Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Seabird News > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Saturday, January 21 at 02:58 PM EST The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Atlantic Puffin,©Barry Kent Mackay

20 Jan Re: Digest for seabird-news@googlegroups.com - 5 Messages in 1 Topic [Peter Pyle ] 19 Jan Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [Matt Garvey ] 21 Jan For a change, some positive news on Wandering Albatrosses [Angus Wilson ] 20 Jan Vagrant Ribbon Seal in Seattle, Washington, USA [Angus Wilson ] 20 Jan re: Barolo Shearwater [Andy Paterson ] 19 Jan Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 19 Jan Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [Joseph Morlan ] 19 Jan Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [Glen Tepke ] 19 Jan Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 19 Jan Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [Joseph Morlan ] 18 Jan Ocean Sunfish Get Cleaned by Albatrosses [Paul Guris ] 18 Jan Re: "Near-shore Dovekies" [Paul Guris ] 18 Jan Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [Angus Wilson ] 17 Jan "Near-shore Dovekies" ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 16 Jan Results of Jan. 15 Belmar, NJ Pelagic [Paul Guris ] 8 Jan Alcids in NJ & NY from Belmar, NJ Mackerel Fishing Boat [Paul Guris ] 8 Jan Tracking Blue Whale dives in 4 dimensions [Angus Wilson ] 7 Jan Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 7 Jan Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 7 Jan Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 04 Jan Re: Digest for seabird-news@googlegroups.com - 1 Message in 1 Topic [Peter Pyle ] 3 Jan Bryan's Shearwater [Tony Pym ] 1 Jan Re: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies [Angus Wilson ] 31 Dec Newfoundland seawatch [AlvanBuckley ] 31 Dec Re: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 31 Dec Re: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies [Rich Fried ] 31 Dec Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies [Paul Guris ] 30 Dec Kittlitz's Murrelet article [Ian Paulsen ] 30 Dec Kittlitz's Murrelet article [Ian Paulsen ] 23 Dec NEW title [Ian Paulsen ] 22 Dec Seabird conservation [Angus Wilson ] 21 Dec New field guide [Ian Paulsen ] 19 Dec RE: Seabirds in the Sea of Japan ["katahdinss AT comcast.net" ] 16 Dec Cape Verde info request ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 15 Dec Seabirds in the Sea of Japan [Alex Bond ] 15 Dec Dec. 27(28) Hatteras, NC Pelagic Trip Added ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 14 Dec Voyage updates [John Brodie-Good ] 8 Dec Short-tailed Albatross video ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 7 Dec Puerto Montt Storm-petrel [Tim Worfolk ] 2 Dec The Albatross and the Fish [Ian Paulsen ] 24 Nov Results of Nov. 19 Lewes, DE Pelagic [Paul Guris ] 19 Nov Birding Down Under-Magenta Petrel Sightings [JENNIFER ZUFELT ] 16 Nov Bermuda Petrel ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 14 Nov The Puffin monograph [Ian Paulsen ] 31 Oct Seabird and Cetacean Surveillance Ecologist job (JNCC) ["Linda Wilson" ] 21 Oct Pacific and other voyages Update [John Brodie-Good ] 20 Oct NEW Kittiwake monograph [Ian Paulsen ] 20 Oct Pterodroma Guide photos ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 14 Oct Trip Report: San Diego Sea Otter, Skua, Tropicbird, Buller's Shearwater... Oct 8, 2011 [thunefeld ] 14 Oct Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? [Tony Pym ] 13 Oct Buller's shearwaters and NZ disaster [Chris Gaskin ] 10 Oct Pterodroma ID Guide ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 8 Oct Pseudobulweria [Tony Pym ] 7 Oct Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? [Tony Pym ] 6 Oct Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? [Alex Bond ] 6 Oct Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? [Angus Wilson ] 6 Oct Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? [Tony Pym ] 3 Oct Call for video ["tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" ] 29 Sep RE: Dark Long-tailed Jaeger Photographed on St. Paul in July ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 29 Sep Dark Long-tailed Jaeger Photographed on St. Paul in July [Paul Guris ] 29 Sep Fascinating collaboration - petrel foraging and provisioning of chicks ["Chris Gaskin" ] 27 Sep Seabird Fest 2012 [John Puschock ] 27 Sep New Zealand Storm-Petrel [Ian Paulsen ] 22 Sep Southern California White-chinned Petrel, 12 tropicbirds [thunefeld ] 22 Sep Monterey Seabirds October trips [Roger Wolfe ] 20 Sep Sep 18--*95 birders take part in pelagic off British Columbia, Canada [Russell Cannings ] 19 Sep Fort Bragg, California -Trip reports from August [Kirk Zufelt ] 15 Sep Solander's Petrels in US waters, Bering Sea ["katahdinss AT comcast.net" ] 15 Sep SOCAL WHITE-CHINNED PETREL [thunefeld ] 9 Sep Next Oregon Inlet, NC trip on Sept. 17 (18) from Wanchese ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 9 Sep A surprising 'seabird' [Tony Pym ] 3 Sep SoCal Trip Report: 7 tropicbirds, Laysan, Cook’s & Dark-rumped Petrels [thunefeld ] 31 Aug Pelagic Trip on Sept. 3 or 4 from Wanchese (Oregon Inlet), NC ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 30 Aug Pelagic Trip Sat 9/3 from Wanchese, NC [Brian Patteson ] 24 Aug Pelagic Trip Announcement [] 24 Aug seabird news [Ian Paulsen ] Subject: Re: Digest for seabird-news@googlegroups.com - 5 Messages in 1 Topic From: Peter Pyle <ppyle AT birdpop.org> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:41:10 -0800 Hi all - A couple of comments. The "Little Shearwater" off California is detailed here. http://www.shearwaterjourneys.com/lish2.html It was small, flew like a Little (assimilis group in sensu), and had bluish legs but the bill seemed too large and not shaped right. Some thoughts that it might have been a fledgling or molting Manx but several things were wrong with this as well, so the CBRC officially considers it unidentified. It had white undertial coverts and was also probably too large for Bryan's Shearwater, which has dark undertail. I looked at the 1883 specimen at MCZ last summer with Jeremiah Trimble and David Sibley and we're all leaning to it being a small Audubon's, though its biometrics overlapped with those of boydi. Jeremiah and Smithsonian are analyzing its DNA to confirm. It was originally identified as an Audubon's but it seems Outram Bangs talked Peters (and Murphy!) into thinking otherwise, though Peters (inexplicably) doesn't detail why in his1924 note in Auk http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v041n02/p0337-p0338.pdf. As I mentioned earlier I've evaluated all other "Little Sheawater" records in the north Pacific (again referring to the Southern Hemishpere assimils group) and there are no solid ones that eliminate Bryan's and other shearwaters completely. Bob Day's records in the southern Gulf of Alaska (Western Birds http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/wb/v37n04/p0190-p0214.pdf) are the closest but are sight records. So it seems correct to not accept any of this group from the Northern Hemisphere, and it might not be expected of this Subantarctic cold-water group. By the way, the abstracts are now up for next month's PSG meeting and the paper of interest on bryani in the Bonin's will be authored by Kazuo Horikoshi. http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/2012mtg/PSG2012.Abstracts.pdf Peter At 03:22 AM 1/20/2012, seabird-news AT googlegroups.com wrote: > Today's Topic Summary > >Group: >http://groups.google.com/group/seabird-news/topics > > * Little Shearwater in NA was Re: [Seabird-News:1587] Re: Take > Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available [5 Updates] > >Little >Shearwater in NA was Re: [Seabird-News:1587] Re: Take Two: Steve >Howell's Tubenose Book Available >Joseph Morlan Jan 19 01:17PM -0800 >My copy just arrived and I noticed that LITTLE SHEARWATER is >relegated to Appendix B (Hypothetical Species). The text mentions a >questionable individual photographed off California and eventually >rejected by the California Bird Records Committee. The two North >Atlantic races of Little Shearwater (P. a. baroli and P. a. boydi) >are treated "provisionally as separate species, Baroli's Shearwater >and Boyd's Shearwater. They are discussed under Audubon's Shearwater >and under a species account for Baroli's Shearwater. Boyd's >Shearwater is unrecorded in North America, but there appears to be >only one valid record for Barolo's Shearwater in North America. >Under the species account for Barolo Shearwater (formerly Little >Shearwater) we find that the specimen of "Little Shearwater" from >South Carolina in 1883 was actually an Audubon's Shearwater. This >leaves only one specimen, 1896 from Nova Scotia. Howell rejects the >claimed Little (presumably Barolo) Shearwaters summarized by Lee as >inadequately documented. More recent sight records are listed, but >apparently none were photographed or verifiable. Bottom line, >Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve a place on the >North America list. Instead Barolo's Shearwater, formerly considered >a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by Howell as a separate >species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with only one verified >specimen record from over 100 years ago. On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 >08:40:05 -0800 (PST), Angus Wilson -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA >jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu Birding Classes start Feb 7 >http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ > "J. BRIAN PATTESON" Jan 19 04:35PM -0500 >"Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve >a place on the North America list. Instead Barolo's Shearwater, >formerly considered a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by >Howell as a separate species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with >only one verified specimen record from over 100 years ago." There >is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems pretty >verifiable. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com >www.seabirding.com/ > Glen Tepke Jan 19 09:46PM >Report with photos of the 2007 Massachusetts Barolo's (aka >Macaronesian) Shearwater is >here: >http://trips.brooklinebirdclub.org/2007/07/august-2007-extreme-pelagic.html >Glen Tepke Oakland, California g.tepke (at) comcast (dot) net >www.pbase.com/gtepke ----- Original Message ----- From: "J. BRIAN >PATTESON" To: jmorlan AT gmail.com, "Angus >Wilson" Cc: "Seabird News" > Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 >1:35:17 PM Subject: Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: >[Seabird-News:1591] Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book >Available "Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater >to deserve a place on the North America list. Instead Barolo's >Shearwater, formerly considered a race of Little Shearwater, but >considered by Howell as a separate species is a vagrant to the North >Atlantic with only one verified specimen record from over 100 years >ago." There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which >seems pretty verifiable. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC >brian AT patteson.com www.seabirding.com/ > Joseph Morlan Jan 19 02:05PM -0800 >On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:35:17 -0500, "J. BRIAN PATTESON" >There is >also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems >pretty >verifiable. Thanks. I missed that. Two photos by Iliff 25 Aug >2007, P13.1 and P13.2 on page 134 labeled Barolo Shearwater. In >view of those photos, why on page 132 does he say after listing the >one good specimen and one incorrect specimen, "No other verifiable >records for more than 100 years?" Perhaps he meant to say >"specimen records." -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) >ccsf.edu Birding Classes start Feb 7 >http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ > "J. BRIAN PATTESON" Jan 19 05:38PM -0500 >1896 to 2007 is over a century. Brian Patteson Hatteras, >NC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Morlan" > To: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" > Cc: "Angus Wilson" >; "Seabird News" > Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 >5:05 PM Subject: Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: >[Seabird-News:1590] Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available > > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >Group seabird-news. >You can post via email. >To unsubscribe from this group, >send an empty message. >For more options, >visit this group. > >-- >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. -- 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: Matt Garvey <mattpgarvey AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:58:33 -0500 Thanks, Glen. Additional information of the Massachusetts 2007 record, plus discussion of other North American records of Baroli (or whatever you call it), is online here: http://www.maavianrecords.com/report-15 Matt Garvey Secretary, Massachusetts Avian Records Committee maavianrecords.com On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Glen Tepke wrote: > Report with photos of the 2007 Massachusetts Barolo's (aka Macaronesian) > Shearwater is here: > > http://trips.brooklinebirdclub.org/2007/07/august-2007-extreme-pelagic.html > > Glen Tepke > Oakland, California > g.tepke (at) comcast (dot) net > www.pbase.com/gtepke > > ________________________________ > From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" > To: jmorlan AT gmail.com, "Angus Wilson" > Cc: "Seabird News" > Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 1:35:17 PM > Subject: Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: [Seabird-News:1591] Re: Take > Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available > > "Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve a > place > on the North America list.  Instead Barolo's Shearwater, formerly > considered a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by Howell as a > separate species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with only one > verified > specimen record from over 100 years ago." > > There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems > pretty verifiable. > > Brian Patteson > Hatteras, NC > brian AT patteson.com > 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. -- 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: For a change, some positive news on Wandering Albatrosses From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:04:48 -0800 (PST) A new study published in Science reports that shifting wind conditions in the Southern Ocean have resulted in shorter feeding runs and heavy chicks (hurray!) but warns that this may be temporary if the shifts continue as modeled (booo!). The study is interesting because it highlights the complex relationship between the fixed positions of nesting islands and ever changing oceanic currents, prevailing wind directions and areas of food abundance. Unfortunately the paper is pay wall protected (i.e. not public access) but let me now if you are anxious to read it but don't have access. Henri Weimerskirch, Maite Louzao, Sophie de Grissac and Karine Delord Changes in Wind Pattern Alter Albatross Distribution and Life-History Traits Science 13 Jan 2012 Vol. 335 no. 6065 pp. 211-214 DOI: 10.1126/science. 