FALL MIGRATION
All San Diego County aboard Grande
In Search of Craveri's Murrelet, Brown Boobies
Ashy, Least, Black and Leach's Storm-Petrels
Skua, Pomarine, Parasitic & Long-tailed Jaegers
Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Black-footed Albies
at the Nine Mile and Thirty Mile Banks
Saturday Oct 6, 2011 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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| San Diego Flesh-footed Shearwater (c) Dave Pereksta 4 Oct 2010 |
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| Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel (c) Matt Sadowski 2 Oct 2010 |
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THE THIRTY MILE BANK: We began autum explorations of the Thirty Mile Bank in 2009 and found it spectacular for storm-petrels and other rarities.
Our October 3, 2009 trip recorded nearly 700 Common Terns and a dozen Sabine's Gulls on the Thirty Mile Bank, plus 3 Blue Whales, Risso's and White-sided Dolphin and Elephant Seals. That trip also recorded Ashy Storm-Petrels, plus nearly 2000 Black and Least Storm-Petrels on the Thirty Mile. A South Polar Skua was spotted at the Nine Mile Bank on its way back to the South Pole.
On October 10, 2009 we recorded 8,000 Black Storm-Petrels and 1750 Least Storm-Petrels at the Thirty Mile Bank and enjoyed a close interaction with a Humpback Whale on the Nine Mile Bank -- all that after a Brown Booby shot over Grande while were just 5 miles off shore.
On Sept 3, 2010 (Grande) and Sept 6, 2010 (Searcher) recorded the fourth California record of Wilson's Storm-Petrel on the Nine Mile Bank.
On 2 Oct 2010 aboard Grande a Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel was seen and photographed on the Thirty Mile Bank in a raft/swarm of 5,000 storm-petrels (3000 Least, 2000 Black).
On 4 Oct 2010 aboard Grande we found a pair of San Diego Brown Boobies and a San Diego Black-footed Albatross on the Thirty Mile Bank plus a San Diego Flesh-footed Shearwater about 14 miles off shore just over the deep edge of the Nine Mile Bank.
Our October 9, 2010 12-hour pelagic to the Thirty Mile Bank found an enormous swarm of 10,000 storm-petrels (7000 Least and 3000 Blacks). We also recorded a San Diego County Long-tailed Jaeger.
CRAVERI'S MURRELETS: October is the best time of year to find a Craveri's Murrelet in San Diego waters (most records August - October). SoCal is the is the only place in ABA waters to see this elusive alcid these days. We find one or two in most years, however none were recorded in 2010. Four were well seen and photographed from Grande on Oct 4, 2008. The September 2009 Searcher trip recorded a Craveri's Murrelet on the north end of the Nine Mile Bank. Quick looks at a pair were had by a few from onboard Grande Oct 3, 2009.
Who knows what else is lurking out there?
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| San Diego Black-footed Albie - Tom Blackman 4 Oct 2010 |
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| San Diego Brown Boobies - Tom Blackman 4 Oct 2010 |
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This 13-hour day trip trip allows us the time we need to get to the Thirty Mile Bank and hunt the deeper water birds ( Buller's Cook's Wedge-tailed) We saw two Brown Boobies and a Flesh-footed Shearwater out here on 4 Oct 2010. We'll also enjoy the more expected storm-petrels and murrelets in San Diego county waters On our day trip on 9 Oct 2010 we encountered swarms of 10,000 storm-petrels inclusing 7,000 Leasts, 3000 Blacks plus Ashies and Leach's. RARE STORM PETRELS RECORDED: On Sept 3, 2010 from Grande and again on Labor Day, Sept 6, 2010 from Searcher we recorded the fourth record of Wilson's Storm-Petrel in San Diego County on the Nine Mile Bank. On 2 October 2010 we photographed a Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel on the Thirty Mile Bank. We'll depart Point Loma Sportfishing at 6:00 a.m. first exploring the bird-rich Nine-mile Bank from the comfortable 85-foot live-aboard Grande. Then we'll head out to the furthest limits of San Diego county - to the Thirty Mile Bank - to see if we can get lucky and find a Flesh-footed or Buller's Shearwater or a Red-billed Tropicbird. This is the best possible trip to find a tropicbird in San Diego waters.
We fully intend to find and study Least, Black, Leach's & Ashy Storm-Petrels - all in San Diego waters. We will have of time to visit the Thirty Mile Bank in extreme western San Diego County and even venture into L.A. County waters where giant storm-petrel swarms have been found rafting the past few years. We'll stop wherever there are birds and marine mammals congregating, plenty of time to chase birds, plenty of time to sit and chum at the Thirty Mile Bank to see what rarities we may be able to attract. The 3 Oct 2009 trip provided excellent comparisons of Pom Jaegers (7) and Parasitic (22!) with a Skua thrown in for good measure. There may still be a late migrating Long-tailed Jaeger seen (we saw one 9 Oct 2010) as well as Sabine's Gulls (21 in 2009 and more than 50 on 2 Oct 2010),. Pelagic birding is like any other kind of birding, regardless of what you have planned for the day, it's always best to go where the birds are. An aggregation of Black and Least Storm-Petrels like we saw in 2009 is rare anywhere north of the border. If we hadn't been doing these trips, who would have known?
On our way out of San Diego harbor we'll motor slowly by the live bait tank barges and the lounging sea lions, several hundred Brandt's cormorants, several species of gulls, and dozens of shorebirds, egrets and herons. On our way out of the harbor we'll check for both American and Black oystercatchers amongst the cobbles of Ballast Point (both seen on both of the Oct 2010 trips) or on the Zuniga Jetty. At sea we expect to see three or four species of dolphins (Bottlenose, Common, Pacific White-sided, Risso's), whales (Blue Fin Sei Minke Humpback) and numerous seabirds including storm-petrels, fulmars, shearwaters, auklets, murrelets and jaegers.
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| Craveri's Murrelet from Grande (c) Steve N.G. Howell |
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| Red-billed Tropicbird (c) Todd McGrath |
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LEADERS: Experienced San Diego pelagic bird spotters, guides and leaders will be on board to identify and point out marine mammals and seabirds.
Check-in Time: 5:00 a.m.
Boarding Time: 5:20 a.m.
Gates Closed and Locked: 5:40 a.m.
Return: 7:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION:
EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION is $75 through Sept 15.
Registration is $95 Sep 16 - Oct 3.
Registration is $115 Oct 4-6.
RESERVATIONS: Telephone Point Loma Sportfishing (the landing) seven days a week at (619) 223-1627.
Tell them to wish to make a reservation for a birding trip on Grande.
IMPORTANT DETAILS: Click for IMPORTANT INFORMATION about the Grande, Point Loma Sportfishing, driving directions, maps, lodging, weather, refund and cancellation policies, on-board facilities, meals and snacks,
HOW TO PREPARE: Click for tips on how to prepare, what to wear, what to bring and when to arrive.
EXPECTED SPECIES: What we see depends on the season, the itinerary and how far from shore we venture. Learn more about what species we will probably see and what species might be seen.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Trips on this website are sponsored by different organizations using different boats departing from different landings and harbors. As such, policies vary from trip to trip. Prior to registering, please familiarize yourself the Grande and Point Loma Sportfishing's policies regarding reservations, cancellations, refunds and substitutions as well as reviewing driving directions, check-in times, procedures and equipment allowed on the boats.
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| Giant Least and Black Storm-Petrel Rafts |
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IMPORTANT DEPARTURE AND BOARDING DETAILS
LANDING LOCATION: We will board Grande from Point Loma Sportfishing Landing, 1403 Scott Street at the corner of Emerson in San Diego 92106.
GOOGLE MAP OF THE LANDING: Map and driving directions
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE LANDING: http://www.pointlomasportfishing.com/pg/map.php
PARKING: There is a large parking at Point Loma Sportfishing for $6 a day. Enter the lot using the Emerson & Scott entrance and you'll be right at the landing 100 feet inside the parking gate so you can drop off your gear then seek permanent parking. Free parking is available on the residential streets around the harbor (for day trips) but can be very limited on weekends. If the Fisherman's Landing parking lot is full, you'll be directed to a lighted off-site self-serve pre-pay parking lot about a block away that has always had space (bring exact change of $6 per day in folding money for the lockbox).
PHOTO I.D. and BOARDING PASS REQUIRED: All passengers departing Fisherman's Landing and Point Loma Sportfishing must complete the manifest and present photo identification and obtain a boarding pass prior to passing through the Coast Guard security gates. This is mandatory procedure per U.S. Homeland Security.
GEAR UNLOADING: You may pull into the Fisherman's Landing parking lot, unload your gear directly in front of Point Loma Sportfishing and then park in the lot, the overflow lot or seek on-street parking. You're not charged if you depart the lot in less than 30 minutes.
START YOUR DAY STRESS-FREE: We recommend that you arrive at the landing at least 30 minutes prior to boarding time to allow plenty of time to find the landing, unload or transport gear, obtain a boarding pass at the Point Loma Sportfishing ticket window, sign the manifest, use Point Loma Sportfishing's restroom, visit with friends and board Grande with the group. Gates are closed and locked once the group boards. All trips depart on-time without waiting for late-comers. More tips and hints on our trip preparation page.
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| Craveri's Murrelet Oct 2008 (c) Steve N.G. Howell |
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| Blue Whale (c) Tom Blackman |
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| (c) Todd McGrath and Jon Feenstra |
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