Matthew Binns, Jimmy McMorran, Bruce Rideout, and I did the pelagic portion of the Oceanside CBC. Beautiful conditions though the forecast was dire.
Highlights were;
Black-vented Shearwater 86
Brown Booby 2 We actually had three separate sightings. The first bird an all dark juvenile southwest of the O-side pier. A sub adult Brown Booby, with some white on the breast, was seen west of the Carlsbad power plant. The third Brown Booby
sighting was of a very similar plumage bird to the number two Brown Booby. We' hoped that photos would be conclusive as to whether we were seeing the second bird again or perhaps a third. Nothing of any help so we felt best to
stick with two for the count. I am fairly sure they are the first for Oceanside's CBC.
Pelagic Cormorant 1 A lone bird on the rock jetty well back in the Marines portion of the harbor.
Surfbird 4 Outer side of the north jetty.
Wandering Tattler 2 on the jetties
Red Phalarope 12 scattered
Pomarine Jaeger 1 this bird in nearly black plumage
Common Murre 1 north of power plant
Ancient Murrelet 8 We had three single birds come into the gull flocks. One so close I had to back the boat up to see it. We also had two pairs of birds, seen at close range. We may have had a couple more escape our ability to positively Id. them.
Cassin's Auklet 84
Bonaparte's Gull 230
Thayer's Gull 1 1st. winter bird just south of the harbor
Glauucous-winged
Gull 2 both 1st. winter
notes. Brandt's Cormorants were in big numbers here, about 600. Most years going back into the 1970's that species has often numbered less than 20 here, with a low count of 1 and high of 77.
Heermann's Gulls also seemed in strong numbers, California Gulls, on the other hand, numbers seemed low today.
Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Common Dolphin and California Sea Lion were seen.
Surface water temps remain warm 59.5 to 63.1.
Dave Povey