1210270 Here is a brief perspective on the paper from ScienceShots While many species have suffered from climate change, the wandering albatross seems to have benefited. Long-term warming in recent decades has boosted temperatures and altered precipitation in many regions, but it has also increased average wind speeds over the southwestern Indian Ocean. Thanks to the increased wind speeds there, the albatross has, on average, gained weight and bred more successfully, researchers report online today in Science. Specifically, higher wind speeds have meant that foraging trips during nesting season, throughout which males and females take turns incubating eggs and tending to chicks, are shorter—an average of 9.7 days in 2008, compared with 12.4 days in 1970. And shorter shifts on the nest, in turn, resulted in fewer abandoned eggs and chicks: While, on average, about 66% of eggs laid in 1970 resulted in live chicks; in 2008 that proportion had jumped to about 77%. Shorter shifts babysitting also caused the albatrosses to fatten up: Even though the birds aren't lengthier, they weigh, on average, 1 kilogram more now than they did 20 years ago—a 10% to 12% increase in body mass. This helps these long-distance champions better withstand the stresses imposed on their wings and bodies by stronger winds and, therefore, better exploit the windier conditions wrought by climate change, the researchers say. -- 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: Vagrant Ribbon Seal in Seattle, Washington, USA From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:31:17 -0800 (PST) Those on the west coast of Canada and the US might be interested to know about a male RIBBON SEAL sighted on 11 Jan 2012 hauled out on a dock in the Duwamish River near Seattle. Seen only once apparently. This is well south of the normal range - predominantly the Bering and Okhotsk Seas. Prior records south of this region include a debilitated animal found beached in Morro Bay, California in early 1960's, a sub- adult killed near Cordova, Alaska in the early 1980's, and an adult in the Tsushima Strait between South Korea and Japan in the mid-90's. A photo of this handsome animal can be seen here: http://news.yahoo.com/rare-sea-creature-appears-seattle-womans-dock-152011178.html Having watched those Opilio crab fishing shows on TV, I know that Seattle is home port for many of the fishing vessels working in the Bering Sea but in this case the possibility of ship-assisted vagrancy seems a real stretch..... 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: Barolo Shearwater From: Andy Paterson <andy.birds AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:45:36 +0100 Hi: First, I must state that I haver not yet received my copy of Steve Howell's book as getting across the pond to Spain before the first week is impossible even for Amazon. However, from Spain, I have followed the topic of the Little Shearwater (sic) with some interest as I presume that the Lee referred to is Dave Lee. Way back in the mid 1980s Dave Lee got in touch with me with info. and queries on the probable Little Shearwater (as they were then known) that he had seen. I knew the species way back then from visits to the Canaries and at least one record from within the Mediterranean and I know of other good ones from the Strait of Gibraltar, accepted by the Spanish rarities committee of which I was a cofunder and member for several years. Details of these records to 1997 can be found in*Status of seabirds in Spain and Portugal * (Paterson, Lynx Edicions). I have not kept the correspondence I had at that time with Dave Lee but my recollection is that his description(s) looked pretty good to me at that time. Now, I recognise that things have progressed a lot since then and that photographic evidence has just about become a total necessity for a rarity acceptance, whilst the art of a written description is becoming lost and well on the way to extinction. Part of the argument has been that written descriptions can be fudged, but so can photos with the aid of Photoshop and I understand that there has already been a case of that in the UK (please note that I am playing devil's advocate here). I believe that most of us with experience know when we are looking at something different, be it a seabird or a passerine, and we also have the experience to know what to look for and I also have good reason to believe that in a reasonable number of cases written descriptions are arbitrarialy adjudicated on by committee members who are sufficiently familiar with the species themselves. I know *Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus l'herminieri* from the five years I lived in the Bahamas and renewed acquaintance with them last May on 10 pelagic trips with Brian Patteson (great time, many thanks, Brian). I can't see* Little/Barolo Shearwater P. baroli* being confused with Audubon's with halfway decent views. It is much more like 'our' *Yelkouan Shearwater P. yelkouan** *or pale *Balearic P. mauretanicus*. Incidentally, here in the Iberian Seabird Group (GIAM) we generally acknowledge that the former N. Atlantic *Little P. assimilis* is perfectly acceptable as split into two species,* Barolo P. baroli* (Macronesian islands) and *Boyd's P. boydi* (Cape Verde). The photographs shown of the bird off Mass. are of a bog-standard *P. baroli* (which was then known as Macronesian Shearwater). By the by, there was a discussion last year as to the correct name, Barolo's or Barolo, and cogent reasons which seemed reasonable to me (and which I can't remember, something to do with a person and an area) were given for it being Barolo and not Barolo's. Finally, and without a copy of the book to refer to, it does seem to be rather hairsplitting by Steve Howell to say that Little should not be on the US list when it was considered as a species with two subspecies, and now it is two species as a result of DNA studies, plus the extra evidence which has been aired here to give force to it being considered as a prime candidate. Can anyone tell me (privately if they so desire) what he says about the two races of Cory's Shearwater, *diomedea* and *borealis*, because I don't buy this *Scopoli's Shearwater *idea. No doubt I have stirred up some plankton here, so good seabirding to all, Andy Paterson Torremolinos, España * ******* http://birding-the-costa.blogspot.com* NEW *** http://guiri-pajarero-suelto.blogspot.com *NUEVO : 16/01 - Guadalhorce manejos * * * *UNETE A FOROROA - JOIN FOROROA* -- 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:38:38 -0500 1896 to 2007 is over a century. