Saturday, May 10, 2008

San Diego and Mexico Pelagic

Today I went on a pelagic out of Point Loma, San Diego. We were aboard the Grande, of Point Loma Sportfishing. We went out to 9 mile bank to bird in San Diego/ABA waters, where we saw pink-footed and sooty shearwaters, northern fulmar, black storm-petrels, Xantus murrelets, cassins auklets, red-necked and red phalaropes, pacific and common loons, Brandt's, double-crested and pelagic cormorants, surf scoters, caspian terns, and a black-footed albatross!
Point Loma Lighthouse

American x Black Oystercatcher

From there we left the U.S. and headed into Mexican waters to the Coronado Islands to look for boobies. We had a brown boobie buzz the boat headed toward the islands. When we reached them, we saw black oystercatchers, one American-type (likely hybird) oystercatcher, baby brown pelicans, Brandt's cormorants in breeding plumage, and best of all, baby brown boobies!
Black-footed Albatross with Western Gulls
Brown Booby
Brown Pelicans with Chicks

On the way back, we had much less success with birding, although we did come across the same black-footed albatross, allowing the photographers on the boat to get another round of photos. Our trip leaders included Oscar Johnson, Jon Feenstra, Guy McKaskie, Todd McGrath, and others.

Northern Fulmar

Harbor Seals with a few Elephant Seals Mixed In
All in all, it was a very successful boat trip for me, and I am looking forward to going on more pelagics in the future!
My shitty Pink-footed Shearwater shot, boooo

No comments: