All photos by Don DesJardin    

Searcher Natural History Tours offers some exciting options for those eager to bird the offshore waters of Southern California on multi-day trips from San Diego.

Bird Blog - Click here to find out what's happening with pelagic birds at sea.

Check our schedule for spring and fall departures.

Check our trip sightings lists:
April 17-21, 2003
April 24-28, 2003
September 4-7, 2003 (Note: this was a 3 day trip)
April 21-25, 2004
April 28- May 2, 2004 (click for trip map)
September 8-12, 2004 (click for trip map)
April 13-16, 2005 (click for trip report)
September 5-9, 2005 (click for trip report)
April 26-30, 2006 (Click for trip report)
September 4-8, 2006 (Click for trip report)
April 14-18, 2007 (Click for trip report)
September 3-7, 2007 (Click for trip report)



Schedule


2008 Searcher Natural History Tours
Offshore Birding Trips Schedule

During our 5-day trips we plan to travel north past Point Conception to the Arguello Canyon, Rodriguez Dome, San Juan Seamount, and an outermost seamount 40 miles southwest of Cortez Bank which is 150 miles offshore. We will have three full days of birding along the 2,000-fathom line and wherever else the birds take us.

Target species will vary with the seasons. During the spring trips we have observed Laysan Albatross, Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Murphy's Petrel, Cookileria Petrel, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Short-tailed Shearwater, Black-vented Shearwater, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Ashy Storm-Petrel, Black Storm-Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Long-tailed Jaeger, Sabine's Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Common Murre, Xantus' Murrelet, Cassin's Auklet, and Rhinoceros Auklet. During the September trip we will be on the lookout for Cook's Petrel, Black Storm-petrel, Least Storm-petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, all Craveri's Murrelet, and Xantus' Murrelet.

While our primary focus will be on birds, there's also a chance to see several species of cetaceans, including blue, fin, humpback, beaked, and sperm whales.


Departure Arrival Cost

Monday, June 2, 2008 Friday, June 6, 2008 $975
Monday, Sept. 1, 2008 Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 $975

Click here for an exciting land birding extension from
September 5-7, 2008.

Why take a June pelagic trip from San Diego? - Click here to find out

Click here to find out what our customers have said about our birding trips!

Check out the Bird Blog to see what is happening!

If you're interested in this trip, please contact Celia Condit at searcher@bajawhale.com for booking information. If you have any questions regarding the birds we may see, please contact Terry Hunefeld at thunefeld@gmail.com. Terry is our official chummer and spotter.

Searcher Natural History Tours   searcher@bajawhale.com   (619) 226-2403
Some photographs taken by Frank S. Balthis of Nature's Design, FrankBalthis@yahoo.com