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Morlan" To: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" Cc: "Angus Wilson" ; "Seabird News" Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 5:05 PM Subject: Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: [Seabird-News:1590] Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available > On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:35:17 -0500, "J. BRIAN PATTESON" > wrote: > >>There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems >>pretty verifiable. > > Thanks. I missed that. Two photos by Iliff 25 Aug 2007, P13.1 and > P13.2 > on page 134 labeled Barolo Shearwater. > > In view of those photos, why on page 132 does he say after listing the > one > good specimen and one incorrect specimen, "No other verifiable records > for > more than 100 years?" > > Perhaps he meant to say "specimen records." > -- > Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu > Birding Classes start Feb 7 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ -- 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:05:02 -0800 On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:35:17 -0500, "J. BRIAN PATTESON" wrote: >There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems >pretty verifiable. Thanks. I missed that. Two photos by Iliff 25 Aug 2007, P13.1 and P13.2 on page 134 labeled Barolo Shearwater. In view of those photos, why on page 132 does he say after listing the one good specimen and one incorrect specimen, "No other verifiable records for more than 100 years?" Perhaps he meant to say "specimen records." -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu Birding Classes start Feb 7 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ -- 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: Glen Tepke <g.tepke AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:46:19 +0000 (UTC) Report with photos of the 2007 Massachusetts Barolo's (aka Macaronesian) Shearwater is here: http://trips.brooklinebirdclub.org/2007/07/august-2007-extreme-pelagic.html Glen Tepke Oakland, California g.tepke (at) comcast (dot) net www.pbase.com/gtepke ----- Original Message ----- From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" To: jmorlan AT gmail.com, "Angus Wilson" Cc: "Seabird News" Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 1:35:17 PM Subject: Re: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: [Seabird-News:1591] Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available "Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve a place on the North America list. Instead Barolo's Shearwater, formerly considered a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by Howell as a separate species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with only one verified specimen record from over 100 years ago." There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems pretty verifiable. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:35:17 -0500 "Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve a place on the North America list. Instead Barolo's Shearwater, formerly considered a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by Howell as a separate species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with only one verified specimen record from over 100 years ago." There is also a photo from Massachusetts (in the book) which seems pretty verifiable. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Little Shearwater in NA was Re: Re: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:17:11 -0800 My copy just arrived and I noticed that LITTLE SHEARWATER is relegated to Appendix B (Hypothetical Species). The text mentions a questionable individual photographed off California and eventually rejected by the California Bird Records Committee. The two North Atlantic races of Little Shearwater (P. a. baroli and P. a. boydi) are treated "provisionally as separate species, Baroli's Shearwater and Boyd's Shearwater. They are discussed under Audubon's Shearwater and under a species account for Baroli's Shearwater. Boyd's Shearwater is unrecorded in North America, but there appears to be only one valid record for Barolo's Shearwater in North America. Under the species account for Barolo Shearwater (formerly Little Shearwater) we find that the specimen of "Little Shearwater" from South Carolina in 1883 was actually an Audubon's Shearwater. This leaves only one specimen, 1896 from Nova Scotia. Howell rejects the claimed Little (presumably Barolo) Shearwaters summarized by Lee as inadequately documented. More recent sight records are listed, but apparently none were photographed or verifiable. Bottom line, Howell does not consider Little Shearwater to deserve a place on the North America list. Instead Barolo's Shearwater, formerly considered a race of Little Shearwater, but considered by Howell as a separate species is a vagrant to the North Atlantic with only one verified specimen record from over 100 years ago. On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:40:05 -0800 (PST), Angus Wilson wrote: > It will be great >to hear what other people think and to ferret out the hidden gems of >previously unpublished information. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu Birding Classes start Feb 7 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ -- 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: Ocean Sunfish Get Cleaned by Albatrosses From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:20:56 -0500 An amazing discovery of interactions between albatrosses and ocean sunfish: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/12/ocean-sunfish-get-cleaned-by-albatrosses/ -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 www.paulagics.com paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: "Near-shore Dovekies" From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:20:44 -0500 Brian, last year was unique up here in the Mid-Atlantic. The water was positively frigid which I suspect made for less than ideal feeding conditions. We've found that we don't seem to find Dovekies up here when/where the water temps drop below 45F. Inshore alcids hang in a bit colder but their numbers seem to drop when the temps start approaching 40F. Here's the URL for a sea surface temperature map for Jan. 16 of this year. Notice that it shows the coastal water temps in the mid 40s and the Hudson Shelf Valley (the area where it says "150 ft 200 ft") in the low 50s. http://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/sat_data/show/?file=../../regions/nybight/sst/noaa/2012/img/120116.016.1353.n16.jpg Now look at a map from Jan. 16 of last year. Coastal water temps were in the upper 30s and the Hudson Shelf Valley was mostly in the low 40s. That's an 8-10 degree temperature change. http://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/sat_data/show/?file=../../regions/nybight/sst/noaa/2011/img/110116.016.1817.n18.jpg The warmer temperatures this year have also meant incredibly extended seasons for both bluefish and striped bass. When I went sea bass fishing on Dec. 30, we had to move off of one wreck because the bluefish were so plentiful we couldn't catch any sea bass! The weather is finally getting more seasonally cold up here. Maybe a prolonged cold snap might push more birds out of our area later this winter. -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 www.paulagics.com paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:40:05 -0800 (PST) Re: Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide I've just received a copy and thought I'd share some instant impressions. The book is way larger than I had expected perhaps because 'photographic