[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2014] – On 18 Jan 2014 I ventured offshore San Diego with Dave Povey, Tom Blackman, and Mike Goldhamer in search of seabirds. Sea conditions were calm and with only a slight breeze the seabird action was a bit slow. However we were able to spot alcids at some distance particularly in the glassier looking areas of water. On this trip we found a total of nine Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata which is a high count here so far for the 2013/2014 winter period. In amongst the largest group, of three individuals together, we observed a peculiar behavior as one bird appeared to be actively carrying around a few strands of Eelgrass. I thought maybe it was tangled in the stringy vegetation but close examination of photographs seem to show it is actually gripping the vegetable matter at the mid point of its mandibles. We followed these three Rhinoceros Auklet around for several minutes and this bird refused to drop the vegetation eventually flying off with it! Searching around on the internet I found a photograph of an Atlantic Puffin carrying vegetation in a similar manner. Evidently these alcids bring nest lining material, such as grasses and feathers, to their burrows and can be seen flying around holding such things. Based on current knowledge we are some considerable distance from known nesting areas of Rhinoceros Auklet, which may breed as close as the southern California Channel Islands to the north. Perhaps this individual just has the uncontrollable urge to collect nest lining material? We were also in sight of islands to the south, Islas Los Coronados in Baja California, Mexico. Could this be a colonizer headed to those islands?
Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Rhinoceros Auklets – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
We came across another Rhinoceros Auklet by itself which allowed quite a close approach for photography. This individual already has a fairly large grown horn at the base of the upper mandible and small yellowish-white plumes on the face.
Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014
Great shots Gary! I love the one with the horn at the end. Great job.
Nice work as usual.
Has anyone seen tufted puffins in San Diego Bay? I believe that I saw 4 between the northern tip of Shelter Island and the western tip of Harbor Island on the water’s surface. I did not have binoculars but the white tufts and orange/red bill were prominent. I’ve seen thousands in AK but never here. A colleague mentioned they saw similar and that they ‘flew funny and seemed to crash land on the water’ surface.’ I’ve observed similar in AK. Thanks. Michael
Those were probably surf scoters. Without binoculars I could see how they might look like tufted puffins. But one tufted puffin in breeding plumage in San Diego bay would be extremely out of place. Four? No way. Surf scoters, on the other hand, are common in the bay and I saw some just today.