Possible Shearwater, Los Angeles? (1 Viewer)

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PhotoHutch

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #1

While on a Los Angeles Audubon pelagic trip yesterday, one of the expert guides (and believe me, they were experts and a great help) had a brief glimpse of a dark shearwater flying away. He called it out and I snapped what I thought may have been his bird (I'm not even certain I snapped the right bird).

Please forgive the image, but it was at least a hundred meters away, the image is a little fuzzy and I've enlarged it the best I can.

What do you all think?

Steve

PS We did spot a Manx Shearwater on the trip, so that was pretty cool. . . .

 

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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Mar 1, 2009

• #2

It's a cormorant of some sort - maybe Pelagic Cormorant. The wing shape is all wrong for a shearwater, with those 'fingered' primaries.

 

PONYRCR

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #3

Steve that's the wrong bird. It's going the wrong way.

I have two very poor shots of the mystery dark shearwater that I'll post in a minute.

It was very nice meeting you. I had a great time. I'm going to try and go on the April trip.

JoAnne

 

P

PhotoHutch

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #4

That was my first impression when I looked at the picture, so I figured I shot the wrong bird. The only thing that had me post, was the head shape doesn't look like the cormorant shots I've take. Not sure on the Pelagic, it doesn't show the white patches.

Thanks for the reply?

 

PONYRCR

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #5

I think that's a Brandt's Cormorant.

The head looks a bit thick for a Pelagic and like you said there doesn't apper to be a white patch under the wing.

 

picknage

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #6

my Sibleys shows no white on juv pelagics, would they still have juv plumage now?

 

P

PhotoHutch

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #7

Okay, my really bad on the first image. Forgive me, it was my first pelagic trip. . . .

This one was taken a few images later (with a couple of blurry pink hats were in between). This one clearly is a shearwater (i think).

Joanne, I enjoy meeting you as well. Hopefully your shots are a little better than this one. Hope your other images came out okay, too!! I'm about halfway through deleting the junkie ones. . . .

Best,

Steve

 

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Gentoo

Guest

• Mar 1, 2009

• #8

Looks kind of like a Sooty Shearwater from this angel although it is the wrong time of year for them. So what I should have said is Short-Tailed Shearwater which is more likely off our coast in mid winter. Any more shots?

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Mar 1, 2009

• #9

those 'rhino' heads in the background look funny - can't comment on the shearwater

 

P

PhotoHutch

Well-known member

• Mar 1, 2009

• #10

Thanks for your patience with me and the replies. Ponyrcr also has some shots posted under "mystery dark shearwater, san pedro area" that are a lot better than mine. Unfortunately, the boat was going one way, the bird the other, and I was on the wrong side of the boat. . . .

Steve