Trip Reports

Hi Celia: Thank you very much for recommending Kuyima. Bryce and I just got back from a week in Baja. We surfed the points and bocanas about 50 to 125 miles south of South Ignacio. We stopped by Kuyima on our way home. We introduced ourselves “Somos amigos del Art and Celia desde el barco Searcher.” They smiled and gave us a big “Bueno, bueno, bueno.” We were the only tourists there and were concerned that they might not want to go out with just two people. They said no problem. Then two nice guys from the Netherlands showed up and we all went out. Within 15 minutes of leaving the beach, two whales came to the boat and played for 20 minutes. Great way to end our trip. It’s an experience that Bryce will never forget. He’s on a plane back to Flagstaff tomorrow where the high is 45 and the low 18.
Thanks again for the recommendation.
Doug Vickery

Our route was from Pt Loma to the Nine Mile Bank near the Mexican Border, we then turned northwest and ran the length of the bank to the 178 spot (3 n.miles northwest of the bank), then straight west across the San Diego Trough to the 182 spot on the inside edge of the 30 Mile Bank then north. We left the dock around 1230, checked the bait docks, and cruised by Ballast Point (no Oystercatchers seen). We remained in S.D. Co. waters for all but part of the last hour of daylight (L.A.Co.). As noted before, the Wilson’s Storm Petrel was the best bird in S.D.waters, but a imm. Long-tailed Jaeger, is always a good S.D. bird, and was closer than expected , at about 16-17 n.mile ( S.D.Trough). Leach’s Strom Petrels (chapman’s)  were also a bit closer ( S.D.Trough and 30 MIle Bank). Least Storm Petrels were seen near the far edge of the S.D. Trough, at about 20 n. miles.
This is a partial count of species of interest. Todd Mc Grath, and Jon Feenstra will release the complete counts (which will be higher), with trip totals.

Pink-footed Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Black-vented Shearwater

Black Storm Petrel
Leach’s Storm Petrel
Wilson’s Storm Petrel
Least Storm Petrel

Red Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope

Sabine’s Gull

Common Tern

Pomarine Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger

A bit of a surprising miss in  S.D. waters was Ashy Storm Petrel. That species has been present in small numbers (2-15) all summer. We also found them absent or in very small numbers in the traditional areas around the outer Channel Is. (S.Rosa Is.-S. Miguel Is, and Point Conception.).
Black Storm Petrel remain in low numbers and scattered . That species has been a puzzle to me this year. I’m used to seeing  large rafts on the 30 Mile Bank ( sometimes even on the Nine) numbering in the thousands. We have not found that this year.
Though we did not see Red-b Tropicbird in S. D. waters the number (20+) off the escarpment is nothing less than amazing . Seen on the 5th (3) and 6th (18) of Sept. along the escarpment.
Red Phalarope numbers  well offshore were  high (700+),with scattered Reds  throughout the trip, made it the most abundant species seen.
Arctic Tern seems all but absent (2-3 seen) for the second straight trip…?
S.P. Skua numbers (7-8) were  impressive on this trip, though missed in S.D. Co.
and last a seeming  out of place a  White-tailed Kite at sea between Santa Barbara Is. and San Nicholas Is. I gather they are regular winter visitors to the Channel Is. so I guess it’s not so strange that one would be out here. I have to admit that seeing a W-t kite coming up the wake, into the gull flock does make one do double and triple takes.

The marine mammal show off Southern California remains exceptional.  Blue and fin whales, Common (both Long and Short beaked), Risso’s, and Bottlenose Dolphin were all seen in S.D. waters, with Humpback, Baird’s Beaked, Cuvier’s Beaked, and a un- I.D. possible Mesoplodon sp. whales.  Also Pacific White Sided Dolphin all seen elsewhere on the trip. We also saw both Northern and Guadalupe Fur Seals, along with the usual Harbor Seal, and Calif. Sea lions.

Sea surface temps were warm off San Diego 70-73 (highest on the 30 Mile Bank), and cooler further out 59-61 degrees  off Point Conception,  62-63 inside the San Juan Seamount.  64-68 down toward the Bell Bank(southern limit of the trip).
Winds were mostly 10 kts or less, except San Miguel Is. to Point Conception, and west, on Wed., with gust to 20 kts.  The southern end of the trip, Thursday 9-05-12 , along the escarpment had winds  5kts or less. Partly cloudy to clear, except some fog, and heavy overcast south of Santa Rosa Is.
My thanks to Art  Taylor and Celia Condit owners and operators of Searcher Natural History Tours for another quality trip offshore. Thanks to Capt. Aaron Remy, and crew for getting us to some rarely visited location, put us in position for the best views, keeping us well fed, and returned safely home. Thanks also to all passengers for exceptional company at sea.

