Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Seabird News > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Monday, May 12 at 08:29 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Phillipine Eagle,©Jan Wilczur

12 May Seabird names [William Bourne ] 6 May Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...... notes on the more interesting species [John Brodie-Good ] 5 May Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...the final few days [John Brodie-Good ] 2 May Fiji Petrel - the search for another ‘lost’ petrel – seabirders wanted! [Tony Pym ] 1 May CRESLI 2008 summer offshore whale and pealgic bird trips ["Dr. Artie Kopelman" ] 1 May Western Pacific Odyssey 2008....Japanese waters and North Pacific Albatross's...... [John Brodie-Good ] 30 Apr Hatteras, NC and Manteo, NC Pelagic Trips In May and June ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 30 Apr NOAA Northern Right Whale Protections Delayed ["Paul A. Guris" ] 30 Apr Manteo, NC Gulf Stream Pelagics on June 6, 7, & 8 ["Paul A. Guris" ] 30 Apr Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008, towards Japan [katahdinss AT comcast.net (Gail B. Mackiernan ] 29 Apr Western Pacific Odyssey 2008, towards Japan [John Brodie-Good ] 29 Apr Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... [Tony Pym ] 28 Apr Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 28 Apr Re: I say Harcourt's Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped [Angus Wilson ] 28 Apr I say Harcourt's Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped [Nate Dias ] 28 Apr Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... ["Dick Newell" ] 27 Apr You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... [Angus Wilson ] 24 Apr 'Atoll' Shearwater - Western Pacific Odyssey [Tony Pym ] 23 Apr Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos [Angus Wilson ] 23 Apr Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos ["Elaine Cook" ] 23 Apr Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos [John Brodie-Good ] 23 Apr Pterodroma, Parakeets, Albatross, Orca, Giant Squid. ORCA & GIANT SQUID??? [thunefeld ] 22 Apr DISCOUNT on May 24, 25, 26 Pelagic Trips fr. Manteo; space on some Hatteras dates ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 22 Apr Need Five Persons for Hatteras Pelagic trip Saturday, April 26 ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 21 Apr Re: Identity of storm-petrels photographed near Guam [katahdinss AT comcast.net (Gail B. Mackiernan ] 20 Apr Identity of storm-petrels photographed near Guam [Angus Wilson ] 19 Apr Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 Beck's Petrels and Heinroth's Shearwaters again [Angus Wilson ] 19 Apr Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 Beck's Petrels and Heinroth's Shearwaters again........ [John Brodie-Good ] 17 Apr The Atlantic Odyssey 2008 highlights [John Brodie-Good ] 17 Apr Origins of Sooty Shearwaters in the North Atlantic [Angus Wilson ] 16 Apr International Albatross and Petrel Conference ["Ross Wanless (Cape Town Pelagics)" ] 15 Apr Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 [Tony Pym ] 15 Apr A cautionary tale of two albatrosses…. [Tony Pym ] 14 Apr Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 ["Jim Zook" ] 14 Apr Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 [Joseph Morlan ] 14 Apr Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...into the Solomon Islands [John Brodie-Good ] 14 Apr Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 [JRZ ] 14 Apr White-bellied Storm-petrel and Cape Gannet [William Bourne ] 14 Apr 4th International Albatross and Petrel Conference ["Ross Wanless (Cape Town Pelagics)" ] 13 Apr Opportunity to photograph Zino’s Petrel, at sea [Tony Pym ] 13 Apr Opportunity to photograph Zino’s Petrel, at sea [Tony Pym ] 13 Apr Re: Wedge-tailed Shearwater distribution, off Central America [Tony Pym ] 12 Apr Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 [Bruce Mactavish ] 12 Apr White-breasted Storm-petrel [William Bourne ] 11 Apr Re: Rethinking Europe's lone records of White-bellied Storm-Petrel and Cape Gannet [Stan Howe ] 11 Apr Cape Gannet - Western Palaearctic? [Tony Pym ] 11 Apr Cape Gannet description [Tony Pym ] 11 Apr Cape Gannet, southern Spain? [Tony Pym ] 10 Apr Re: Rethinking Europe's lone records of White-bellied Storm-Petrel and Cape Gannet ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 10 Apr Rethinking Europe's lone records of White-bellied Storm-Petrel and Cape Gannet [Angus Wilson ] 8 Apr Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 New Zealand Storm-Petrel wintering grounds discovered? PHOTOS [John Brodie-Good ] 8 Apr Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 New Zealand Storm-Petrel wintering grounds discovered? [Tony Pym ] Subject: Seabird names From: William Bourne <wrpbourne AT yahoo.co.uk> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 14:29:21 +0100 (BST) Plain text message should be attached --------------------------------- Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Email. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Seabird English Names In his discussion of seabird English names on 27 April and in his blog (http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspt.com/2008/04/name-game-quick-look-at-some-of-more.html) Angus Wilson cites a lot of recent authors who all quote each other but makes little attempt to go back to the origin of the names. In 1993 the Royal Naval Bird-watching Society, who have been collecting seabird observations for over half a century, attempted a reasoned justification for the names they preferred (Sea Swallow 42: 16-27), which seems to have passed unnoticed. The situation is now critical because the "Birds of the World- recommended English names" produced by Frank Gill (a good seabirder) and Minturn Wright for the International Ornithological Congress in 2006 is likely to be adopted by all sorts of editors who know nothing about the subject, and imposed on us, and it seems time those who do know something made their views known. To go through some debatable cases in Gill & Wright:- P. 8 and 25. We prefer Storm-petrel for the family Hydrobatidae and Diving-petrel for the Pelecanoididae to distinguish them from other petrels. We do not favour capitals after hyphens. P. 22. The Little Penguin is no fairy (and not blue either). P. 23. We do not favour the political reclassification of albatrosses in an unrefereed work of uncertain date, which leads to a lot of vague reports of forms inseparable at sea. P. 24. Beck's Petrel has now of course been resurrected. Newell's Shearwater seems osteologically rather distinct, with a projecting keel of the sternum, and may deserve specific status. The Christmas Shearwater is osteologically similar to the Manx group of shearwaters. On the other hand the molecular differences between the small shearwaters seem greater than their physical ones, possibly due to the amount of isolation, and they may now be over-split. Some of the critical ones such as Heinroth's and Bannerman's were not included in the investigations. P. 28. Current tropicbird names are unsatisfactory. They have traditionally been Red- and Yellow-billed in the Atlantic and Red- and White-tailed in the Indo-Pacific. Both lepturus and aethereus have more or less white tails, so Yellow-billed seems more distinct for the former. Both aethereus and rubricauda also have red bills, but there is no obvious way out of that. P. 29-30. The shagmorants present a problem. We use cormorant for the more terrestrial and shag for the more marine species. P. 41. We feel Yellow-billed Sheathbill is more distinctive- they are all snowy. P. 45. Mew Gull is a tautomer (mew in English, mowe in German, meeuw in Dutch, mage in Danish, make in Norwegian, mas in Swedish, mafur in Icelandic, mews in Polish and mouette in French are general names for gull). We prefer Common Gull. P. 46. The Yellow-legged Gull is now usually L. michahellis, the Caspian Gull L. cachinnans, Heuglin's Gull L. heuglini (possibly intergrading with armenicus?), which are rather distinct entities. We loathe "Common Black-headed Gull, never used where is common, and are not attached to "Great Black-headed Gull", for which "Pallas's Gull" seems to be coming into use. Is there any need for "Chinese Crested Tern" when "Chines Tern" would do? P. 47. The names "Sooty Noddy" for the Lesser Noddy and "Angel Tern" for the White Tern seem no improvement. I prefer McCormick's to the South Polar Skua (after all, he found it), but this seems a lost cause. How did jaegers get among the skuas- it is a German word not even used in Germany? Murre like Loon is English while Guillemot is French. It is confusing to have the last alternating between Uria and Cepphus, where the NW European name for the latter is Tystie. And some names discussed by Angus, who quotes a lot of recent authors who are all quoting each other, but few older ones:- Personally I do not favour such extensive splitting of the great albatrosses (Gerfaut 79: l05-ll6); if it is accepted, antipodensis is not characteristic of New Zealand. Steller had a hard time discovering his albatross among other things. He deserves to be remembered, "short-tailed" does not. When John Warham and I originall separated the giant petrels (Ardea 54: 45- 67) we called them Northern and Southern. We do not consider the alternatives an improvement. It has always proved an uphill struggle to get people to spell "Trindade" properly. Personally I can see little difference from the Herald Petrel and prefer that earlier name. There were still hundreds of De Fillippi's petrels on the outliers of Robinson Crusoe, but none on the main island, 25 years ago. When I first split the Soft-plumaged-type petrels (Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. l03: 52-58) I followed Bob Murphy in preferring local names (Gon-gon is Portuguese Creole), but other people again knew better. After these I prefer the names of the people who discovered the northern ones, Fea and Zino, to Cape Verde and Madeira, devised in American arm-chairs and liable to lead to confusion with other species. We have always referred to Great Shearwaters, Storm-petrel names were fairly stable until about half a century ago other arm-chair Americans (perhaps especially Gene Eisenmann?) decided to replace eponyms often involving English admirals with more descriptive names- we started complaining ineffectually long ago (see below). These merely seem to have caused confusion, as in the Tower of Babel, It is not clear who originally suggested the name British for what we once called the Storm Petrel (particularly annoying to the Irish, who have more of them)- it may have been W,B. Alexander. European does seem more appropriate. The trouble with the long-eastablished name White-throated Storm-petrel is that some are dark (Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 77: 40-42). Polynesian Storm-petrel is another recent American innovation but also seems appropriate. "Ringed" does not seem such an appropriate name for O. hornbyi, but as already remarked a protest has had no effect (Condor 70: 283). It seems time it was accepted that it is not respectable to muck about with nomenclature, and more creditable to conserve it. People who do not know much about it should lay off it. Bill Bourne, Dufftown, Scotland. Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...... notes on the more interesting species From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 17:42:16 +0100 Hi all, Some further notes and comments of interest from Chris himself. His e- mail is chris AT cotinga.freeserve.co.uk Regards JBG > > Hi folks > > Recently back home after leading the latest West Pacific Odyssey for > Wildwings. As John Brodie-good has been posting regular updates to > this newsgroup, I won't list all sightings but here are a few more > details on some of our more significant sightings: > > Beck's petrel: following inconclusive views off Bougainville of a > bird believed to be this species on last year's voyage (and Hadoram > Shirhai's subsequent paper in Bull BOC documenting his sightings), > all the group enjoyed prolonged views of Beck's petrel this year. > > The first confirmed sighting was very close to where last year's > bird was seen and up to three definite Beck's petrels showed very > well on our oil/chum slick for c1 hour on the morning of 19 April. > We then sailed over to New Ireland and as we cruised north up the > eastern side of the island in the late afternoon of the same day, we > logged another eight birds. Not bad for a species which hadn’t been > seen for so many years !! > > As noted in my emails to John (which were summarised to this list), > those on board felt that Beck’s petrel is even more distinctive than > described in HS's paper with size, flight/manovarability and the way > the bird holds its head being the three most significant features. > > Whilst judging size at sea is never easy, Beck's petrel is > noticeably smaller when compared with Tahiti petrel, although > assessing this on a lone bird would inevitably be somewhat > challenging. During the hour or so we watched the birds in the > morning of 19 April, we had 1+ flying in close proximity to several > Wilson's storm-petrels and whilst it was (obviously) considerably > larger than the storm-petrels, comparing it size-wise to this > species seemed almost valid (ie wingspan was c3 times greater), > whereas this is a comparison one would not even consider making with > a Tahiti petrel !! To see this for yourself, please visit www.wildwings.co.uk/wposhipsightings.html > where we have posted a photograph of a Beck's petrel flying close > to several Wilson's storm-petrels. > > Being cookaleria size, Beck's petrel seems to be far more > manoeuvrable than a Tahiti petrel and the birds we watched had a > faster flight than the latter species. They also made far tighter > turns (eg when ‘wheeling’ over a chum slick) than I have seen from > any of many hundreds/thousands of Tahiti petrels I have watched over > recent years. > > Based on our observations, however, probably the key feature to > focus on for anyone looking at/photographing a potential vagrant > Beck's petrel is the head. A number of the group commented on how > comparatively small this appeared (ie compared to a Tahiti) and the > birds were variously described as 'chicken-headed' or 'like a > [European] honey-buzzard'. Beck’s petrel can also appear > disproportionately long necked (when compared with a Tahiti) and > again this can be seen in some of the photos which have been posted > on the Wildwings website. > > Polynesian Storm-petrel - there was only one confirmed sighting of > this species on this year's voyage compared with a minimum of eleven > birds in 2007. What made this year's bird significant, however, was > that it was found over a seamount just within Australian territorial > waters north of Norfolk Island and as far as I am aware it will be > the first record for Australia. An article on the sighting has been > written by the finder, Bob Flood, for a forthcoming issue of Birding > World, however, the record will also be submitted to the Birds > Australia Records Committee (BARC). To see a photograph of this > bird, again please refer to the Wildwings website at the address > mentioned above. > > Collared petrel - as on last year's voyage, a number of Collared > petrels were seen including several birds which were observed within > Australian territorial waters north of Norfolk Island. As with > Polynesian Storm-petrel, it is my understanding that this species is > not yet on the official Australian list, however, based on two > voyages I have made through these waters, it would seem that this > species is actually not uncommon at least in March/April. Again a > submission will be made to BARC in due course, although there is > clearly now a question mark as to whether this species should really > be considered an Australian vagrant. > > Heinroth's shearwater - another WPO speciality and this year we > logged eleven individuals off Central Bougainville. Interestingly > none were seen off Southern Bougainville and the most reliable area > seems to be over some underwater features we have identified a > little further north up the coast. Interestingly, Bob Flood and > Bryan Thomas (WPO Wildwings tour participants) also saw this species > off Kolombangara on a ‘mini-pelagic’ whilst the main group were > ashore looking for land birds, although no shearwaters were seen as > we cruised away from Kolombangara in the late afternoon of 17 April. > > Short-tailed albatross – unlike last year, we were able to take the > ship close in to Torishima and enjoyed a spectacular morning with > 40+ STAs seen. Within three miles or so of the island, we found > that this species was reasonably numerous and we had almost all > plumages scrapping for squid a matter of metres off the ship – > definitely one of the highlights of the voyage !!! Photos will > shortly be posted on the Wildwings website. > > New Zealand storm-petrel – great views of this species were enjoyed > by the entire group in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand and as we > cruised north on the afternoon of 3 April, a minimum of seven > individuals were logged. By dripping oil from the back of the ship, > we had NZSPs following the ship for most of the afternoon of that > day with some of the birds well north of the ‘traditional’ areas > where birders generally go to see this species. > > As John mentioned in one of his postings to this newsgroup, we then > encountered a bird which was presumably an NZSP on an oil slick not > far off the coast of New Caledonia. An article by Steve Howell and > myself about this sighting has been prepared for Birding World, > although for now we are treating the records as possible/presumed > NZSP. The reasons for this approach will be discussed in the > article, although in all probability the bird was a wintering/ > wandering NZSP. > > Tristram’s storm-petrel – another wanted species for many seabirders > and on the afternoon of 30 April we had several hundred off the > Bonin Islands (Japan). Small numbers were then seen on the > following two days, with large numbers then encountered again off > Miyake-jima on 3 May, a island about 80 nautical miles south of > Tokyo/Yokohama. > > Matsudaira’s storm-petrel – frequently encountered from four days > south of the Bonin Islands with birds regularly following the ship. > > Japanese murrelet – having struggled to find this species off Ko- > jima (albeit we were in a force 8-9 storm all day !!!), all onboard > enjoyed great views of this rare alcide around some islets which are > c5 nautical miles off Miyake-jima. A new seabird for just about > everyone on the ship and a great end to a fantastic voyage !! > > A full report and species list will be available shortly and this > will details of all the species (seabirds and landbirds) seen which > also included Laysan albatross, Bannerman’s shearwater, Kermadec > petrel, White-necked petrel, Gould’s petrel, Bonin petrel, Black- > winged petrel, Bulwer’s petrel, Streaked shearwater, Flesh-footed > shearwater, Wedge-tailed shearwater, Short-tailed shearwater, Little > shearwater, Tropical shearwater, White-faced storm-petrel, Leach’s > storm-petrel, Red-tailed and White-tailed tropicbirds, Black-naped > tern, Grey-backed tern, Grey ternlet etc !!! > > Regards > > > > Chris Collins > WildWings www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...the final few days From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 11:37:54 +0100 Hi all, 2nd May Ko-Jima, Japan Today the weather finally turned with a 9 blowing most of the day with frequent heavy rain. 3 murrelets sp were glimpsed through the rain but much better views required to I.D. for sure. 3rd May Morning Miyake-Jima, Afternoon at sea, heading towards Yokohama, Japan Yesterday's weather had all but gone and so a successful landing with Izu Thrush, Ijima's Leaf-warbler, Japanese Robin, White-Eye and Pygmy Woodpecker amongst the more interesting species seen ashore. Not all the passengers had gone ashore though and when the main group returned to the vessel they were somewhat gripped off with tales of 20+ Japanese Murrelets whilst the ship had been drifting! Expedition Leader Aaron Russ agreed to take the ship back over towards the rocks the birds had been around and soon everyone had big smiles on their faces again. As the vessel headed north in the afternoon, approx 100,000 Streaked Shearwaters were logged, a truly amazing spectacle apparently. Another Laysan Albatross was seen with the voyage's last Tristram's Storm-Petrels. A superb end to a "mindblowing" voyage (passenger quote). Many thanks to Heritage Expeditions and the Captain and crew of the Professor Khromov for making it all possible again. Chris Collin's full trip report and species list will be on our website soon. Contact us for future voyage availability and reservations. Best wishes John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Fiji Petrel - the search for another ‘lost’ petrel – seabirders wanted! From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 11:08:22 +0100 I’m intending joining Hadoram Shirihai and Dick Watling who have organised a boat charter of one week (up to a maximum 9 days) to try to find and photograph the Fiji Petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi). The journey will be from Fiji, a suitable boat has been arranged, and two ton of chum(!) will be aboard. It will sail 17 July 2008. Most will know the story behind this enigmatic and near-mythical species. Unrecorded from the type specimen taken in 1855 until 1984 when Dick had the extraordinary experience, when spotlighting, of a bird crash-landing into his head! Breeding is suspected on the small island of Gau but detailed searching there has not found any birds. Some 10 though, mainly juveniles, have since crashed onto roofs and grounded in a local village there. One of these last year, 2007, having died, is now preserved as a study skin (the 1855 skin is at the BMNH and this second in Fiji). The biology of the species is completely unknown. The voyage has three main goals: 1. To learn the at-sea identification of the Fiji Petrel, observe behaviour if possible, and hopefully get an understanding of the likely numbers in the area. 2. To try to obtain photos of Fiji Petrel at sea, for use in both scientific and conservation/education publications to protect native Fijian birds. 3. To survey other species of petrels in this area, of which limited information is currently available. This is an invitation to keen seabird observers and photographers. Hadoram and Dick have space for only two or three more participants who are willing to share (equally) the costs of the boat. It will cost about US$5000 each (the final price depending on numbers sharing the costs). For further information please contact Hadoram at albatross_shirihai AT hotmail.com [As most already will know Dick is also the author of the 'A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia', and Hadoram was responsible for the recent rediscovery of Beck's Petrel and is the principal author of the forthcoming ‘Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the world: a handbook to their taxonomy, identification, ecology and conservation’] PS The recent charter to photograph Zino’s Petrel at sea (Seabird-News 13/4/08) was successful – more on this another time. Regards Tony _________________________________________________________________ Great deals on almost anything at eBay.co.uk. Search, bid, find and win on eBay today! http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000004ukm/direct/01/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: CRESLI 2008 summer offshore whale and pealgic bird trips From: "Dr. Artie Kopelman" <president AT cresli.org> Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 20:37:44 -0400 Dear offshore whale and pelagic bird enthusiast, Our trips have been 100% successful and we have encountered thousands of pelagic birds over the years ( go to http://www.cresli.org/cresli/aug_07_GSC.html to see our list from last year's shortened trip, including 5,816 Great Shearwater ; 780 Sooty Shearwater; 36 Manx Shearwater; 5Manx/Audubon's Shearwater; 630 Wilson's Storm-Petrel); over 500 humpback in the 7 trips thus far and have photo-identified over 140 different individuals (~1/3 of the known Gulf of Maine stock, in just 7 trips!). We've also encountered fin, minke, sei, and right whales; common, white-sided, dolphins, pilot whales We are planning two trips to the Great South Chanel in 2008, one in July and one in August. The July trip will be 34 hours long; the August trip, our typical 51 hour trip. (1) Our July trip will leave at 8:00 PM on July 20, 2008, and head to the Great South Channel (GSC). We should reach the whale grounds around day break, spend the next 15 hours amongst the whales and birds of the GSC. After sunset, we'll head back to Montauk and should return by 6:00 AM on July 22, 2008. (2) Our August trip will leave at 7:00 PM on August 10, 2008 and head to Martha's Vineyard (MV) to pick up (and drop off) passengers. We expect to arrive at Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard at approximately 12:30 AM on 8/11; we leave MV at 1:00 AM and proceed to the GSC. We should reach the whale grounds around day break, spend the next 24 hours amongst the whales and birds of the GSC. The following morning, we will have the option of either remaining on the whale grounds, or returning early to Martha's Vineyard for land-based birding, hiking, or other activities. The vessel will ultimately depart Martha's Vineyard at 4:30 PM on 8/12 and return to Montauk at 10:30 PM on 8/12/08. We at CRESLI hope that you will join us on our trips. Remember that members do get discounted fares. Reservations can be made at http://www.cresli.org/cresli/reservations/offshore_res.html Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph. D. President Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island president AT cresli.org www.cresli.org (all e-mails scanned for viruses before sending) "When the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again" William Beebe --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008....Japanese waters and North Pacific Albatross's...... From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 17:56:47 +0100 Hi all, The vessel is now in her last two days sailing from this year's final destination but in the meantime our revised plans came up trumps off the coast of Torishima Island... 