guide' in the title made me think of Peter Harrison's pocket fitting photoguide. In the hand, the volume is comparable to the Howell and Dunn 'Gulls of North America'. The production seem more polished than that gull book (not clipped photos) and it is organized in a more conventional manner, which in my opinion makes it eminently more user friendly. Some sections are reasonably familiar (at least the photos are) from treatments in other venues (e.g. some of SNGH's recent storm-petrel articles) whereas others (e.g. Galapagos Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, here named 'Darwin's S-P') are new to me. Unfortunately the North Atlantic Band-rumps are limited to the two forms (Madeiran and Grant's) that probably occur most regularly off the Eastern Seaboard and two other candidates Monteiro's and Cape Verde are only mentioned in passing. Whether this will turn out to be a wise decision will make for a great bar room conversation amongst aficionados. The range maps are focused on the coverage region (a bit odd for species that only nest outside it, although this info is widely available elsewhere) but are crisp and include peak occurrence dates which are surprisingly useful for trip planning etc. Some seventy-six taxa are covered including 14 albatross and 19 gadflypetrels, representing a sizeable fraction of the world's tubenoses. So naturally there is much of value to people living or working outside of the coverage area, especially Europe. I look forward to delving deeply into the text and photo selections over the coming days and weeks, but as Brian Patteson has stated already, this exciting and much anticipated book has been years in the making and may well set the standard for the region. It will be great to hear what other people think and to ferret out the hidden gems of previously unpublished information. There can be no doubt that this impressive publication from a prominent figure on the world stage will stimulate a surge of interest in these most special birds. This can only be good news for the many pelagic trip organizers around our coastlines struggling with the impacts of a poor economy and rising fuel costs. The lively discussions and field expeditions that the book will encourage should lead to further discoveries. Who wouldn't like to see Ainley's and Townsend's Storm-Petrels with their own eyes...hint, hint? 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: "Near-shore Dovekies" From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:27:25 -0500 The Belmar report got me thinking about something I've noticed with Dovekies down here. Last winter when we had the biggest influx of Dovekies I have ever seen around Cape Hatteras, it seemed that the birds were closer to the beach in January and early February than they were later on. First trip out we had them ridiculously close- dozens of them just two miles off the beach. Later on, we had to go out the edge of the Gulf Stream to find them. I don't know how many were out there on the first few trips though, as we never made it that far. I have also noticed comparatively more birds inshore during January versus February in previous years. Someone found a Dovekie ashore yesterday near Oregon Inlet, so it will be interesting to see how far south they get this year. Most years we get at least a few, but last year was off the charts. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Results of Jan. 15 Belmar, NJ Pelagic From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:16:29 -0500 Despite some breezy conditions, Sunday's trip out of Belmar, NJ was a real success. Because the winds were blowing 15-20 out of the northwest we headed north and stayed within 2-3 miles of the beach for protection. Despite being this close we actually had a large FIN WHALE between us and the beach. Fin Whales are the second largest species of whale and adults are about 60-70' long so that's a lot of animal that close inshore. We had several others and a few more whale blows in the area as well. Moving up the beach we also found multiple RAZORBILLS along the way though trying to approach them in the choppy seas was tough. At our northernmost point we turned to the southeast and put the wind on our tail for a pretty comfortable ride. As we cruised further offshore we found several COMMON MURRES. These birds are now to be expected in this area at this time of year. We moved about 11-12 miles offshore and worked our way south. I was hoping DOVEKIES were still in the area as they had been the prior week and I was not disappointed. Singles and small groups were seen, mostly in flight but a few on the water. A final total of 40 birds was excellent for this close to shore. To paraphrase leader Tom Reed, "there's something wrong with watching Dovekies while you still have cell phone signal." A few BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES put in a showing moving at amazing speed in the wind. When we hit our most southerly point of the day, we turned towards land so we could get a smooth ride home. We turned up more RAZORBILLS and COMMON MURRES, but the highlight for that leg of the trip was the gull show. We had a gorgeous first cycle ICELAND GULL come in to stern to chow down on the beef suet chum we were flinging. We had a bit of time so I asked the captain if he could turn the boat and run for a bit so the light would be better for the photographers. The Iceland Gull continued to come in but a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE flew in and stole the show. The bird stayed with us for at least 40 minutes and was often floating over the back of the boat. I had to change my 300mm lens for a zoom just so I could consistently fit it in the frame! To round things out a nice second cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL also came in for a bit. Photos of some of the birds can be found at the URL below, and we'll be putting up a guest photo album with favorite shots by our participants. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147667368682651.30046.100003181671988&type=3&l=bf05dc9e1f The following are the totals for the day: 45 Canada Goose 2 American Black Duck 1 scaup sp. 7 White-winged Scoter 2 Black Scoter 42 Long-tailed Duck 2 Bufflehead 18 Red-breasted Merganser 15 Red-throated Loon 28 Common Loon 17 Great Cormorant (group of 12 had 2 on a buoy and the rest in the water nearby) 3 Black-legged Kittiwake (all adults or near adults) 17 Bonaparte's Gull 7 Ring-billed Gull 4000 Herring Gull 1 Iceland Gull (juvenile / first cycle bird) 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (second cycle bird) 600 Great Black-backed Gull 40 Dovekie (excellent total for this close to shore) 5 Common Murre (uall basic plumage birds) 55 Razorbill 9 large alcid sp. (Razorbill or murre) 3 Fin Whale Thanks to our leaders Scott Barnes, Tom Reed, Tom Johnson (official keeper of the list), Doug Gochfeld, and Dave Lord. A big thanks to all of you who came out with us for a chilly but exciting day of birding. We're hoping to get trips out of Freeport, NY on Jan. 28, Cape May, NJ on Feb. 4, and Lewes, DE on Feb. 11. Alcids have been showing up very well in the Mid-Atlantic this year. -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 www.paulagics.com paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: Alcids in NJ & NY from Belmar, NJ Mackerel Fishing Boat From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 22:03:12 -0500 Today I boarded a Mackerel fishing trip out of Belmar with my brother Steve and birder Marty Dellwo. We first moved north and fished in NJ pelagic waters out to about a dozen miles. Fishing was OK, but the Capt. decided to move towards a pack of fish off NY, and we worked an area a mere 4-6 miles off the beach. Maybe somebody can identify where we were from the photos I posted on the Paulagics Birding Facebook page? The link to the gallery is: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.140871612695560.28753.100003181671988&type=1&l=f7080e96d0 One of the big highlights were 10 DOVEKIES within a dozen or so miles of shore. The water out there is still warm (well, by Jan. standards for the area) and so Dovekies don't seem to be completely pushed farther offshore. 