Black Cormorant

Running Shearwater

A sooty shearwater runs along the surface of the Santa Barbara Channel prior to takeoff. Shearwaters enjoy a variety of pelagic foods, including squid, which are plentiful in the Channel. They are said to dive to depths of 30 feet or so, although they can dive much deeper.  They'd most probably be spotted in blue water near a baitball: a sketchy place to dive.

Shearwater Liftoff

A Sooty Shearwater lifts off from the surface of the Santa Barbara Channel. Shearwaters travel in an enormous figure-8 around the Pacific from nesting sites in the far south; some tagged birds traveled 74,000 km, nearly twice the distance around the Earth at the equator. Shearwaters visit the Santa Barbara Channel in May and June. Their hooked beaks make them look like albatrosses, and they are close relatives.