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Los Angeles Pelagics? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Laggard
- Start date
avesjohn
Well-known member
I'm an L.A. area resident, so I'll do my best to help you here. LA Audubon used to offer pelagic trips as part of their field trip schedules, but not anymore; other local Audubon chapters still do, however.
Island Packers, based out of Ventura, offers trips both to land on and to go around Channel Islands National Park; this is also the way to see the endemic Island Scrub-Jay (among other specialties) on Santa Cruz Island.
I often join Pasadena Audubon on trips, and lately they've been working with Harbor Breeze Cruises, based out of Long Beach, tagging along on 3-hour whale watching cruises to look for pelagics. When a pair of Masked Boobies was present on a buoy just outside the Long Beach harbor about two years ago (2013), this was the whalewatching company we joined to see them.
Down in Orange County, Sea and Sage Audubon works with the Ocean Institute in Dana Point to offer day-long pelagics several times a year (once a season). I'll be joining them for their summer pelagic this coming Saturday. At the bottom of the Sea & Sage pelagic trips page is a downloadable PDF summary of what species to expect throughout the year on Southern California pelagics; be sure to check it out.
Further afield, in San Diego (Point Loma or Mission Bay), Buena Vista Audubon provides several pelagic trips (including extended deepwater excursions) a year through San Diego Pelagics. I've never gone on one of those trips myself, but by all accounts they seem very successful, picking up many good birds. I've been told that birders from LA will often reserve a hotel for the night before in the area, take the train down from LA to San Diego, take the trip the next day, then head back home on the train that night. This company also has a guide to observing local pelagic specialties.
Hope this helps! Good luck, and hope to see you on future outings.
Island Packers, based out of Ventura, offers trips both to land on and to go around Channel Islands National Park; this is also the way to see the endemic Island Scrub-Jay (among other specialties) on Santa Cruz Island.
I often join Pasadena Audubon on trips, and lately they've been working with Harbor Breeze Cruises, based out of Long Beach, tagging along on 3-hour whale watching cruises to look for pelagics. When a pair of Masked Boobies was present on a buoy just outside the Long Beach harbor about two years ago (2013), this was the whalewatching company we joined to see them.
Down in Orange County, Sea and Sage Audubon works with the Ocean Institute in Dana Point to offer day-long pelagics several times a year (once a season). I'll be joining them for their summer pelagic this coming Saturday. At the bottom of the Sea & Sage pelagic trips page is a downloadable PDF summary of what species to expect throughout the year on Southern California pelagics; be sure to check it out.
Further afield, in San Diego (Point Loma or Mission Bay), Buena Vista Audubon provides several pelagic trips (including extended deepwater excursions) a year through San Diego Pelagics. I've never gone on one of those trips myself, but by all accounts they seem very successful, picking up many good birds. I've been told that birders from LA will often reserve a hotel for the night before in the area, take the train down from LA to San Diego, take the trip the next day, then head back home on the train that night. This company also has a guide to observing local pelagic specialties.
Hope this helps! Good luck, and hope to see you on future outings.
wimvdam
Well-known member
In the weekend of September 26/27 there will be an overnight pelagic with the Catalina Explorer out of San Pedro:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/CALBIRDS/conversations/messages/12105
Wim
My Santa Cruz trip
Here is a trip report on my recent trip to Santa Cruz Island and back; limited pelagics perhaps but just to give you an idea what to expect in July.
http://www.bongariliitto.fi/files/7298/USA_St_Cruz_California_July_2015_Hottola_P.pdf
Here is a trip report on my recent trip to Santa Cruz Island and back; limited pelagics perhaps but just to give you an idea what to expect in July.
http://www.bongariliitto.fi/files/7298/USA_St_Cruz_California_July_2015_Hottola_P.pdf
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Good report Petri, very useful.
Andy
Andy
