2009 07-25 SoCal Bight - All Day Audubon

A 14-hour adventure on the high seas brought us just east of the San Juan Seamount to find rare pelagic birds and other animal life. Big swells, choppy seas and high winds all combined to cause the pelagics to rise up and be counted.

Riding a wave - Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii).
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 280
Close look at a Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) raising its wings in preparation for flight.
phoebastria nigricans sitting water 2009 socal bight 084
A Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) takes a flying leap off the face of a big open ocean, blue water wave.
delphinus delphis leaping wave 2009 socal bight 093
Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii) head shot.
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 278
Big open ocean reef.
huge surf miguel island east 2009 socal bight 009
Soaring above the waves - a Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).
phoebastria nigripes 2009 socal bight 280
Close up portrait of a Short Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).
delphinus delphis leap portrait 2009 socal bight 108
Four Short-Beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis), two up, two down.
delphinus delphis 2009 socal bight 069
Red-Billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) in flight east of the San Juan Seamount. Click the "Map This" tab in the upper right to see the locations of photos.
phaethon aethereus red billed tropicbird flight 2009 socal bight 092
Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii) taking off.
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 281
Red-Billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) flying directly at the camera.
phaethon aethereus red billed tropicbird flight 2009 socal bight 089
Red-Billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) flying directly overhead.
phaethon aethereus red billed tropicbird flight directly overhead 2009 socal bight 081
Three Short-Beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in blue, open ocean waters.
delphinus delphis three 2009 socal bight 046
Prince Island and Point Bennett with big surf.
huge surf miguel island east prince isl 2009 socal bight 068
Three Short-Beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis).
delphinus delphis 2009 socal bight 065
Two Short-Beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) get airborn in front of a big open ocean swell.
delphinus delphis airborn wave 2009 socal bight 101
Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) soaring.
phoebastria nigricans soaring 2009 socal bight 112
Phoebastria nigricans 2009 07-25 SoCal Bight b - 103
phoebastria nigricans 2009 socal bight 103
Two Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) fight over a chunk of squid.
phoebastria nigricans two fight squid 2009 socal bight 219
Leach's Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa).
oceanodroma leucorhoa leachs storm petrel 2009 socal bight 125
Leach's Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) soars between open ocean swells.
oceanodroma leucorhoa leachs storm petrel 2009 socal bight 127
Two Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) following a slick line.
phoebastria nigricans two 2009 socal bight 119
Big surf and spray - a mile or more offshore.
huge surf miguel island east 2009 socal bight 077
Running with the waves, part of a herd of Short-Beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis).
delphinus delphis 2009 socal bight 095
Fog spills over the southern side of San Miguel Island.
miguel island south fog 2009 socal bight 012
Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) takes off.
phoebastria nigricans taking 2009 socal bight 088
Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) catches the breeze off the top of a swell.
phoebastria nigricans taking 2009 socal bight 087
A Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) samples the slick line.
phoebastria nigricans tasting fish oil slick 2009 socal bight 145
Landing gears down, prepare for landing - Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).
phoebastria nigricans landing 2009 socal bight 131
A Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) soars across the open sea.
phoebastria nigricans flight 2009 socal bight 097
Prepare for splashdown - Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).
phoebastria nigricans landing 2009 socal bight 133
Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) flying directly at camera.
phoebastria nigricans flying low 2009 socal bight 121
Half mammal, half torpedo - a Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) gets airborn.
delphinus delphis 2009 socal bight 084
Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii) in flight.
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 285
Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii) resting on surface.
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 273
Cook's Petrel (Pterodroma cookii) soaring.
pterodroma cookii cooks petrel 2009 socal bight 264

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2009 07-25 SoCal Bight - All Day Audubon