Red-billed Tropicbird A SoCal specialty, nesting off the coast of Baja, Mexico. Uncommon summer and fall visitor to So Cal waters, regularly seen on spring and fall trips off San Diego e.g. five on 26 Apr 2003; seven on 23 Apr 2004.
2005: One seen from San Clemente Island 4 Jul (NAB, McCaskie & Garrett). Three 30 n.mi. west off San Diego at "the Ridge" 7 Sep (Evans, 2005).
2006: 2 near the "Mushroom" 29 April (NAB, McCaskie & Garrett). 5 at San Clemente Island 29 Jul and one 16 km s. of there 30 Jul (NAB, McCaskie & Garrett). 2 seen 4 Sep off San Diego with the closest being 19 km W of LaJolla, and three on 21 Oct within one km east of San Clemente Island.
2007: One on 16 Apr 2007 (Searcher Trip Reports). One seen 19 May near San Clemente Island (pers comm, L.Sheffield). One 24 n mi offshore San Diego in Mex waters 25 Jul (Povey, SDBirds). Three 50 km off San Diego 31 Aug; two individuals suspected, warm water – 70.3 degrees (Hunefeld, SDBirds) (NAB, McCaskie & Garret). Three 27-34 km off Point Loma San Diego 4 Sep (Povey, SDBirds; NAB, McCaskie & Garret).
2008: Four off San Diego from Grande 20 Jul were over water where undoubtedly regular at this time of year (NAB, McCaskie & Garret). 2 off San Diego from Grande 4 Oct . Six west of the Channel Islands during the fall of (NAB, McCaskie & Garret) including 2 from Searcher 3 Sep. 2 from Grande in deep water 90-130 n.mi. w of San Diego on 4 Oct and two again on 2 Nov.
2009: One from Grande off San Diego 10 May. One from Condor Express off Santa Barbara 25 Jul. 5 from Grande 11 Oct.
2010: One on the Nine Mile Bank from Grande Feb 13. 2 from Grande on May 15-16. 6 from Searcher on May 29-31. 2 from Grande on Aug 16-17. 4 from Searcher Sep 9.
