29 March 2011 Pelagic Birds and Fish - San Diego
886 views · Published 2 April 2011 · 2:12 · Indexed 4 October 2026
Channel: W. Terry Hunefeld · 2011 · People & Blogs
http://www.SoCalBirding.com Tom Blackman, Peter Ginsburg, Terry Hunefeld and Dave Povey boated from Mission Bay to La Jolla Cove then west along the south rim of the La Jolla Canyon to about 8 nautical miles, then south to 13 n. miles west of Mission Bay. The sea surface remains cold. 58-59 degrees F. Notes of interest: Our best observation timing wise (early) was a breeding plumage female Red-necked Phalarope. 50+ Surfbirds were on the Mission Bay jetty in the morning(high tide), one in the afternoon (low tide). A small movement of loons, 26 Pacifics, 9 Commons most now in alternate plumage. Also north bound at sea, Whimbrels, 2 groups for 10, Black-bellied Plovers 7, Elegant Terns 30+ and Forster's Terns 4. We also had a Yellow-rumped Warbler come onboard for a short ride, some 6 n. miles west of La Jolla. The only Tube-noses seen (15) all had dark bellies the 10 or so positively I.D. where all Sooties. We felt we had a couple of candidates for Short-tailed Shearwater, but photos were either inconclusive or in fact Sooties. We were seeing two distinct molt patterns. Birds with very worn flight feathers (post or over winter non breeders ?) and others in very clean plumages (birds of the year?) Very few Bonaparte's Gulls (37) most in groups of 2 to 5. We had one north bound Common Murre. Some 19 Xantus's' Murrelets all at the southern limit of our cruise. 177 Rhino. Auklets in groups of up 15 most well offshore but 2 just on the outside edge of the kelp beds. Jaegers seemed cooperative, allowing Tom to get some great photos. One bird had a very interesting head molt pattern. We counted at least 8, with 5 I.D. as Pomarine, and one Parasitic. the 2 distant birds allowed to go as Pom/Para sp. The kelp bed was alive with gobs of sardine-size bait. The birds there seemed almost uninterested -- they'd eaten their fill. There were scattered groups of Common Dolphin (250-400), at least 4 Pacific White-sided Dolphin and many California Sealions still feeding, right into the densest part of the kelp (which seems to be a bit mangled right now... storms or tsunami?). We had a Minke Whale charge our gull flock west of Mission Beach then (as is their M.O.) disappear. Also a fun observation were 8 or so little plate sized Mola molas offering themselves up to the gulls on the surface for cleaning. We were drifting on a fish oil chum slick at the western limit of our cruise, 13 n. miles at the time. So these little guys came to within 10-15ft. of the boat. Interestingly a couple of Calif. Gulls seemed to be unsure of what was going on but an adult Western Gull swam right over and gently picked at the Molas upturned side.