30th April Chi-Chi-Jima (Bonin Islands), Japan The vessel arrived and cleared customs and immigration. Not planned to be much of a birding stop, a local park produced Brown-eared Bulbuls, Japanese Bush-Warblers and White-Eyes plus Blue Rock-Thrush. Again, no passerine migrants! Back at sea in the afternoon, the ship sailed north up the west coast of the main island. Tristram’s Storm-Petrels finally appeared, with good numbers recorded by the end of the day. A rather expensive bottle of champers was drunk by a gentleman resident on the Isles of Scilly apparently, his last storm-petrel under the belt! More excitingly for WildWings, Laysan Albatross finally joined the voyage list, having not been seen in 2007 or 2005, a single bird logged. Black-footed Albatross numbers built up as the day went on too, other seabirds included Bonin Petrels, Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters , Wilson’s Storm-Petrel but no Matsudaira’s today. 1st May At sea off Torishima Island, Japan Chris was just making an announcement from the bridge, as the island finally started coming into view through the mist and murk when an adult Short-tailed Albatross flew across in front of the bows! Some later chumming, about 3 nautical miles off the island produced about 30 birds, in all plumages, coming in close, giving the photographers aboard a field day! The ship went as close as a mile from the island early in the afternoon but it was deemed not worth trying a Zodiac cruise. More chumming brought in a few more Short-Tailed and Black- footed Alberts, but a poor performance compared to the morning’s show. Other tubenoses included 3 more Laysans, Streaked, Flesh-footed, Wedge- tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters, Wilson’s, Matsudaira’s and Tristram’s Storm-Petrels. The Save the Albatross auction onboard before dinner raised a further US$1600 and most people then retired to their cabins for the night with big smiles on their faces, yet again. Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Hatteras, NC and Manteo, NC Pelagic Trips In May and June From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:34:45 -0500 Dear Seabirders, There is still an opportunity for more birders to join a number of our pelagic trips off Cape Hatteras in May and June. Beginning on Saturday, May 17, we have openings daily through Thursday, May 22 on trips from Hatteras, NC. All of our trips from Hatteras from May 23 through May 31 are full, but we have space remaining on trips that we have chartered on the Country Girl on May 24, 25, and 26. These trips depart from Manteo and over the years have been very productive for rarities and seabird diversity. They were a bit slow in 2007, but that was unusual. We also have room on some trips in early June, which can still be productive for rarities and generally better for shearwaters and storm-petrels. Here is a list of available combinations of dates this spring: Hatteras: May 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Manteo: May 24, 25, 26 Hatteras: June 1 (one space), 2, 6, 7, 8 In most years, the Manteo departures would have filled by now, but there seem be more people signing up for Hatteras trips this year, even mid-week. We would like to go ahead and fill the trips, so we are offering a discounted price for participants who sign up for two or more Manteo trips. These trips are $145/person/day (same as last year!), but for persons taking two trips, we will discount it to $135/person/day and all three trips can be booked for $395. For groups of FIVE or more people booking together, the trips are $125/person/day, $240/person/two days or $350/person for all three days. Even near capacity, we probably won't make any profit on these, so please take advantage of the service which is being offered. With rising fuel prices, there could be less opportunities to go offshore next year. You can find more information on our website about these and all of the trips we offer: http://www.seabirding.com/. In addition to regularly scheduled trips, we can arrange private charters at a reasonable rate. This is something we can accomplish because we operate most of our trips aboard our own boat in Hatteras, which is the closest port to the Gulf Stream. Ours is an inspected vessel, which means she is subject to annual inspections by the U.S. Coast Guard. We recently completed the inspection and were highly rated by the Marine Safety Team. The Country Girl is also an inspected boat, and she is kept in top condition by her captain and crew. I realize that there is not much data on the website for the earlier May dates, but they should be good. We have recorded both Trindade Petrel and Fea's Petrel as early as May 14. We have only ever run one trip on May 17, and we saw a Red-billed Tropicbird on that date. I don't think we have yet run one on May 18. But beginning on May 19, we have recorded Trindade Petrel and Fea's Petrel on all dates through June 2. Bermuda Petrel proably occurs then too, but it is very rare and we haven't run enough trips to bear this out. Our coverage in early June has been less intense than late May, but we have had Bermuda Petrel through June 4 (and also in July, August, and September) and European Storm-Petrel through June 5. Both Red-billed and White-tailed Tropicbirds are probably more likely in June than May, especially the latter. Each spring is little different because of varying weather patterns and the meandering of the Gulf Stream, but you can be sssured we will do our best to find what's out there. We pioneered spring pelagic birding off Cape Hatteras and have been at it every year since 1990. Capt. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com http://www.seabirding.com/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: NOAA Northern Right Whale Protections Delayed From: "Paul A. Guris" <paul AT paulagics.com> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:25:45 -0400 The White House, specifically the Vice-President's office, has delayed the Northern Right Whale rules drafted by NOAA. These rules are designed to slow the speeds of large ships as they approach the coastal waters of the U.S. where the whales occur in order to reduce the risk of a strike. You can read details at: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/cheneys_office_do_not_save_the.php Score another one for politics, and one against science. -PAG Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics P.O. Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 www.paulagics.com 215-234-6805 paul AT paulagics.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Manteo, NC Gulf Stream Pelagics on June 6, 7, & 8 From: "Paul A. Guris" <paul AT paulagics.com> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:06:31 -0400 See Life Paulagics is running trips aboard the Country Girl on June 6, 7, and 8 out of Manteo, NC. June 6 is getting very close to being sold out. We also have a few spaces on May 30, but the May 31, June 1, and June 2 trips are all sold out. This late spring time frame has proven itself year after year in terms of both the regularly occurring species as well as rarities. The Country Girl is a legendary fast boat and they've just put in new engines. This speed has been used in the past to chase down rare birds that normal boats would not stand a chance of running after. Manteo is a great location. In addition to its proximity to the productive pelagic waters, it is also close to great land birding areas. Alligator River NWR to the west has Swainson's Warbler, abundant Prothonotary Warblers, Blue Grosbeak, Hooded Warbler, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Yellow-throated Warbler, and many other species. It is the best place I've ever experienced for seeing Black Bears, and there is even a chance of glimpsing the reintroduced and endangered Red Wolf. Palmetto Peartree Preserve, about 1-1/4 hours west of Manteo, has thriving colonies of Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Red-headed can be found there too. Pea Island can be good for shorebirds and terns. Brown-headed Nuthatch can even be found right at some of the motels in Manteo. A number of us will be in the area prior to the trips and should be able to nail down some of the species of special interest. One or more of us may even be available to go birding with you. If you are traveling with family or have interests outside of birds, Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers Memorial are minutes away, Manteo has a very good aquarium, there are several lighthouses from north to south, plus many other things to see and do. The Elizabethan Gardens are beautiful. Roanoke Island Festival Park has a fully functional ship modeled after those used in the 16th century. And there are more restaurants than you'll have time to visit. If you're planning on coming out with us and need information on birding, accommodations, and other sites, feel free to contact us. Hope to see you aboard. -PAG Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics P.O. Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 www.paulagics.com 215-234-6805 info AT paulagics.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008, towards Japan From: katahdinss AT comcast.net (Gail B. Mackiernan <katahdinss@comcast.net>) Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:41 +0000 Hi all -- We were in the same waters as the WP Odyssey, more or less, in March (although sailing further west along Northern Marianas, then over towards Iwo Jima). We had virtually no S-T shearwaters either. Last May, in the northern Pacific and Gulf of Alaska, we had hundreds of thousands of them so it seems a reasonable assumption (as Chris suggested) that the majority of the population has moved north by now. Gail Mackiernan Silver Spring, MD -------------- Original message ---------------------- John wrote: "Chris comments that the numbers of Short-tailed Shearwater are much lower than last year, perhaps being a little later most of these birds are already further north? " > > Cheers John Brodie-Good > www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008, towards Japan From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:06:00 +0100 Hi all, Another update from the vessel, only a few more days to go now but some big target species still amongst them.... 23rd April continued Leaving Chuuk, back at sea. As the vessel sailed away two more “Atoll’ Shearwaters, very different plumage wise from the small tropical shearwaters that were seen further south. Black-naped Terns flew around the harbour and back out on the ocean more Black and Brown Noddies. Two Grey-tailed Tattlers flew past at sea, giving some of the passengers both species for the day! 24th April At sea towards Japan. Small numbers of Short-tailed Shearwaters continue to move north plus another “Atoll’ Shearwater, four more Bulwer’s and a few White-tailed Tropicbirds. A single Great Frigatebird should be the last of the voyage and still plenty of noddies and Sooty, Great Crested and Black- naped Terns. A pod of Striped Dolphins enlivened the late afternoon’s watching from deck. 25th April At sea, towards Japan. Single Bulwer’s Petrel, Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters, a handful of Wilson’s Storm-Petrels , a Leach’s and two species of tropicbird headed the list of 12 species recorded. 26th April At sea, towards Japan Today produced the first of the trip’s Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels, two Flesh-footed Shearwaters and a Pom Skua plus the usual supporting cast. 27th April At sea, towards Japan More Matsudaira’s and three species of skua including long-tailed. 