10.05.08
Pelagic Trip
San Diego and Coronado Islands Pelagic Trip
I left the dock just after sunrise on the Buena Vista Audubon’s pelagic trip to near-shore spots off San Diego and the Coronado Islands that lie just across the border into Mexico. Though a storm was approaching from the north the water was fairly calm and we even had about of hour of sunshine through the clouds and marine layer.
From San Diego Bay the Grande headed off shore to the Nine Mile Bank and over the Coronado Canyon. The combination of the deep water canyon and the raised bank bring the food chain to life in this area. Many pelagic birds, dolphin and whale species frequently inhabit these areas. I photographed many birds, three species of dolphin, and even the fin of a Mola Mola. Unfortunately, the Blue Whale we saw was too far away for photos.
Next we headed south across the international border to circle around and through the Coronado Islands. A growing colony of Brown Booby have made one of the islands home over the past few years. Luckily for us, our hopes to see a Blue-footed Booby were rewarded as one decided to roost among the Brown Boobies today.
Nine hours onboard was tiring but well worth it given the variety of wildlife we saw. Trip leader Terry Hunefeld put together a virtual Who’s Who in California Birding. These talented birders acted as spotters and teachers for the trip. No question was too stupid and these guides were more than willing to share their knowledge of pelagic birding with anyone who asked. Terry and the Buena Vista Audubon run multiple trips each year out of San Diego and I highly recommend them. You can see an upcoming schedule here.
The photography was challenging: hand-holding a telephoto lens while the boat rocked plus low-light conditions. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the water.
Here is a link to some of the photos from the trip.
Species list for the day:
Birds
Rhinoceros Auklet
Xantus’s Murrelet
Double-crested Comorant
Brandt’s Comorant
Pelagic Comorant
Brown Pelican
Brown Booby
Blue-footed Booby
Western Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
Sabine’s Gull
Heermann’s Gull
Common Tern
Royal Tern
Sooty Shearwater
Pink-footed Shearwater
Black-vented Shearwater
Snowy Egret
American Oystercatcher
Black Oystercatcher
Hybrid Oystercatcher
Wandering Tattler
Red-necked Phalarope
Red Phalarope
Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphin
Common Dolphin
Risso’s Dolphin
Pennipeds
California Sea Lion
Harbor Seal
Northern Elephant Seal
Fish
Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)
