Squacco Heron - North Atlantic Ocean - 173 km West of Morocco (6 Viewers)

[Aladdin]

Dear Members and Bird Watchers!

I have one race pigeon on the boat, yellow ring #ESP 193941 I gave it biscuits yesterday, but the bird is obviously used to better food. But today it is eating sun flower seeds like there is no tomorrow. It have been on the boat since Mauritanian.

I have some swallows that I have ID as Western house martin. Black back and white bottom with a darker face, but I am unsure and I reported th ebirds as Swallows sp.

A few Cory's Shearwaters.

But, I spotted 3 white birds, flying low over the water, very far away. I took some pictures and it looked like herons. Flying towards NW, in to the big nothing as Butty would have said.

I look in my book and the only bird fitting the picture is the Squacco Heron. Can the bird in the attached pictures be Squacco Herons?

Kind Regards and Happy Birding
Aladdin

 

[lou salomon]

yes, Squacco Herons.

 

[nartreb]

Sure look like squacco herons (and not, say, cattle egret).

 

[Aladdin]

yes, Squacco Herons.

Thank you lou salomon!

Highly appreciated!

I thought I was going crazy, what on earth are they doing there flying in to the big nothing? The closest land in that direction is Azores and that is a very long flight.

Thanks again, highly appreciated!
Aladdin

 

[Aladdin]

Sure look like squacco herons (and not, say, cattle egret).

Cheers nartreb!

Yes, cattle egrets should be more orange, at least where I have seen them coming in to breeding plumage.

Thanks, very appreciated
Aladdin

 

[nartreb]

They migrate from sub-saharan Africa to Europe. If they can cross the Sahara (say, 1,000km between watering holes), then 173 km from shore is no big deal, and going to Canarias, Madeira or even the Azores is possible. (They do show up in the Azores, although quite rarely.)

 

[njlarsen]

They migrate from sub-saharan Africa to Europe. If they can cross the Sahara (say, 1,000km between watering holes), then 173 km from shore is no big deal, and going to Canarias, Madeira or even the Azores is possible. (They do show up in the Azores, although quite rarely.)

One was in Barbados a couple of years ago even though I missed it.
Niels