28th April At sea, towards Japan This year’s first Bonin Petrels appeared today, six plus birds going down in the log, other goodies included a number of Bannerman’s Shearwaters, a pale Kermadec Petrel and up to 12 Matsudaira’s on view at any one time! Good numbers of pale phase Wedge-tailed Shearwaters were present plus three species of booby with up to nine birds roosting aboard at night. The Red-foots fly around the bridge and dive down to try and catch any flying fish flushed by the ship, in mid-air! Two more Bulwer’s, some shearwaters, a Wilson’s S-P, more terns and three species of skua again, completed another excellent day. 29th April At sea, towards Chi-Chi-Jima, Japan Lots more Bonin Petrels today, including birds coming very close to the ship, you can hear those shutters clicking away…..another Bannerman’s and a ‘smaller’ black and white shearwater too. Probably the last Brown Noody of this year’s voyage, still no Tristram’s Stormies yet, plenty of Matsudaira’s in the wake at least. Chris comments that the numbers of Short-tailed Shearwater are much lower than last year, perhaps being a little later most of these birds are already further north? Also, no passerine migrants aboard ship so far, a few days to go still. He finishes asking about the current state of Heathrow’s Terminal 5, to which most of them are due to fly back to this coming Sunday, now that’s a question! Cetaceans included three Sperm whales and a pod of Blainville’s Beaked Whales early this morning. Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:42:26 -0700 (PDT) Macaronesian is still often misspelt and confuses many. There is a Micronesia but not a Macronesia (the name Macaronesia coming from ancient Greek and meaning ‘fortunate islands’). Following Andy’s problems with literal translation into Spanish, I pointed out a Lesser Black-backed Gull to a German guy who insisted it was a Herring Gull. It took some minutes of toing and froing before it was revealed that the German for Lesser Black-backed Gull is Heringsmöwe…..which translates as, yes, Herring Gull! (He got his own back when telling me that, in German, Black-browed Albatross has 'always' been called Mollymauk). Also, should we be pronouncing and writing people’s surnames correctly? Sabine’s Gull I understand should be sa-BEEN’S, not SAY- biyne’s and Defilippi’s should be written as de Filippi’s (first word lower case). Then, there’s the anglicised pronunciation of Jouanin’s which annoys the French…..and called by the Swedes Arab Petrel! Tony (P.S This discussion is on the Pelagics Newsgroup also) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:59:44 -0700 Folks I think that name stability is important, so keeping old names even if they are misleading makes sense to me. Too many English names, and things begin to become harder to navigate, although not impossible. Name standardization has benefits, but it is difficult to put into practice particularly when the alternate names both have a large user group. It also promotes the idea of changing names, to one of the two alternatives, which decreases name stability. In a sense, there is no way to win. What I find interesting is that name standardization takes on a particular zeal which is troubling to me. It becomes an end in itself, I guess a fun game for some, but at what cost? I would rather have loons and divers, jaegers and skuas, Lapland Longspurs and Lapland Buntings than standardize all of these. The reason is that in my years or birding and ornithology I have never actually seen a situation where these truly caused that much confusion, maybe temporary, but nothing major. We can all still communicate, and for the most part for some species we just keep a list of parallel names in our heads – and they are not that many. If confusion was rife, communication truly broken and we had trouble moving forward both in the ornithology and birding fields due to these name issues, then yes I would be right there saying that standardizing names is the way to go. I just don’t see that there is that big of a problem. Now when a new species is named, a split is done, or we have some situation where a name has to be tinkered with, then I think using rules that aim to standardize, and lessen confusion should be followed. As always it is cost vs. benefits, and there are costs to standardizing names, so why do it when the benefits are few? Cheers Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo HYPERLINK "mailto:chucao AT coastside.net"chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide HYPERLINK "http://www.fieldguides.com"www.fieldguides.com _____ From: Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com [mailto:Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Dick Newell Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 2:42 AM To: Angus Wilson; Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com Subject: [Seabird-News:711] Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... Hi Angus, Most attempts to play god with bird-names fall on stony ground. Although there are apparently bodies responsible for maintaining some order, in practice the naming game is a free for all. I am afraid, as in life, a creationist approach does not work (I have probably alienated over 50% of Americans with that statement). Instead we all live in hope that evolution of bird-names will take its inevitable course and consistency and sensibility will ultimately emerge. But we might have to wait a long time. Dick Cambridge, UK On Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 6:32 PM, Angus Wilson wrote: A surprising number of seabirds either have more than one English name in common usage or seemingly new names due to splitting or even 'sublumping'. This can be a source of confusion in trip reports and field guides, but makes for thought-provoking discussion. Well chosen names help with identification or accurately describe range. To propel the discussion, I've posted some data and thoughts on my blog 'Pickings from the Chum Slick'. HYPERLINK "http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/" \nhttp://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/ The species reviewed so far are follows: (01) New Zealand/Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) (02) Stellar's/Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastris albatrus) (03) Southern/Antarctic Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) (04) Northern/Hall's Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) (05) Trinidade Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) (06) De Filippi's/Masatierra Petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana) (07) Fea's/Cape Verde Petrel (Pterodroma feae) (08) Zino's/Madeira Petrel (Pterodroma madeira) (09) Cahow/Bermuda Petrel (Pterodroma cahow) (10) Parkinson's/Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) (11) Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) (12) Atoll Shearwater (Puffinus dichrous) (13) Macaronesian Shearwater (Puffinus baroli) (14) Elliot's/White-vented Storm-Petrel (Oceanites gracilis) (15) Band-rumped/Madeiran Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) (16) British/European Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) (17) Polynesian/White-throated Storm-Petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa) (18) Hornby's/Ringed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma hornbyi) You can view the relevant posting here: HYPERLINK "http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/name-game-quick-look-at-some -of-more.html" \nhttp://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/name-game-quick-look-at-som e-of-more.html Comments, corrections and more opinions are most welcome. Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.5/1400 - Release Date: 4/27/2008 9:39 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.6/1402 - Release Date: 4/28/2008 1:29 PM --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: I say Harcourt's Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:09:59 -0700 (PDT) I know that the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) used Harcout's Storm-petrel in the fifth edition of the North American Checklist (1957) but had changed to Band-rumped Storm-Petrel by the seventh Checklist (1998). I don't have a copy of the sixth edition (1983). Can anyone help? In 1995, the AOU adopted European Storm-Petrel over British Storm- Petrel for Hydrobates pelagicus. This was announced in the 40th Supplement to the AOU Check-List of North American Birds, otherwise known as the 6th supplement to the 6th edition. This followed precedent set by the British Ornithologists' Union in 1992 (Checklist of birds of Britain and Ireland, 6th ed.). I agree with Dick Newell and others that to standardize common names may prove impossible, however, it seems useful to keep track of the names that are circulation and for authors and Checklist committees to make sensible and informed choices. With some major new seabird guide books on the horizon and global forums such as Seabird-News, perhaps we are in a better position than ever to make some collective headway? Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: I say Harcourt's Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:11:11 -0700 (PDT) While we are on the topic: Can anyone give insight into motivations for what I consider the idiotic and dishonourable decision(s) to move (in two directions) away from Harcourt's Storm Petrel? Harcourt's SP was the prior appellation of Madeiran / Band-rumped. When there is no pre-existing issue of international confusion, why change the name? Especially a name change in two directions - that is assured of CAUSING confusion. Just as important - I find pointless name changes like this one to be an affront to the bird's discoverer and the tradition of discoverers naming bird species. Damn the committees responsible in my view. The only thing that might buy them redemption would be if the name change were done with future "splits" in mind. But in that case - why not wait for the splits to actually occur before trashing the "just" name of a species? Try as I might, I just cannot think of any good / just / sane reason for the move from Harcourt's to Madeiran / Band-rumped as it was performed. Perhaps someone on the relevant AOU or BOU committees can give me a reason to eat crow. Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC -------------- Subject: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... From: Angus Wilson Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:32:18 -0700 (PDT) A surprising number of seabirds either have more than one English name in common usage or seemingly new names due to splitting or even 'sublumping'. This can be a source of confusion in trip reports and field guides, but makes for thought-provoking discussion. Well chosen names help with identification or accurately describe range. To propel the discussion, I've posted some data and thoughts on my blog 'Pickings from the Chum Slick'. http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/ The species reviewed so far are follows: ... (15) Band-rumped/Madeiran Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... From: "Dick Newell" <dick.newell AT googlemail.com> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:42:12 +0100 Hi Angus, Most attempts to play god with bird-names fall on stony ground. Although there are apparently bodies responsible for maintaining some order, in practice the naming game is a free for all. I am afraid, as in life, a creationist approach does not work (I have probably alienated over 50% of Americans with that statement). Instead we all live in hope that evolution of bird-names will take its inevitable course and consistency and sensibility will ultimately emerge. But we might have to wait a long time. Dick Cambridge, UK On Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 6:32 PM, Angus Wilson wrote: > > A surprising number of seabirds either have more than one English name > in common usage or seemingly new names due to splitting or even > 'sublumping'. This can be a source of confusion in trip reports and > field guides, but makes for thought-provoking discussion. Well chosen > names help with identification or accurately describe range. > > To propel the discussion, I've posted some data and thoughts on my > blog 'Pickings from the Chum Slick'. > > http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/ > > The species reviewed so far are follows: > > (01) New Zealand/Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) > (02) Stellar's/Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastris albatrus) > (03) Southern/Antarctic Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) > (04) Northern/Hall's Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) > (05) Trinidade Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) > (06) De Filippi's/Masatierra Petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana) > (07) Fea's/Cape Verde Petrel (Pterodroma feae) > (08) Zino's/Madeira Petrel (Pterodroma madeira) > (09) Cahow/Bermuda Petrel (Pterodroma cahow) > (10) Parkinson's/Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) > (11) Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) > (12) Atoll Shearwater (Puffinus dichrous) > (13) Macaronesian Shearwater (Puffinus baroli) > (14) Elliot's/White-vented Storm-Petrel (Oceanites gracilis) > (15) Band-rumped/Madeiran Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) > (16) British/European Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) > (17) Polynesian/White-throated