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Sooty Shearwater? (Cape Cod) MYSTERY Shearwater/Petrel (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nfbirder
- Start date
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Oooh eck! Off to do some research. The structure looks wrong for Sooty (too chunky), it wouldn't have that contrast above unless exceptionally faded(and it looks quite fresh) and the plae bill and white chin/throat is a big problem. It gives a Cory's impression (build wise) but it has a fair few things wrong with that diagnosis too - notably the plain upper tail coverts and dark underparts. Any photos, however duff, showing the underparts will help.
Currently comprehensively stumped - and are you 100% sure that its the same bird in both photos
Currently comprehensively stumped - and are you 100% sure that its the same bird in both photos
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Jane Turner
Well-known member
I'm currently working my way though Procellariidae and still drawing blanks!
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4038/4241258035_c4d4ccf6c8_z.jpg
Is my closest yet, or perhaps Pink-footed Shearwater - which seems to have a lot going for it!
http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=28537&mode=full&lang=kr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimscarff/6295636302/
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4038/4241258035_c4d4ccf6c8_z.jpg
Is my closest yet, or perhaps Pink-footed Shearwater - which seems to have a lot going for it!
http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=28537&mode=full&lang=kr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimscarff/6295636302/
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Jane Turner
Well-known member
Well that's no less likely than a Pink-foot in the North Atlantic - though it does look rather heavy, and pale billed to me!
KenM
Well-known member
Apparantly the contrasting pale edge to the secondaries..as is shown in image 2. is nothing more than water reflection..not uncommon on dark-backed Puffinus..thus..as has been stated..Pink-footed Shearwater..a somewhat bulkier bird, more comparable to the subject is perhaps a better candidate.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
but would be a 1stfor the North Atlantic! Its a pity we don't know what the underparts look like -except they look rather dark.
http://www.thebirdguide.com/pelagics/images/100317806-O_Gilliam.jpg
I've been looking for dark morph Pink-FS with white throats or pale morph with dark under tails - the above is my best yet.
http://www.thebirdguide.com/pelagics/images/100317806-O_Gilliam.jpg
I've been looking for dark morph Pink-FS with white throats or pale morph with dark under tails - the above is my best yet.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Cheers. I saw nearly 1000 of these, but all in one Tubenose saturated day of movement off La Jolla. I recall thinking that they looked intermediate between Cory's and Great Shear - which would fit.
A couple more with pale chins and dark utcs
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EifMbxNuQfA/T7nE0o_ACvI/AAAAAAAAIC4/_Z0EbSzksAg/s1600/pfsh3.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/pelagic_monterey_sept11
It would be good to try and find reasons why its not a Pink-footed Shear. Ihave to go out now!
A couple more with pale chins and dark utcs
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EifMbxNuQfA/T7nE0o_ACvI/AAAAAAAAIC4/_Z0EbSzksAg/s1600/pfsh3.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/pelagic_monterey_sept11
It would be good to try and find reasons why its not a Pink-footed Shear. Ihave to go out now!
How titillating to wake up this morning to find my bird elevated to MYSTERY status.
If you want duff pictures of this bird's underparts, you've come to the right place! |
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First...yes, both pictures are of the same bird. They were taken toward the southern end of Stellwagen Bank yesterday evening.
If you want duff pictures of this bird's underparts, you've come to the right place! |
|First...yes, both pictures are of the same bird. They were taken toward the southern end of Stellwagen Bank yesterday evening.
Attachments
Jane Turner
Well-known member
I was hoping it would have a big pale belly. Twoof those photos look fine for Sooty, but one still looks really weird. Can they really fade that much?
Its worrying that the clearest photo in the initial post is the weirdest one!
Its worrying that the clearest photo in the initial post is the weirdest one!
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The more recent pictures look okay for Sooty Shearwater to me. They tend to be moulting at this time of year (at least the ones I saw in late June in the Pacific last year were anyway), which might explain the rather faded appearance.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Checking the info on the photos it was 6:33 PM so the sun was a little lower in the sky, not sure if that has anything to do with it. But I assure you, this is all one bird we're looking at here. The only difference is the angle at which it's flying, at first it was flying away from me somewhat, then it turned and flew almost perpendicular to me.
Tiraya
San Diego CA
:eek!: What the...?
The wing and face plumage looks completely different. I don't see how the pale bill and white throat can fade like that in the second image.
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