Date: 5/3/25 7:20 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Sea & Sage pelagic trip, May 3
Sea & Sage Audubon held their annual spring pelagic trip today, May 3, aboard the Ocean Institute's R/V Sea Explorer. We had mostly cloudy skies all day, with some fog/mist/drizzle in the morning. We visited Crespi Knoll, the Catalina Escarpment southeast of Catalina Island, and the 279 Bank on our return to Dana Point. The trip started out slow, with scattered Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters, Black Storm-Petrels, Cassin's Auklets and Scripps's Murrelets, and a quick fly-by of five Sabine's Gulls that a few on board saw before they disappeared. We put out an oil slick at the south end of Crespi Knoll, attracting a dozen Black Storm-Petrels and a single Ashy Storm-Petrel that provided nice views. Activity picked up as we were returning to Dana Point from the Catalina Escarpment, with a young Cocos Booby and a Common Tern (both in LA County) flying past the boat. At the 279 Bank (Orange County), we had impressive numbers of Sabine's Gulls, with several flocks ranging from 10-40 birds and the total in excess of 150. The cloudy conditions resulted in a number of passerine migrants offshore today, including two Hermit Warblers, Townsend's, Black-throated Gray, and Wilson Warblers, Lazuli Bunting, Western Tanager, and Western Flycatcher.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