Storm-Petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa) > (18) Hornby's/Ringed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma hornbyi) > > You can view the relevant posting here: > > > http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/name-game-quick-look-at-some-of-more.html > > Comments, corrections and more opinions are most welcome. > > Cheers, Angus Wilson > New York City, USA > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: You say Madeiran and I say Band-rumped.... From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:32:18 -0700 (PDT) A surprising number of seabirds either have more than one English name in common usage or seemingly new names due to splitting or even 'sublumping'. This can be a source of confusion in trip reports and field guides, but makes for thought-provoking discussion. Well chosen names help with identification or accurately describe range. To propel the discussion, I've posted some data and thoughts on my blog 'Pickings from the Chum Slick'. http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/ The species reviewed so far are follows: (01) New Zealand/Antipodean Albatross (Diomedea antipodensis) (02) Stellar's/Short-tailed Albatross (Phoebastris albatrus) (03) Southern/Antarctic Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus) (04) Northern/Hall's Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli) (05) Trinidade Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) (06) De Filippi's/Masatierra Petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana) (07) Fea's/Cape Verde Petrel (Pterodroma feae) (08) Zino's/Madeira Petrel (Pterodroma madeira) (09) Cahow/Bermuda Petrel (Pterodroma cahow) (10) Parkinson's/Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) (11) Tropical Shearwater (Puffinus bailloni) (12) Atoll Shearwater (Puffinus dichrous) (13) Macaronesian Shearwater (Puffinus baroli) (14) Elliot's/White-vented Storm-Petrel (Oceanites gracilis) (15) Band-rumped/Madeiran Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) (16) British/European Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) (17) Polynesian/White-throated Storm-Petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa) (18) Hornby's/Ringed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma hornbyi) You can view the relevant posting here: http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/name-game-quick-look-at-some-of-more.html Comments, corrections and more opinions are most welcome. Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: 'Atoll' Shearwater - Western Pacific Odyssey From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:23:13 +0100 Atoll Shearwater? Like Angus, I’d never heard of Atoll Shearwater, nor seen this name in print. As already stated, the Little/Audubon’s Shearwater complex is a minefield and the last chapter certainly not yet written. Consider, the taxonomy and nomenclature of those in the North Atlantic; for example, is boydi a race of Macaronesian (as viewed. presently, by the BOU) or of Audubon’s (per Onley and Scofield) or is it a further species? Added to which the AOU still treat Macaronesian (baroli) as a race of Little Shearwater! And, why was the secondary name North Atlantic Little Shearwater coined when Macaronesian was already well in use? There isn’t a ‘South Atlantic’ Little Shearwater and now that Little is used only for New Zealand/Australasian birds the name only confuses and muddies the water further. I remember, about fifteen years back, the entire complex consisted of some twenty forms, under the two species, with about eleven being described from the regions of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The major paper by Jeremy Austin, Vincent Bretagnolle and Eric Pasquet (The Auk, July 2004) redefined the phylogenetic relationship of the small shearwaters and found three clades and suggested fourteen taxa be recognised (and that a number were no longer valid). Coming back to the Western Pacific Odyssey I see that Tropical Shearwater was logged on 16/4 and then ‘Atoll’ Shearwater on 23/4, implying those aboard think they are not the same species. Also, Angus’s post, quoting Steve Howell, says that the Pacific form, dichrous, ‘realistically is endemic’. For interest, Austin et al, found dichrous (paraphyletic, with other forms) of the Pacific and bailloni of the Indian Ocean to be lineages of a clade; this now called Tropical Shearwater. Their distribution may be allopatric but the genetic results could be interpreted as long-distance expansion, to mean the species originally dispersed from the Indian Ocean out to the Pacific and then back again. A major problem with species in the Little/Audubon’s grouping is that plumage features used to identify in the past (notably upperpart colour, undertail colour, leg colour) now conflict with the biological research, let alone the DNA results. On top of that there is moult and ageing to consider in the field also. I would love to hear the differences between these birds at sea. It raises many questions: Is ‘Atoll’ Shearwater different from Tropical Shearwater of the Pacific? Is ‘Atoll’ Shearwater sufficiently different from Indian Ocean birds? Is another Pacific form being seen, for example polynesiae? Maybe a distinct undescribed form is being seen? Quite possibly the fieldwork is showing differences from the laboratory? Something to ponder over….. Tony Pym _________________________________________________________________ Play the Andrex Hello Softie Game & win great prizes http://www.thehellosoftiegame.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:48:35 -0700 (PDT) John & Elaine, Thanks, the shots of Beck's Petrel(s) are really neat! I was curious about the reference to "Atoll Shearwaters", a form that I'd not heard of before. A quick Google search brought me to a single entry - Steve Howell's narrative for the 2007 WPO (posted on the WINGS site). According to Steve, at Truk (day 21), they encountered "the local small black-and-white shearwaters, (traditionally “Audubon’s Shearwater,” more recently “Tropical Shearwater,” but more realistically a species endemic to the tropical Pacific, Puffinus dichrous, which could be called Atoll Shearwater)." The systematics of the 'black-and-white' shearwaters is a mine field of uncertainties and several different naming schemes have been proposed. I'd be curious to know the basis for abandoning the vernacular 'Tropical Shearwater'? Is this differentiate birds found around the numerous atolls of the southwestern Pacific from populations elsewhere (e.g. Indian Ocean) or simply that the name is more descriptive of their range? Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos From: "Elaine Cook" <elaine.cook AT dsl.pipex.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:26:01 +0100 A link to the WPO website page for piccies - http://www.wildwings.co.uk/wposhipsightings.html Elaine _____ From: Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com [mailto:Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John Brodie-Good Sent: 23 April 2008 18:01 To: Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com Subject: [Seabird-News:706] Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos Hi all, We've now posted some Beck's photos and a Polynesian Storm-petrel pic on our website. 20th April At sea, towards Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia A quiet start to a fairly quiet sector but with some new seabirds still added to the voyage total. Good numbers of Leach's Storm-Petrels and two Wilson's whilst the majority of the 'wedgys' are becoming pale-phase birds. Sooty Terns had to contend with a migrating Pomarine and then a Long-tailed Skua. In the water (and out I assume) were two Spinner Dolphins. Interesting to see Chris comment that they have had a light wind and gentle swell since leaving New Zealand contrasting to the mirror-calm seas we enjoyed for a lot of the southern sector last year, hindering marine mammal sightings somewhat. The presence of continual scattered cloud has also kept the temperatures somewhat lower too, which can't be a bad thing, it was cooking at times. 21st April At sea towards Chuuk. 'Bird of the day', miles from anywhere, was a Turnstone, I don't know which direction it was heading. Very quiet with one Wilson's and one Leach's stormies, a White-tailed Tropicbird and two Poms. 22nd April At sea, still towards Chuuk Ten or so Bulwer's Petrels were today's highlights, some very close to the vessel. Plenty of White Terns, Short-tailed Shearwaters , six tropicbirds plus a Red-footed Booby complete today's tropical pelagic birding. 23rd April At sea and arrive Chuuk. Two Atoll Shearwaters were seen, this voyage yet again proving it's ability to produce the goods, second time out. Black and Brown Noodies on the way in plus lots of White Terns. The landbird endemics fell thick and fast as Collins, Russ, Howell et al, led the charge ashore in this paradise of atolls and mini-islands. Caroline Islands Swiftlet, Reed Warbler and White-Eye got nailed along with Crimson-crowned Fruit-Dove, Oceanic Flycatcher plus both Micronesian Myzomela and Starling. Add various members of the heron family including Pacific Egret, two real Pacific Black Ducks and a Wandering Tattler and you've got a pretty good day's birding. Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...onto Chuuk / Beck's Petrel photos From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:01:00 +0100 Hi all, We've now posted some Beck's photos and a Polynesian Storm-petrel pic on our website. 20th April At sea, towards Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia A quiet start to a fairly quiet sector but with some new seabirds still added to the voyage total. Good numbers of Leach’s Storm-Petrels and two Wilson’s whilst the majority of the ‘wedgys’ are becoming pale- phase birds. Sooty Terns had to contend with a migrating Pomarine and then a Long-tailed Skua. In the water (and out I assume) were two Spinner Dolphins. Interesting to see Chris comment that they have had a light wind and gentle swell since leaving New Zealand contrasting to the mirror-calm seas we enjoyed for a lot of the southern sector last year, hindering marine mammal sightings somewhat. The presence of continual scattered cloud has also kept the temperatures somewhat lower too, which can’t be a bad thing, it was cooking at times. 21st April At sea towards Chuuk. ‘Bird of the day’, miles from anywhere, was a Turnstone, I don’t know which direction it was heading. Very quiet with one Wilson’s and one Leach’s stormies, a White-tailed Tropicbird and two Poms. 22nd April At sea, still towards Chuuk Ten or so Bulwer’s Petrels were today’s highlights, some very close to the vessel. Plenty of White Terns, Short-tailed Shearwaters , six tropicbirds plus a Red-footed Booby complete today’s tropical pelagic birding. 23rd April At sea and arrive Chuuk. Two Atoll Shearwaters were seen, this voyage yet again proving it’s ability to produce the goods, second time out. Black and Brown Noodies on the way in plus lots of White Terns. The landbird endemics fell thick and fast as Collins, Russ, Howell et al, led the charge ashore in this paradise of atolls and mini-islands. Caroline Islands Swiftlet, Reed Warbler and White-Eye got nailed along with Crimson-crowned Fruit-Dove, Oceanic Flycatcher plus both Micronesian Myzomela and Starling. Add various members of the heron family including Pacific Egret, two real Pacific Black Ducks and a Wandering Tattler and you’ve got a pretty good day’s birding. Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Pterodroma, Parakeets, Albatross, Orca, Giant Squid. ORCA & GIANT SQUID??? From: thunefeld <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:09:46 -0700 (PDT) Pterodroma, Albatross, Alcids, Orca, Giant Squid. ORCA & SQUID??? It’s getting to be that time of year when there’s no telling what you’ll find out in the Pacific Ocean. Last June I was with Dave Povey and Pete Ginsburg about 6 miles offshore when we spotted an enormous feeding frenzy of gulls and terns. We motored over to find an amazing spectacle: several acres of suction-cupped tentacles protruding 18 – 24 inches above the surface of the sea, waving back and forth, surfacing for 2 seconds then submerging, only to reappear a second later – a surreal Alice In Wonderland spectacle of hundreds of reddish- brown "tentacle bushes" waving in the wind. Neither Dave nor Pete had ever witnessed such an event in their combined 50 years at sea. These were probably Humboldt Squid – also known as Flying Squid – that typically inhabit depths of 2,000 feet but had evidently driven/followed a school of bait fish to the surface – and the birds were having a field day. These are the types of mind- boggling scenes you find only by being “OUT THERE.” Four exciting pelagic trips are upcoming in SoCal, three of them originating right here in San Diego: Sat, May 3. Deep water trip to the San Juan Seamount. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/message/7166 Sat, May 10. 3/4 day trip to the Nine-mile bank and Coronados Islands http://www.socalbirding.com/may_10_2008_booby_adventure_34_day Sat, Sun, May 10 & 11. 1.5 day trip to deep water http://www.socalbirding.com/may_10-12_continental_shelf_deep_water And, the deep water Granddaddy of them all: The Searcher 5 day expedition June 2 – 6. A week of birding the Channel Islands and the deep waters of the Continental Shelf. http://www.socalbirding.com/june_2-6_2008_searcher_5-day_expedition WHAT'S OUT THERE? The Southern California Bight is brimming with life. The 3 deep water pelagic trips will explore submarine trenches and canyons along the Continental Shelf – some or all will strike it rich. Last year everyone on the May Condor Express trip witnessed amazing spectacles: a thousand SABINE'S GULLS, a pod of ORCA, seven PARAKEET AUKLETS. During the first two weeks of April on the NOAA ship Miller Freeman off the coast of Washington and Oregon I saw dozens of PARAKEET AUKLETS. Will they be in SoCal in May? We won’t know till we go. BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS is frequent in May and June, and we should see LAYSAN’S on most or all deep water trips. MURPHY’S PETREL is a rare but routine spring visitor in these waters over the continental shelf mid-April through early June. 11 of 14 accepted state records for HAWAIIAN PETREL are June-September, the remaining 3 records are spring – April & May. Dozens of COOK’S PETRELS were seen by Searcher crew on fishing trips in June 2007 in deep water off the Baja and San Diego Coast. The endemic ASHY STORM-PETREL, one of the rarest storm-petrels in the world, are fairly common this time of year, mostly in the northern Channel Islands, where The Condor Express and Searcher explore. BLACK STORM-PETRELS are common in June. We have great odds at seeing both white-rumped and dark-rumped LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS. All deep water trips will be in RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD waters, e.g. one seen 19 May 2007 near San Clemente Island. We’ll most likely see SOUTH POLAR SKUA, POMARINE JAEGERS, PARASITIC JAEGERS and SABINE’S GULL. XANTUS’S MURRELETS will be plentiful. A TUFTED PUFFIN was seen in the Channel Islands May, 2002 and a HORNED PUFFIN was seen 17 May 2007 between Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. 4 trips. 4 adventures. What will we find? We don’t know, but it will be something good. Like Dave Povey says about seabirding, “It’s like prospecting for gold. Sometimes you come up with nothing, but then you strike it rich. The thrill is in the anticipation.” W. Terry Hunefeld Life is short. Bird often. http://www.SoCalBirding.com Pelagic Seabirding Trips From San Diego to: 9-mile Bank Los Coronados Islands Cortes & Tanner Banks Channel Islands --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: DISCOUNT on May 24, 25, 26 Pelagic Trips fr. Manteo; space on some Hatteras dates From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:46:05 -0500 Seabirders, Many of you have already signed up for pelagic trips this spring, and we appreciate that. Trips on May 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31 and June 1 from Hatteras are full. We have one space on May 23 and 27. For birders wishing to book a number of days this spring, it is not too late. Several spaces remain on May 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 and June 2, 6, 7, and 8, all from Hatteras. These dates can be good for the rare Pterodromas and Red-billed Tropicbird, and the June dates hold promise for European Storm-Petrel, based on the 2005 influx. More information about all of our trips is available on our website- http://www.seabirding.com/. As astonishing as this may seem, we still have a number of spaces available over Memorial Day Weekend on pelagic birding trips on the Country Girl from Pirate's Cove Marina (Manteo) NC on May 24, 25, and 26. Most years, these trips are usually full by now, but this year we have had more people booking for weekday trips from Hatteras during the following week. I think this is because we had a slow set of trips up there last year, but it would be foolhardy to try to predict the 2008 prospects based on ONE YEAR of data. All anyone needs to do is look at the data back to 2000 and it will be readily apparent that these trips hold great promise for rarities. Just look at May 26, 2000, May 24, 2003, and May 27, 2005 (to name a few), and you will get an idea. All three of these dates saw Bermuda Petrel (well) and in '03 and '05, both Fea's and Trindade Petrels were also seen the same day! At this point I would like to sell the remaining spaces over three days: May 24, 25, and 26, so that we don't run any of these trips at a loss. These trips are $145/person/day (same as last year!), but for persons taking two trips, we will discount it to $135/person/day and all three trips can be booked for $395. For groups of FIVE or more people booking together, the trips are $125/person/day, $240/person/two days or $350/person for all three days. I don't know if we will offer these trips next year. It doesn't make much sense to run them. For the last couple of years, we have operated them at just a slight profit, mainly as a service to our clients. Increasing charter fees make it more of a gamble, so I highly recommend taking advantage of this year's opportunity. (If you wait to long, it will all be gone, and you'll be sorry then.) As you know, this is prime time for a variety of seabirds, including shearwaters (up to five spp.), storm-petrels (three or more spp.), jaegers (three spp.), and Pterodroma petrels (up to four species possible, including Trindade, Fea's, Black-capped, and Bermuda Petrel.) Other possibilities include Red-billed Tropicbird and South Polar Skua. There might even be some Northern Gannets around nearshore. For the first time pelagic birder, there is a chance to see a dozen or more new species in one or two days and maybe 15 or more over three days! Even a veteran of these trips might see a lifer, with European Storm-Petrel a real possibility. Manteo, NC is an hour closer by road than Hatteras, and although it is farther from the Gulf Stream, the Country Girl is very fast, so running time in the boat is similar to a Hatteras trip. The boat has also been repowered with brand new Caterpillar Engines, which are quieter than the old motors and have very clean exhaust. Capt. Allan Foreman has run over a hundred trips for us over the years, and although I will be running my own boat those days (full trips), we will have three or four good leaders, including Todd McGrath to staff the Country Girl trips, as well as good chum for bringing the birds close. In relatively calm seas the boat is fast enough to keep pace with rarities not interested in our chum. These trips are a great opportunity at a great price. Please help spead the word for us. Best, Capt. Brian Patteson Stormy Petrel II Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com http://www.seabirding.com/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Need Five Persons for Hatteras Pelagic trip Saturday, April 26 From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:26:29 -0500 We are back from the boatyard and Coast Guard inspections and eager to get offshore. I had hoped to run at least a couple of birding trips this weekend, but registrations have been slow in coming. Neverthless we have a few people who are able to go this Saturday, but not quite enough to cover a trip yet. If we can get just five more registrants, we can run a trip. The forecast looks good, w/ light easterly winds, following the moderate easterlies we have now. This could bring in some goodies from the deep, such lots of migrating jaegers and rare gadfly petrels. There are also two April records of Yellow-nosed Albatross from Cape Hatteras. We haven't run any April pelagic birding trips here, so there are no lists on the website. Anyhow, based on years of spring fishing here, I think have a good chance to see the following: Black-capped Petrel, Northern Fulmar, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Audubon's Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Northern Gannet, Red Phalarope, and Pomarine Jaeger. There is also a reasonable chance for Leach's Storm-Petrel, Red-billed Tropicbird, Bridled Tern, Arctic Tern, Parasitic Jaeger, and Long-tailed Jaeger. I wouldn't even rule out finding a puffin if the Labrador Current is strong. While there are no records yet for April, I think it is possible that we could see Trindade Petrel, Fea's Petrel, or Bermuda Petrel. I've never spent much time in the deep (gadfly petrel) water during April while charter fishing, but the weather patterns are generally like mid to late May when we've had such good luck finding the rarer Pterodromas. I also think April could be better for some of the marine mammals, such as Sperm Whale. The fare is $145/person. We have not yet raised our rates from this winter, although fuel has gone up again. Please contact us ASAP if you would like to go in what could be a very interesting trip. You can reach me at (252) 986-1363 or (252) 473-9163. Best, Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com http://www.seabirding.com/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Identity of storm-petrels photographed near Guam From: katahdinss AT comcast.net (Gail B. Mackiernan <katahdinss@comcast.net>) Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:08:26 +0000 Hi Angus and all -- We just got back from Micronesia and SW Japanese waters where we saw a lot of Matsudaira's, and these images are dead on for that species. (Great photos!) Our first Matsudaira's were recorded north of the Equator but south of Yap, and others just off Saipan, while the bulk (over 75 on a day) were in the vicinity of Iwo Jima. Last year we had a few Tristram's (as well as good numbers of the smaller Swinhoe's, photographed) off Honshu in May. The R/V Melville brings back a lot of nice memories, we spent two weeks on it in January 1998 recording seabirds off Peru and Chile during the huge El Niño event. Gail Mackiernan Silver Spring, MD -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Angus Wilson > > Hi All, > > Dave Lauten (Bandon, Oregon) kindly sent me three photographs of storm- > petrel(s) taken by a friend of his near Guam in the central Pacific. > Dave suggests Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel and without checking any > reference materials, I am inclined to agree. Additional opinions, > supportive or otherwise would be most welcome. The pics are posted on > my new blog: > > http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/storm-petrel-identification.html > > Cheers, Angus Wilson > New York City, USA > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Identity of storm-petrels photographed near Guam From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:22:29 -0700 (PDT) Hi All, Dave Lauten (Bandon, Oregon) kindly sent me three photographs of storm- petrel(s) taken by a friend of his near Guam in the central Pacific. Dave suggests Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel and without checking any reference materials, I am inclined to agree. Additional opinions, supportive or otherwise would be most welcome. The pics are posted on my new blog: http://oceanwanderersnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/storm-petrel-identification.html Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 Beck's Petrels and Heinroth's Shearwaters again From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:22:16 -0400 I envy those on board, they must be on cloud nine! Looking forward to seeing photos of the rarer stuff and perhaps some more details on the distinctive appearance of the Beck's. Angus WilsonNew York City/Springshttp://www.oceanwanderers.com _________________________________________________________________ Going green? See the top 12 foods to eat organic. http://green.msn.com/galleries/photos/photos.aspx?gid=164&ocid=T003MSN51N1653A --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008 Beck's Petrels and Heinroth's Shearwaters again........ From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:47:15 +0100 Hi all, The ship has struck more pelagic gold in the last few days.... 17th April, At sea, Guadacanal to Kolombangara, Solomon Islands Professor Khromov sailed into and through the Solomon Sea 2 Tropical Shearwaters and 3 White-tailed Tropicbirds, otherwise 'quiet'. 