Sabine's Gull 14
Heermann's Gull 10
Western Gull 250
Common Tern 5
Forster's Tern 1
Elegant Tern 12
Laysan Albatross 1
Black-footed Albatross 14+
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 1
Leach's Storm-Petrel 30
Townsend's Storm-Petrel 5+
Leach's/Townsend's Storm-Petrel 15
Black Storm-Petrel 1200
Least Storm-Petrel 25
Northern Fulmar 1
Sooty Shearwater 5
Pink-footed Shearwater 70
Black-vented Shearwater 80
Nazca Booby 1
Masked/Nazca Booby 3
Cocos Booby 7
Brandt's Cormorant 10
Brown Pelican 55
For information on future trips this year in September (3) and mid-October, see sandiegopelagics.com
--Paul Lehman, Bruce Rideout, Alex Abela, Dan King, Jimmy McMorran, Paul Mulholland, Nick Thorpe, San Diego
