This is a regular, but still spectacular occurrence most summers off Seacliff State Beach, conveniently located a couple hundred yards from my office. Sooties nest in the southern hemisphere, and come north to California waters during their "winter", making them the ultimate endless summer bird. Making the longest migration of any bird in the world, Sooties typically fly east from New Zealand before turning north and flying the length of the Pacific before they reach California waters and feeding on the abundance of small fish in the Monterey Bay. From there, they follow various routes to return to their southern hemisphere nesting grounds, flying as much as 40,000 miles in a round-trip migration.

Flocks like this have been present for the past two weeks (as of July 12) on an almost daily basis, typically showing up around 4 p.m. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out; it's truly one of the grand spectacles of the birding world.