18th & 19th April At sea, past Bougainville towards New Ireland, Papua New Guinea In the same sea area as last year's inaugural voyage, another very welcome repeat species, 'about' 10 Heinroth's Shearwater on the 18th, again most birds 'moderately distant', and later in the day. All those aboard saw 3 Beck's Petrel this morning, the birds coming in to a large oil and fish slick Chris Collins and team had laid over the surface of the sea behind the ship. The closest views were approx 100 metres. I understand these sightings will be written up and published, interesting reports of them being more distinctive than suggested in Hadoram Shirihai's historic recent paper. Noticeably smaller than Tahiti's, and with a quite distinctive flight action. We will publish photos on the full update on our website as soon as we receive them from the ship. Wilson's Storm-Petrels and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters were also present for useful size comparisons. One bird was watched and photographed for an hour this morning! New cetaceans include 10+ Sperm Whales on the 18th, some very close to the ship giving superb views. Rough-toothed and Spinner Dolphins have also seen. This evening, the ship is off the coast of New Ireland, this is the extra sea day we added into the itinerary to look for Beck's, today's final total is now 11 birds! The Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are now more of pale-phase, a very clean looking bird. Streaked Shearwaters have also been seen, much earlier in the voyage than last year if I recall. Otherwise another two very successful island landings, on Honiara for Mount Austin, a superb piece of tropical rainforest stacked out with goodies including the huge and majestic Solomon's Sea-Eagle again plus the recently discovered Roviana Rail on Kolombangara, an island we did not land on last year due it being whacked by a tsunami a week before we due to arrive there. Congrat's to all onboard, 'lots of smiley faces!', quite understandable. Future voyages Auckland- Tokyo 2009 Voyage 3 17th March - 18th April Limited availability 2010 Voyage 4 13th March - 14th April Selected cabins and single sex shares available tours AT wildwings.co.uk for prices and bookings Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk PS Birding World Magazine will be publishing an article on the New Zealand Storm-Petrel seen earlier in the voyage just off the coast of New Caledonia. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: The Atlantic Odyssey 2008 highlights From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:17:51 +0100 Hi all, Our leader Simon Cook and group have just returned from this year's other epic voyage, which sadly suffered from it's fair share of bad weather and rough sea conditions but still more than produced the goods! These notes are taken from Simon's voyage summary which along with a full species list will be posted on our website in the next few days. The voyage runs from Ushuaia in Argentina to Praia in the Cape Verdes with Zodiac landings in the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, Zodiac cruising close inshore to Gough Island thence on to the main Tristan de Cunha archipelago (planned landings include Tristan, Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands but due to heavy gales for 3 days no landings on any of them this year), St Helena, Ascension (from where it is possible to fly back to the UK with the RAF) and penultimately Fogo and then the remaining passengers disembark in Praia. Ushuaia to Antarctica and then to South Georgia Seabirds: 5 species of albatross headed the cast (Black-browed, Grey- headed, Wandering, Southern Royal and Light-mantled Sooty) of expected tubenoses with a Mottled Petrel being a welcome surprise. The lack of large amounts of sea-ice (although plenty of icebergs) meant no Emperor Penguins this year but both Snow and Antarctic Petrels were seen as usual. The landings in Antarctica and South Georgia produced all the expected species with the bonus of getting ashore on Prion Island and up close and personal to the nesting Wandering Albatross with their newly hatched chicks, a major privilege in it's own right. Cetaceans: This sector produced the first of what turns into a stunning list of marine mammals with Antarctic Minke Whale, Southern Right Whale, Fin Whales, Humpbacks and Orcas plus Southern Bottlenose Whale and Hourglass Dolphins providing a somewhat mouth-watering start! On to Gough Island and the main Tristan group Seabirds: Top of the list on this sector were Grey, Kerguelan, White- headed, Atlantic, Great-winged and Spectacled Petrels, Subantarctic Little Shearwater plus of course Sooty and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross not forgetting Grey-backed Storm-Petrels. Although no landings were achieved Northern Rockhopper Penguins were also seen plus the 2 Gough landbird endemics from the Zodiacs. Cetaceans: 700+ Southern Right Whale Dolphins must have been quite an extraordinary sight to put it mildly (not Im that Im luminously green with envy!), Strap-toothed Whales (again), Cuvier's Beaked Whales and Long-finned Pilot Whales were also seen. On to St Helena The usual seabirds plus Common, Bottlenose, Rough-toothed and Pantropical Spotted Dolphins and a curious and large Whale Shark which gave cracking views. Great views of Wirebirds ashore too. On to Ascension Again the expected seabirds on this leg with the large Sooty Tern colony in full swing on the island plus of course the endemic frigatebirds and nesting Atlantic Green Turtles. Cetaceans on this sector included numerous Sperm Whales with a number of 'breachers'. On to the Cape Verdes Seabirds: the usual goodies including Madeiran and White-faced Storm- Petrels (note DNA work is in progress on the Madeiran's that breed in this region, a possible split coming ...), Audubon's, Cory's and Cape Verde Shearwaters plus Bulwer's and Fea's Petrels. Cetaceans: Not to be outdone by the winged critters, these included Short-finned Pilot Whales, False Killer, Dwarf Sperm and Melon-headed Whales plus Spinner, Risso's and Clymene Dolphins not forgetting a few Leatherback Turtles and 2 more Whale Sharks. Simon's many years at sea have also resulted in his rather large birds seen on and from ships list. The voyage also enjoyed the following species either landing on or being becalmed on the vessel! Antarctic Shag, Cape Petrel, Snow Petrel, Common Diving-Petrel, Black- bellied Storm-Petrel, Antarctic Prion, Brown Skua and Antarctic Tern. Simon will be leading the 2009 and 2010 Atlantic Odysseys too, do contact us if you wish to join him, very soon if you want to go in 2009 as space is now very tight. Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Origins of Sooty Shearwaters in the North Atlantic From: Angus Wilson <gadflypetrel AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:43:19 -0700 (PDT) It is general stated that Sooty Shearwaters observed off the east coast of North America and in European waters during the boreal summer, are derived from the colonies in the Falkland Islands and scattered islets around Tierra del Fuego. In 1991, John Cooper and coauthors (Cooper, J., Underhill, L. G. and Avery, G. Condor 93:724-730) speculated that pre-breeders from the larger Antipodean colonies might also enter the Atlantic and migrate north across the equator. This idea grew from studies of the molt status of specimens collected from southern African beaches. Does anyone know if there are any ring recoveries from the Atlantic of birds from New Zealand or Australia or any other evidence to substantiate this intriguing idea? Cheers, Angus Wilson New York City, USA --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: International Albatross and Petrel Conference From: "Ross Wanless (Cape Town Pelagics)" <ross AT capetownpelagics.com> Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:53:55 +0200 Hi everyone Please be advised that the IAPC4 conference is now open for registration and submission of abstracts. All relevant details can be found on the conference website at http://iapc4.adu.org.za (NOTE: no www in the URL). More details (off the website) below. Contact details for queries: Andrea Angel at andreaangel.g AT gmail.com I hope to see many of you there. Regards Ross Wanless On behalf of the Local Organising Committee PS: I sent a similar message from a different email address but it did not appear to have been delivered - my apologies for possible double-posting. -------------------------------------------------------- The Fourth International Conference on the Biology and Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels will be held in Cape Town, South Africa over the five-day period Monday 11 to Friday 15 August 2008. As for the first three conferences in the series, there will be opportunities for both oral and poster presentations, dealing with all aspects of the biology and conservation of procellariiform birds, as well as for special-interest workshops and round-table discussions. Persons intending to attend who may wish to hold a workshop or round-table should contact the Local Organizing Committee at the e-mail address below with their proposals. A day pelagic trip to view albatrosses and petrels at sea off the Cape Peninsula is being planned for the weekend immediately after the conference. The venue will be the Breakwater Lodge in the Waterfront area of the city. It is recommended that delegates stay in the lodge ( www.proteahotels.com/breakwaterlodge), which offers budget accommodation in the same building complex as the conference venue, or in nearby hotels in the Waterfront. John Cooper, Chair, Local Organizing Committee; 2 April 2008 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:28:54 -0700 (PDT) On Apr 14, 5:31�pm, Jim Zook wrote: > Wedge-tailed Shearwater has been the most common shearwater on day > trips off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica conducted in Jan, Apr, July, > and Nov. Almost all birds observed have been of the pale morph. In > January they show very heavy molt of their upper wing coverts and > appear to have a ragged looking lighter band on the upper wing. Here's a photo of a Wedge-tailed Shearwater, taken January 2007 off Panama, plumage as described by Jim above. http://hometown.aol.co.uk/tonypym/W-tailedShearwater.html Tony --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: A cautionary tale of two albatrosses…. From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:31:27 +0100 There has been interesting debate, and correspondence, concerning an albatross seen and photographed well off Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia two weeks back. The bird would appear to show mixed characters. Originally thought to be an odd Buller’s, others thought a Grey-headed, it is now being mooted as a hybrid (yes, that dreaded word!) The excellent photos by Rohan Clarke can be found here: http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/port_fairy_albatross You will see that the bird on the water looks round-headed, short-billed and without an obvious jowl, features that fit Grey-headed Albatross. The bill plates, both the culminicorn and the latericorn, though rule out Grey-headed. The idea of a hybrid has been put forward but, in albatrosses, personally I’ve only heard of Black-footed and Laysan interbreeding (we can discount the Wanderers here, based on species definition). The suggestion is Grey-headed x Black-browed. If one of the parents was Black-browed that would explain some features e.g the culmen on that species becomes bulbous beyond the nostrils. And what about the pink unguis? Very strange in itself with this bird, but could help with the theory that the other parent was a Grey-headed (though the nostril shape and fleshy areas on the bill don’t seem to fit Black-browed or Grey-headed!) The white curling eye-mark on Grey-headed is usually broader and straighter than on this bird - this looks more like the line on a Buller’s Albatross….as does the culminicorn and latericorn shapes! Added to which little detail is known about the various immature stages with Buller’s (both taxa). There seems contradiction in many known features….and then look also at the underwing! Comment is invited. Please copy Rohan Clarke in any posting at diomedeaimages AT hotmail.com Regards Tony Pym _________________________________________________________________ Win 100’s of Virgin Experience days with BigSnapSearch.com http://www.bigsnapsearch.