Date: 8/24/25 5:07 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [SanDiegoRegionBirding] San Diego pelagic Aug 23: Flesh-footed Shearwater, B-f Albatrosses, Townsend's, Cocos, Arctics, Long-taileds
The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, August 23rd, on board "Legacy" and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society, took place under good sea and weather conditions (other than a 20-minute moderate shower!). We went out past the 9-Mile Bank to the 30-Mile Bank and The Corner. A good variety of the expected and uncommon seasonal species were found. The most unexpected find was a very rare Flesh-footed Shearwater (good looks and photos) in a flock of Pink-footeds and Sooties in the San Diego Trough, 17.3 mi WSW of tip Point Loma. Other highlights included three Black-footed Albatrosses on the 30-Mile Bank, Cocos Booby, plenty of white-rumped storm-petrels including at least a small number of Townsend's, great looks at Long-tailed Jaeger and a good jaeger show overall, Arctic Terns, Red Phalaropes, and two seasonally surprising Pacific Loons. Alas, we only had a single pair of Craveri's Murrelets seen rather poorly in flight (photo'd). We also had a single pass by an odd white-rumped storm-petrel closer inshore than normal for white-rumped birds on the Nine-Mile Bank that showed a fairly narrow, even, white tail-band and square-cut tail, but no foot projection beyond the tail, was fairly small and with a somewhat fluttery, direct flight. Photos will be sent out for comment.
Photos of many of these highlights will appear in upcoming eBird lists, probably out on Monday. Totals for the day once we were over a mile offshore were:
Marbled Godwit 1
Whimbrel 2
Western Sandpiper 8
Red-necked Phalarope 65
Red Phalarope 7
Pomarine Jaeger 20+
Parasitic Jaeger 4
Long-tailed Jaeger 4 (3 ads. 1 juv.)
jaeger sp. 5
Craveri's Murrelet 2
Cassin's Auklet 1
Sabine's Gull 24
Heermann's Gull 12
Western Gull 500
California Gull 1
Least Tern 2
Common Tern 11
Arctic Tern 3
Elegant Tern 250
Pacific Loon 2 (basic plumage)
Black-footed Albatross 3
Leach's (Chapman's) Storm-Petrel 15
Leach's (white-rumped) Storm-Petrel 3
Townsend's Storm-Petrel 6
Leach's/Townsend's Storm-Petrel 25
Black Storm-Petrel 200
Sooty Shearwater 350
Pink-footed Shearwater 700
Flesh-footed Shearwater 1 (32.60, -117.54)
Black-vented Shearwater 35
Cocos Booby 2
Brandt's Cormorant 20
Brown Pelican 200
Also: Reddish Egret, Fin & Minke Whales, N. Elephant Seal, California Flying-Fish, Mola-mola
Trips later this season still with space are on 27 Sep and 11 Oct. See sandiegopelagics.com for further information.
--Paul Lehman, Bruce Rideout, Alex Abela, Nancy Christensen, Dan King, Matt Sadowski, Patti & Sally, Paul Mulholland, San Diego
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