Dave Povey
Dulzura

Just got back from an excellent few days at sea on the Searcher. I was joined by Jon Feenstra, Adam Searcy, and Dave Povey as well folks from all over the globe for our annual 4 Day fall pelagic. A full trip report will follow, but I thought a brief recap would be in order.
The top avian highlight was a Hawaiian Petrel about 40 nautical miles west of Point Conception on Sep 5 (SBA County). The bird came close and buzzed our chum slick, but did not stay long. I spotted the bird from the upper deck, but my camera was on the lower deck. Fortunately Feenstra and a couple of the passengers were able to photograph the bird.
On Sep 3 in San Diego and Sep 5 in the west Santa Barbara Channel we had single Wilson’s stom-petrels.
on Sep 5 we had 3 Red-billed tropicbirds along the edge of the continental shelf, and on Sep 6 we had a whopping 18 for a total of 21. This is by far the most I have ever seen, and we had them in flight, sitting on the water, and even a pair circling the boat.
A handful of Least Storm-petrels off San Diego, and outstanding views of three Leach’s subspecies, including at least 8 “Townsend’s Storm-petrels.”, the summer-breeding type from Guadalupe that is a potential split, rounded out the notables.
Cetaceans were numerous and we had multiple encounters with Baird’s Beaked whales, including multiple breaches, and a pair logging on the surface that allowed great views.

May 26-28 Wildlife Weekend Species List

Hello all,
The final day of “Wildlife Weekend” has been great with calm seas and sunny skies. We had great viewing of pinnipeds at Islas  Los Coronados with all three species –harbor seals, Northern elephant seals and California sea lions. We had great looks at both types of oystercatchers, cormorants, brown pelicans with chicks, peregrine falcon, American kestrel, surf scoter and the highlight was the sighting of two pigeon guillemots not seen very often this far south.

Pigeon Guillemots at Los Coronados. photo by Tom Blackman

We left the islands and saw shearwaters, Cassins auklets, Xantus murrelets and then we came upon a group of bottlenose dolphin feeding. We were able to stop in the middle of the group and listen to them vocalize through the hydrophone that we permanently installed in the hull. We are glad to know the hydrophone works in its new spot on the boat.

A little further north we came upon about 200 common dolphin. What a great way to end our trip! All in all a fantastic trip.

Tom Blackman’s photo of adult Risso’s dolphin with a calf jumping out of the water!

Thanks to all who joined us and those who’ve read along,
Capt Art

Hello whalewatchers,
We left the Coronados at 1:00 am and travelled west 40 miles to the San Clemente basin and then went north for 10 miles, staying in US waters. We started with several black storm petrels, sooty and pink-footed shearwaters and a fin whale. It didn’t taske very long with the fish oil chum behind the boat to draw in a black-ooted albatross.
The weather continued to get better with very little wind and diminishing sea conditions. We went through an area where there were dark-rumped and light-rumped leachs storm petrels, along with black and an occasional ashy storm petrel as well.

We continued to see fin whales with a total for the day at 8 or 9 whales. Midday we came across a group of Rissos dolphin. In the group were a couple of breaching dolphin, and the highlight was two cow and calf pairs that allowed us to get very close to and follow for quite sometime.
After that we laid out a large chum slick and added Northern fulmar to the list and also two south polar skuas.

With great weather now–sunny skies and calm seas we continued east in US water the rest of the day and had plenty to look at. A few Xantus murrelets, and Cassins auklets were added to the list. Once we reached the 9-mile bank we came across a group of 10 bottlenose dolphins.

We are hopeful that on our way back to San Diego tomorrow we will end the trip with a big herd of dolphin.
We are spending a couple of hours at the Coronados in the morning to take a look at the pinnipeds and the brown boobies and maybe an oystercatcher or two.
More tomorrow,
Capt Art

Hello all,
Our first day of our spring wildlife weekend was a success. Good birding! Black-vented, sooty, flesh-footed and pink-footed shearwaters, Cassin’s and rhino auklets, common murres, Xantus murrelets, red-necked phalaropes, black and ashy storm petrels, royal and elegant terns, and plenty of gulls.
We saw bottlenose dolphin in the harbor with California sea lions. Since the weather was a little choppy we elected to head downswell to the area with some whale reports. We saw one blue whale really close and about 20 fin whales really close at times. We also saw about 20 Rissos dolphins. What an afternoon of whale watching! You can’t ask for more than that. We are headed offshore tonight and we will see what tomorrow brings.
Capt Art

Wish them luck finding whales and seabirds this weekend! Winds are high today, but forecasts show it diminishing tonight and tomorrow. Unusually cold San Diego weather greeted our guests at the dock this morning, but it’s supposed to warm up!

Mid-day report: Black and ashy storm petrels, pink-footed and black-vented shearwaters, brown booby, royal and elegant terns, Cassins auklets and Xantus murrelets, and now watching a blue whale!

Our Baja and birding naturalist, Peter Gaede, brought his son, Lucas Gaede. We are seeing the next generation of wildlife leadership!