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 From: "Jim Zook" <ebirdcr AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:19:01 -0600 Hi Joseph, thanks for the heads up. I knew about the California records and should have been more specific as I meant to refer to the waters off of Central America and to what would seem to be the species normal range. cheers, JRZ On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 12:13 PM, Joseph Morlan wrote: > On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:31:38 -0700 (PDT), JRZ wrote: > > >Before your reports, > >Bruce, the northern most record had been that of a bird that circled a > >boat just after dark on April 9, 2007 at 9° 44' and -86° 19' (about > >70 km WSW of Punta Guiones off the Nicoya Pen. of Costa Rica). > > Actually there are records as far north as California. I extracted the > following text from the species account in RARE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA by the > California Bird Records Committee: > > http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/rare_birds.html > > SWALLOW-TAILED GULL Creagrus furcatus (Néboux, 1842) > Accepted: 2 (100%) Treated in Appendix H: no > Not accepted: 0 CBRC review: all records > Not submitted/reviewed: 1 Color image: none > > This unique gull breeds in the Galapagos Islands and on Malpelo Island off > Colombia. Dispersal is generally southward into the Peru Current from > Ecuador south to north-central Chile. The AOU (1998) cast doubts on > earlier > reports from Panama (Robins 1958, Reed 1988), but in recent years multiple > birds have been documented in waters off Panama and Costa Rica, including > counts of up to three birds far off the coast of Costa Rica between 30 > April and 5 May 2006 (NAB 60:452, 454). Records at sea up to 1200 nautical > miles from the Galapagos Islands (fide L. B. Spear) further demonstrate > this gull's capacity for long-distance dispersal. > > The appearance of an adult Swallow-tailed Gull in Monterey County during > early June 1985 spurred debate about the bird's natural occurrence (FN > 50:328, Heindel and Garrett 1995; Figure 161). Roberson (1985, 2002) > attributed its appearance in central California to lingering effects of > the > 1982/1983 El Niño, one of the strongest on record (Rasmusson 1985). This > disruptive phenomenon apparently forced Swallow-tailed Gulls out of the > Peru Current (Arntz 1986, see Veit 1985) and was implicated in the > occurrence of this species and Inca Terns (Larosterna inca) in the Bay of > Panama (Reed 1988). Furthermore, it is thought that the Swallow-tailed > Gull's small population size, inaccessible breeding sites, and strongly > pelagic and nocturnal habits (see Belopolsky and Tsigankova 1985) make it > an unlikely captive. After considerable debate, with input from numerous > seabird experts, the Committee decided to await additional records,either > from California or from geographically intermediate regions. > > In March 1996, a second Swallow-tailed Gull appeared in California, at sea > west of Southeast Farallon Island. The second record followed a protracted > period of elevated sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean > between 1991 and 1995 (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric > Administration data). The Committee re-evaluated the 1985 record in light > of this additional occurrence, ultimately accepting both records. The > checklist committees of the AOU (1998 and supplements through 2006) and > ABA > (2002; Robbins et al. 2003–2006) have yet to accept the Swallow-tailed > Gull > to their lists of naturally occurring North American birds. > > Swallow-tailed Gull – Accepted > 1. 06–08 Jun 1985 ASY Pacific Grove/Moss Landing MTY 1985-079 16,23 Fig. > 161, ph., AB 39:958, > Roberson (1985; 2002:49, 280) > 2. 03 Mar 1996 ASY ~15 nmi. w Southeast Farallon I. SF 1996-039 22 > Swallow-tailed Gull – Not submitted > 12–14 Apr 1895 off San Diego SD Anthony (1895), Grinnell & Miller (1944) > > -- > Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044 jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu > Birding Classes start Apr 1 in SF http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/ > California Bird Records Committee http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:13:33 -0700 On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:31:38 -0700 (PDT), JRZ wrote: >Before your reports, >Bruce, the northern most record had been that of a bird that circled a >boat just after dark on April 9, 2007 at 9° 44' and -86° 19' (about >70 km WSW of Punta Guiones off the Nicoya Pen. of Costa Rica). Actually there are records as far north as California. I extracted the following text from the species account in RARE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA by the California Bird Records Committee: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/rare_birds.html SWALLOW-TAILED GULL Creagrus furcatus (Néboux, 1842) Accepted: 2 (100%) Treated in Appendix H: no Not accepted: 0 CBRC review: all records Not submitted/reviewed: 1 Color image: none This unique gull breeds in the Galapagos Islands and on Malpelo Island off Colombia. Dispersal is generally southward into the Peru Current from Ecuador south to north-central Chile. The AOU (1998) cast doubts on earlier reports from Panama (Robins 1958, Reed 1988), but in recent years multiple birds have been documented in waters off Panama and Costa Rica, including counts of up to three birds far off the coast of Costa Rica between 30 April and 5 May 2006 (NAB 60:452, 454). Records at sea up to 1200 nautical miles from the Galapagos Islands (fide L. B. Spear) further demonstrate this gull's capacity for long-distance dispersal. The appearance of an adult Swallow-tailed Gull in Monterey County during early June 1985 spurred debate about the bird's natural occurrence (FN 50:328, Heindel and Garrett 1995; Figure 161). Roberson (1985, 2002) attributed its appearance in central California to lingering effects of the 1982/1983 El Niño, one of the strongest on record (Rasmusson 1985). This disruptive phenomenon apparently forced Swallow-tailed Gulls out of the Peru Current (Arntz 1986, see Veit 1985) and was implicated in the occurrence of this species and Inca Terns (Larosterna inca) in the Bay of Panama (Reed 1988). Furthermore, it is thought that the Swallow-tailed Gull's small population size, inaccessible breeding sites, and strongly pelagic and nocturnal habits (see Belopolsky and Tsigankova 1985) make it an unlikely captive. After considerable debate, with input from numerous seabird experts, the Committee decided to await additional records,either from California or from geographically intermediate regions. In March 1996, a second Swallow-tailed Gull appeared in California, at sea west of Southeast Farallon Island. The second record followed a protracted period of elevated sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean between 1991 and 1995 (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration data). The Committee re-evaluated the 1985 record in light of this additional occurrence, ultimately accepting both records. The checklist committees of the AOU (1998 and supplements through 2006) and ABA (2002; Robbins et al. 2003-2006) have yet to accept the Swallow-tailed Gull to their lists of naturally occurring North American birds. Swallow-tailed Gull - Accepted 1. 06-08 Jun 1985 ASY Pacific Grove/Moss Landing MTY 1985-079 16,23 Fig. 161, ph., AB 39:958, Roberson (1985; 2002:49, 280) 2. 03 Mar 1996 ASY ~15 nmi. w Southeast Farallon I. SF 1996-039 22 Swallow-tailed Gull - Not submitted 12-14 Apr 1895 off San Diego SD Anthony (1895), Grinnell & Miller (1944) -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044 jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu Birding Classes start Apr 1 in SF http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Western Pacific Odyssey 2008...into the Solomon Islands From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:32:52 +0100 Hi all, Pelagic highlights from the lastest leg... 8th April Update The previously posted NZ-Storm Petrel was less than 15 nautical miles from New Caledonia. Late afternoon. as the ship neared Noumea Harbour a landlubber flew aboard, a Dark-brown Honeyeater, one of New Caledonia's endemics! 9th April Riviere Bleue, New Caledonia An excellent day ashore with pretty much all of the possible endemics seen headed by 10 Kagus. For full land-birding reports here and on the other islands of this voyage, please visit our website. 10th April At sea, towards the Solomon Islands A quieter start to this sea leg compared to last year. New seabirds for the trip included 2 Lesser and 1 Great Frigatebird plus 2 Red-footed Boobies and good numbers of Brown Booby. Also 3 Leach’s Storm-Petrel and 2 White-tailed Tropicbirds. There is apparently much discussion onboard re the ID of Gould’s and Collared Petrels, most birds are now going down as Gould’s/Collared but certainly 2 definite Collareds today at least. In addition more Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters, Tahiti and 2 White-necked Petrels seen. 11th April At sea, towards the Solomon Islands. Another quietish day but with no new trip species. Birds seen included Leach’s Storm-Petrel, White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown and Red-footed Boobies, only 1 Tahiti Petrel, Great and Lesser Frigatebirds, Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters plus Sooty Terns. At last however a few more cetaceans on this leg, good views of 2 Blue Whales which may prove to be ‘Pygmy’s plus 3 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales. 12th April Rennell Island, Solomons. Due to the customs officers flight from Honiara being delayed the group did not get ashore until mid-morning but despite this delay and the heat another ‘clean-up’ onshore. 13th April Makira, Solomon Islands This was a new 'expedition' landing, in fact the group were the first ever ‘tourists’ to visit this part of the island ever and they received a very “ moving” welcome from the villagers. 12 endemics are known to exist here and the group saw six or possibly seven of them. As the vessel sailed for Honiara, a few more seabirds added themselves to the ever-growing list, Bridled Tern, White-naped Tern plus Common Tern (of the race longipennis). This week will see the vessel heading west through this island chain and of course for the recently discovered Beck's Petrel breeding area..................more soon! I took a look at last year's log to compare progress against this year's voyage. The only species completely missing this year as far as I can see is Providence Petrel and of course just 1 Polynesian Storm- Petrel this year seen compared to 10+ last year. But they have a long way to go yet...... Cheers John Brodie-Good www.wildwings.co.uk --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To post to this group, send email to Seabird-News AT googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to Seabird-News-unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Seabird-News?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- Subject: Re: Swallow-tailed Gulls off Costa Rica and Nicaragua 2008 From: JRZ <ebirdcr AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:31:38 -0700 (PDT) Hello Bruce, very interesting your observations of Swallow-tailed Gull off of Costa Rica and Nicaragua (amazingly, it's a species that is not yet on the AOU check-list of N.Am. birds! ...although it's in the appendix). A few individuals of this species have been showing up regularly during the past few years on trips run in April-May from Puntarenas, Costa Rica out to Cocos Island. Most of these birds have been seen in the waters close to the island (from ship both at night and during the day) as well as on some of the rocks and islotes around Cocos. There have also been reports from off of the Costa Rican side of the Burica Peninsula (from ship after dark, in March?). Before your reports, Bruce, the northern most record had been that of a bird that circled a boat just after dark on April 9, 2007 at 9° 44' and -86° 19' (about 70 km WSW of Punta Guiones off the Nicoya Pen. of Costa Rica). I believe all of these reports have been of adults in breeding plumage. Not sure of the situation off of Nicaragua or other Central American countries but I can tell you at least there have not been any other reports made through North American Birds. Wedge-tailed Shearwater has been the most common shearwater on day trips off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica conducted in Jan, Apr, July, and Nov. Almost all birds observed have been of the pale morph. In January they show very heavy molt of their upper wing coverts and appear to have a ragged looking lighter band on the upper wing. Your records for White Tern, Pink-footed Shearwater and Parkinson's Petrel are all noteworthy from the Costa Rican perspective. Would love to see a trip report when you've got one ready. good luck, Jim Zook On Apr 12, 6:49 pm, Bruce Mactavish wrote: > I am currently on a seismic ship acting as a marine mammal monitor > working off the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. This is > Day 23 of a 27 day cruise. Most of the work occurs 50-250 km (up to > 350km) from shore, often along the continental shelf edge. The > seabirding has been good every day especially for someone from the NW > Atlantic. I did only basic research on the range of birds before I > came here and on board the ship have only the new Albatrosses, Petrels > & Shearwaters of the World (Onley and Scofield 2007) and the ancient > photographic guide by Harrison. I have a couple questions on the > status of birds in this area that maybe someone out there has > knowledge of. > > I have seen and photographed five Swallow-tailed Gulls - thre