Spotted this petrel recently in Ireland.It spent most of it's time on the water but occasionally flew.To me and another birder it seemed too big for a storm petrel.It also didn't seem to show any sign of a white underwing band.The bird didn't have obvious upperwing panels in flight like a leach's would,although whilst preening i did notice a small white panel on the upperwing.The tail also seemed square ended,not forked like a leach's.The wings seem too long,narrow and pointed for wilson's.I would appreciate any opinions.Thanks in advance.
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Petrel,Ireland (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ivory99
- Start date
Simon Wates
Well-known member
I think it looks most like a Wilson's but I don't know if its possible to be sure at all.
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
I believe I see feet extending beyond the tail in the fourth photo. If so, that says Wilson's.
dantheman
Bah humbug
You're thinking Maderian/Band-rumped? Between this and Wilson's I guess. (White too extensive for Leach's?)
Not the other wing? In this quality of pic the legs would surely be hard to pick out ...
Thanks Jeff and dantheman.Given the weather systems that have hit Ireland recently,it is not impossible that it could be something good.Having said that,i have zero experience with birds like madeiran etc.As dantheman said,i think that the extended legs that Jeff mentioned in the fourth shot is just a wing.I did at the time try to look for the extended legs but could not see any,although i think this is hard to see unless you get very close views.
Last edited:
kb57
Well-known member
I only have (limited) experience of Wilson's and European, albeit close views from pelagics. I'd concur with Simon and others in saying it looks more like the former...however, in some of the pictures it looks a bit long in the wing for Wilson's..looking at some of my Wilson's pics from last year, the wings on your bird also look quite narrow by comparison, although that may be a consequence of the differences in flight mode, splaying primary feathers out when they are pattering around a boat.
I can certainly see where you are coming from if you are thinking it may have been something rarer, i.e. band-rumped complex.
I can certainly see where you are coming from if you are thinking it may have been something rarer, i.e. band-rumped complex.
