Algarve Shearwater (1 Viewer)

[ndsutcliffe]

Taken this morning off Carrapateira, Western Algarve.

I assumed this to be Cory's Shearwater but seems to have white webs on the inner primaries and also seems quite clean underwings. So might this be Scopoli's?

 

[THE_FERN]

Certainly looks like it to me. Outermost primary seems to have extensive white

 

[Harrybongo]

Looks like a Cory's - whitish belly/axillaries with no dark markings, pale robust bill with dark marking near the tip, and thick dark border to the hand.

 

[THE_FERN]

Looks like a Cory's - whitish belly/axillaries with no dark markings, pale robust bill with dark marking near the tip.

Do you feel these characters trump the underwing white?

 

[Harrybongo]

Do you feel these characters trump the underwing white?

Hi. Yes.....And a wider, darker hand, favours Cory's.

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Hi. Yes.....And a wider, darker hand, favours Cory's.

Favours Cory’s over Scopoli’s?
How much more white in the under primaries would you expect to see on Scopoli’s?

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Redirect Notice

I know it’s not the crispest photo, but looks ok for Scopoli’s to my eyes.

 

[Harrybongo]

Hi. Yeah, looking at it again, I agree with Scopoli's.... rushed id on my part.

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Thanks everyone, will go with Scopoli's

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Just finished going through the rest of the photos from this morning. Took a photo later of a Cory's from a similar angle which makes for an interesting comparison. Sorry, maybe should've posted at the same time. Same photo as previously posted is reposted alongside for comparison.

 

[Helsinki Birder]

One thing I tend to look for when watching Cory's/Scopoli's, from a land based seawatching perspective, is the extent of dark leading edge to the hand (not something I've seen mentioned in lit but something I do personally look for).

Scopoli's imo have a tendency to have less of a dark leading edge, on some birds seemingly absent, where as Cory's I feel has a tendency to have a broader dark leading edge.

These birds are a good example of that I reckon. Anyone else noticed this in the field?


Owen

 

[THE_FERN]

Hi. Yes.....And a wider, darker hand, favours Cory's.

Just "for the record" please could you expand the discussion of these characters. They're not mentioned in (e.g.) the sound approach page I think. I realise we're agreed the op bird is Scopoli's

 

[Helsinki Birder]

Just "for the record" please could you expand the discussion of these characters. They're not mentioned in (e.g.) the sound approach page I think. I realise we're agreed the op bird is Scopoli's

Based on the belly comment I think he was confused regards Cory's vs Great Shearwater.

Owen

 

[Helsinki Birder]

One thing I tend to look for when watching Cory's/Scopoli's, from a land based seawatching perspective, is the extent of dark leading edge to the hand (not something I've seen mentioned in lit but something I do personally look for).

Scopoli's imo have a tendency to have less of a dark leading edge, on some birds seemingly absent, where as Cory's I feel has a tendency to have a broader dark leading edge.

These birds are a good example of that I reckon. Anyone else noticed this in the field?

View attachment 1586209
Owen

Some more thoughts on this here:

Scoring Scopoli's

A recent thread on birdforum got me thinking about Scopoli's Shearwater again. The original poster provided two images for ID, with one susp...

helhathnobirdies.blogspot.com

Owen

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Owen,

wow what an excellent blog-post, full of your experience, interesting pictures, helpful captions and food for thought. Well worth reading in depth many times and come back to it for reference.
(might well worth extended and printed if you want this?)

Thanks for sharing your experience!