Auk/murrelet from California 2nd of april (1 Viewer)

[Liebzi]

Hi,

This very darkish auklet/murre seen today at Monterey. Appeared slightly smaller than the Murre's it was flying with but not by much. Darker upperparts, headprofile, blackish underwing and black on chest is different than the murre's. Rhinoceros Auklet came to my mind first but hard to tell bill shape on these photos. It seems the underwing has a very tiny and thin white stripe which is fitting Parakeet Auklet, but if Parakeet, it should be way smaller than the murre's I assume.

I have heard that black Murre's do exist, maybe it is just one of them?

Any opinions is very helpful, thanks,

Anton

 

[Andy Hurley]

From my Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, by David Allen Sibley published by Knopf: "Dark Common Murre Adult 1 in 1000 in California, unrecorded elsewhere; extreme dark morph shown (many are intermediate between this and typical)."

 

[rkj]

I can't be sure from these photos; I think Rhinocerous Auklet is a reasonable possibility, but I am not sure a dark morph Common Murre can be excluded.

 

[Andy Hurley]

The one time I photographed a Rhinocerous Auklet, I saw the 'horn'. Even at a fair distance away. They are not good by any means but good enough to confirm the ID, but that was in June! This wouldn't help with non-breeding plumage though...but shouldn't they be in breeding plumage by now?

 

[rkj]

I do not know what the molt schedule is for Rhinocerous Auklets. I would guess that some birds might still be in winter garb with a small, hornless bill. Yesterday along the Monterey Bay coast I did not see any auklets or murres, but I did see Red-necked Grebes and Common and Red-throated Loons that all ranged from full winter to full breeding plumages.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Its that transition period at the moment, I suppose..