7 COMMON MURRES were not at all unexpected. Here are the results for the species I tabulated: Common Loon - 15+ Northern Gannet - 100+ Great Blue Heron - 1 (about a dozen miles offshore) Black-legged Kittiwake - 8 (5 NJ, 3 NY) Dovekie - 10 (4 NJ, 6 NY) Common Murre - 7 (3 NJ, 4 NY) murre sp - 4 Razorbill - 34 (22 NJ, 12 NY) Be sure to check out the photo gallery for this trip. Photo opportunities aren't the best from a fishing boat, but there's some identifiable stuff. We are running trips to these same waters next weekend from Freeport, NY on Sat. and from Belmar, NJ on Sun. Hope to see some of you aboard. -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 paulagics.com AT gmail.com info AT paulagics.com* *www.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: Tracking Blue Whale dives in 4 dimensions From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 08:10:33 -0800 (PST) I'm sure most of us have wondered what really goes on when whales fluke and disappear from sight for minutes on end. Well, here's a fascinating movie showing the convoluted path of a Blue Whale during a couple of dives. http://media.aaas-science.org/services/player/bcpid614958745001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAADFlexpk~,loqkjB2yVJxZQOYgHHvPaY0JnZAYG4d7&bctid=1369795469001 This comes from an interesting study by Jeremy Goldbogen (Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, Washington, USA) on feeding actions of Blue and Fin Whales using data logging devises that are attached via suction cups. The devises record depth, sound, and other parameters as the whales swim. After a set amount of time, the tag falls off, floats to the surface and is recovered. For more of the story, check out this preview in Science magazine. http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/01/a-whales-virtual-reality.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: Take Two: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 19:05:29 -0500 I messed up the link first time around, so here it is again- Seabirders, I just got the word that Steve Howell's latest book, Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide is now available for purchase! I have not yet seen the finished product, but based on what I saw of the draft, it should be hands down the best reference for tubenoses in the Western North Atlantic and the Eastern North Pacific. It has been a long time in the making, and Steve has helped guide many dozens of trips with us here off Cape Hatteras over the course of nine or ten years as part of his research for this book. Steve has put in much more sea time off California and Mexico, and there are few people so qualified to comment on these seabirds. I look forward to the arrival of what will be the indispensable seabird book for the waters surrounding this continent. Read more or order from the Princeton website- http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9534.html Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 18:27:43 -0500 Seabirders, I just got the word that Steve Howell's latest book, Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide is now available for purchase! I have not yet seen the finished product, but based on what I saw of the draft, it should be hands down the best reference for tubenoses in the Western North Atlantic and the Eastern North Pacific. It has been a long time in the making, and Steve has helped guide many dozens of trips with us here off Cape Hatteras over the course of nine or ten years as part of his research for this book. Steve has put in much more sea time off California and Mexico, and there are few people so qualified to comment on these seabirds. I look forward to the arrival of what will be the indispensable seabird book for the waters surrounding this continent. Read more or order from the Princeton website- http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9534.html/ Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC -- 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: Steve Howell's Tubenose Book Available From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 18:27:43 -0500 Seabirders, I just got the word that Steve Howell's latest book, Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide is now available for purchase! I have not yet seen the finished product, but based on what I saw of the draft, it should be hands down the best reference for tubenoses in the Western North Atlantic and the Eastern North Pacific. It has been a long time in the making, and Steve has helped guide many dozens of trips with us here off Cape Hatteras over the course of nine or ten years as part of his research for this book. Steve has put in much more sea time off California and Mexico, and there are few people so qualified to comment on these seabirds. I look forward to the arrival of what will be the indispensable seabird book for the waters surrounding this continent. Read more or order from the Princeton website- http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9534.html/ Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC ------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Digest for seabird-news@googlegroups.com - 1 Message in 1 Topic From: Peter Pyle <ppyle AT birdpop.org> Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:48:49 -0800 Hi all - Yes, I've been in contact with the ornithologists on the Bonin Islands and they will be presenting their findings on Bryan's Sheawater at the PSG meeting in Hawaii in February (as will I). They include documentation of six specimens of carcasses that they have collected so far, including one in 2011. Some appear to be due to rat predation and they are working hard on that right now. We will also be putting out listening stations in the Bonin and NW Hawaiian Islands. My talk will also focus on at-sea reports of Little Shearwater in the North Pacific, only one of which (photographed near the Bonin's) can be confirmed as Bryan's and none as Little so far. Peter At 02:43 AM 1/4/2012, seabird-news AT googlegroups.com wrote: > Today's Topic Summary > >Group: >http://groups.google.com/group/seabird-news/topics > > * Bryan's Shearwater [1 Update] > >Bryan's >Shearwater >Tony Pym Jan 03 04:36PM -0800 >Bryan's Shearwater The announcement of this new taxon was >discussed in Seabird-News last year. In the most recent >BirdingASIA (16:86-88) there is an article entitled 'Little-known >Asian bird: Possible records of the newly described Bryan's >Shearwater Puffinus bryani in Japan'. It suggests that the 'Bonin >Little Shearwater' - a Little Shearwater 'of uncertain subspecies', >that was collected in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands in April 1997 >and January 2005, plus being recorded a few times from the >Tokyo-Bonin Ferry - is quite likely Bryan's Shearwater. One Bonin >Islands breeder, usually recognised as a distinct species, is >Bannerman's Shearwater. Clearly Bryan's and Bannerman's are >different taxa, on plumage and measurements (see earlier postings), >so it seems the Bonin Islands may have, at least, two forms/species >of small shearwater breeding there. > > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >Group seabird-news. >You can post via email. >To unsubscribe from this group, >send an empty message. >For more options, >visit this group. > >-- >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. -- 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: Bryan's Shearwater From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 16:36:38 -0800 (PST) Bryan's Shearwater The announcement of this new taxon was discussed in Seabird-News last year. In the most recent BirdingASIA (16:86-88) there is an article entitled 'Little-known Asian bird: Possible records of the newly described Bryan's Shearwater Puffinus bryani in Japan'. It suggests that the 'Bonin Little Shearwater' - a Little Shearwater 'of uncertain subspecies', that was collected in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands in April 1997 and January 2005, plus being recorded a few times from the Tokyo-Bonin Ferry - is quite likely Bryan's Shearwater. One Bonin Islands breeder, usually recognised as a distinct species, is Bannerman's Shearwater. Clearly Bryan's and Bannerman's are different taxa, on plumage and measurements (see earlier postings), so it seems the Bonin Islands may have, at least, two forms/species of small shearwater breeding there. -- 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: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2012 16:13:43 -0800 (PST) I've not been offshore recently but suspect there are good numbers of Dovekie (Little Auk) off Eastern Long Island at the moment. When this happens we start seeing birds coming inshore and over the past couple of weeks there have been several onshore sightings in the Montauk area (eastern tip of South Fork). Today I noticed one paddling in the surf at Montauk Point. Presumably a sick bird, it clambered onto a rock and then preened like crazy allowing very close approach. Razorbill numbers are OK (I tallied 46 in less than an hour) but down from earlier in the winter (hundreds). Of interest is the fact that we've been seeing way better than average numbers in shallow Gardiner's Bay (situated between the two forks of Long Island) and also well into Long Island Sound. Small numbers are being seen daily from as far in as Rye in Westchester County on the New York/ Connecticut border. My plans for a more extensive alcid count along the peninsula were abandoned when news of New York State's first Grace's Warbler came over the wires! Happy New Year Everyone! Thanks for your great posts to Seabird-News - keep 'em coming! Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs -- 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: Newfoundland seawatch From: AlvanBuckley <alvanbuckley AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:04:04 -0800 (PST) Hi seabirders, I haven't been seeing much on here from Newfoundland so I thought I would share a bit about what's going on around here! As part of the Ferryland CBC (Dec 30th) I joined Ian Jones, Mark Maftei and Mira Furgoch for a seawatch from Bear Cove Point. Hundreds of Dovekies were seen with a handful flying overland giving great views. 1 Thick-billed Murre 1 Razorbill and a few other large alcids that went unidentified. 1 Red-necked Grebe and 1 Red-throated Loon were the only other notable species. Happy New Year, Alvan www.alvanbuckley.blogspot.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: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:35:29 -0500 Paul, Which way were the Dovekies heading? Any particular direction? We were out looking down here on Thursday, but no Dovekies. I did, however, hear about a couple of Dovekies in the surf at Kill Devil Hills that same day. Also we saw very few Razorbills, but there have been hundreds off Cape Lookout recently. We did find a Great Skua, or maybe it found us. Year bird #743 for John Vanderpoel. Other than that, we had four tubenoses- Great and Manx Shearwaters, Northern Fulmar, and Black-capped Petrel- and a modest number of Red Phalaropes. There is a big eddy off Va. Beach now which could be holding a lot of phalaropes, I suspect. No kittiwakes on our trip, but a few were at Cape Point two days before on a hard southeaster. Hopefully some Dovekies will show here next week with the next big front. Thanks for the report. Hopefully, we will have another winter with Dovekies around, and perhaps a milder one. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com www.seabirding.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Guris" To: "Post Seabird-News" Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 4:09 PM Subject: [Seabird-News:1574] Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies > Several of us went fishing on an 18 hour trip for sea bass aboard the > Atlantic Star out of Wildwood Crest, NJ. The boat left at 2 AM and > headed > south, placing us in Maryland waters for most of the daylight hours > though > we believe we were north of MD at sunrise. (Position is difficult to > determine on these trips as the wreck sites are closely held secrets > and > bringing a personal GPS aboard is STRICTLY forbidden.) Fishing was > excellent but between catching fish and while the boat made a few > moves > between wrecks, we managed to have some really great pelagic birding. > > Pre-sunrise we were accompanied by a half dozen COMMON DOLPHINS and > started > picking up our first DOVEKIES. After we anchored and started fishing, > we > noticed a big movement of Dovekies. I counted 200 birds in 3 minutes. > This later died down but we were still picking up Dovekies on and off > throughout the day until sunset. Since we were not paying continual > attention our count is low, but we ended the day with 1,360 Dovekies. > Not > bad for only paying attention for a few hours. > > Another nice count was 9 ATLANTIC PUFFINS. We had seen two when > moving > between wrecks, but when we moved again with a following sea for 20 > miles > or so, we were able to pick them up more easily. We also managed to > find > 10 RAZORBILLS, a species we usually do a little better with inshore. > > Other pelagic highlights included a single MANX SHEARWATER, 4 NORTHERN > FULMAR, some BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES (all adults), GANNETS (almost all > adults), and 2 COMMON LOONS in over 300' of water. > > We had one really bizarre experience. Mike Fritz landed a nice sea > bass > which spit up a few things it had eaten. This isn't unusual and the > first > one was a crab. The second one was an odd looking lump of something, > and > when I pulled it out of the cooler to see what it was I realized that > it > was a Dovekie's skull and neck! Dovekies don't normally dive all that > deep > so I suspect that it had died, sunk to the bottom, and was consumed by > the > fish. > > > The water is still very warm for this time of year offshore (well over > 50 > degrees) and it seems to be holding more birds than usual. We still > have > room on our pelagic trips from NY, NJ, and DE. I will be posting > details > out later or you can look up the details on our web site. > > > -PAG > > -- > *Paul A. Guris > See Life Paulagics > PO Box 161 > Green Lane, PA 18054 > 215-234-6805 > paulagics.com AT gmail.com > 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. > > -- 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: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies From: Rich Fried <rfried AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:33:12 -0800 (PST) Rob Bate and I went on our final pelagic birding trip of the year yesterday (second for him and sixth for me) and saw a very similar mix of birds to those reported today by Paul Guris from fishing grounds further south. At 12:30 am Friday morning we boarded the Starstream VIII, part of the Captain Lou Fishing Fleet out of Freeport, Long Island and traveled out to near the start of Hudson Canyon, arriving at first light and fishing at multiple spots across the next 25 miles and 6 hours. While gull and Gannet numbers were way down from those earlier in the month, we were fortunate in finding increased numbers of four Alcid species: Dovekie (clearly not as many as reported by Paul), Common Murre, Razorbill and Atlantic Puffin, along with Northern Fulmar and Black-legged Kittiwake. No shearwaters on this trip. On this, as on a 12/17 trip, we were intermittently accompanied by large numbers of Short-beaked Common Dolphins. The eBird list is below. Happy New Year and Good Birding to all. Rich Fried New York City Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) 4 Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) 6 Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) 3 Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 25 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 41 Dovekie (Alle alle) 35 Common Murre (Uria aalge) 3 Razorbill (Alca torda) 10 Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) 11 Alcid sp. >200 (too distant for us to identify to species) This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) On Dec 31, 4:09 pm, Paul Guris wrote: >  Several of us went fishing on an 18 hour trip for sea bass aboard the > Atlantic Star out of Wildwood Crest, NJ.  The boat left at 2 AM and headed > south, placing us in Maryland waters for most of the daylight hours though > we believe we were north of MD at sunrise.  (Position is difficult to > determine on these trips as the wreck sites are closely held secrets and > bringing a personal GPS aboard is STRICTLY forbidden.)  Fishing was > excellent but between catching fish and while the boat made a few moves > between wrecks, we managed to have some really great pelagic birding. > > Pre-sunrise we were accompanied by a half dozen COMMON DOLPHINS and started > picking up our first DOVEKIES.  After we anchored and started fishing, we > noticed a big movement of Dovekies.  I counted 200 birds in 3 minutes. > This later died down but we were still picking up Dovekies on and off > throughout the day until sunset.  Since we were not paying continual > attention our count is low, but we ended the day with 1,360 Dovekies.  Not > bad for only paying attention for a few hours. > > Another nice count was 9 ATLANTIC PUFFINS.  We had seen two when moving > between wrecks, but when we moved again with a following sea for 20 miles > or so, we were able to pick them up more easily.  We also managed to find > 10 RAZORBILLS, a species we usually do a little better with inshore. > > Other pelagic highlights included a single MANX SHEARWATER, 4 NORTHERN > FULMAR, some BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES (all adults), GANNETS (almost all > adults), and 2 COMMON LOONS in over 300' of water. > > We had one really bizarre experience.  Mike Fritz landed a nice sea bass > which spit up a few things it had eaten.  This isn't unusual and the first > one was a crab.  The second one was an odd looking lump of something, and > when I pulled it out of the cooler to see what it was I realized that it > was a Dovekie's skull and neck!  Dovekies don't normally dive all that deep > so I suspect that it had died, sunk to the bottom, and was consumed by the > fish. > > The water is still very warm for this time of year offshore (well over 50 > degrees) and it seems to be holding more birds than usual.  We still have > room on our pelagic trips from NY, NJ, and DE.  I will be posting details > out later or you can look up the details on our web site. > > -PAG > > -- > *Paul A. Guris > See Life Paulagics > PO Box 161 > Green Lane, PA  18054 > 215-234-6805 > paulagics.... AT gmail.com > i... 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: Fishing Trip w/ Over 1,300 Dovekies From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:09:13 -0500 Several of us went fishing on an 18 hour trip for sea bass aboard the Atlantic Star out of Wildwood Crest, NJ. The boat left at 2 AM and headed south, placing us in Maryland waters for most of the daylight hours though we believe we were north of MD at sunrise. (Position is difficult to determine on these trips as the wreck sites are closely held secrets and bringing a personal GPS aboard is STRICTLY forbidden.) Fishing was excellent but between catching fish and while the boat made a few moves between wrecks, we managed to have some really great pelagic birding. Pre-sunrise we were accompanied by a half dozen COMMON DOLPHINS and started picking up our first DOVEKIES. After we anchored and started fishing, we noticed a big movement of Dovekies. I counted 200 birds in 3 minutes. This later died down but we were still picking up Dovekies on and off throughout the day until sunset. Since we were not paying continual attention our count is low, but we ended the day with 1,360 Dovekies. Not bad for only paying attention for a few hours. Another nice count was 9 ATLANTIC PUFFINS. We had seen two when moving between wrecks, but when we moved again with a following sea for 20 miles or so, we were able to pick them up more easily. We also managed to find 10 RAZORBILLS, a species we usually do a little better with inshore. Other pelagic highlights included a single MANX SHEARWATER, 4 NORTHERN FULMAR, some BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES (all adults), GANNETS (almost all adults), and 2 COMMON LOONS in over 300' of water. We had one really bizarre experience. Mike Fritz landed a nice sea bass which spit up a few things it had eaten. This isn't unusual and the first one was a crab. The second one was an odd looking lump of something, and when I pulled it out of the cooler to see what it was I realized that it was a Dovekie's skull and neck! Dovekies don't normally dive all that deep so I suspect that it had died, sunk to the bottom, and was consumed by the fish. The water is still very warm for this time of year offshore (well over 50 degrees) and it seems to be holding more birds than usual. We still have room on our pelagic trips from NY, NJ, and DE. I will be posting details out later or you can look up the details on our web site. -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: Kittlitz's Murrelet article From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:33:44 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: I thought someone might be interested in this article: Northwestern Naturalist 92(3):186-199. 2011 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1898/10-21.1 Occurrences of Kittlitz's Murrelets South of the Breeding Range Along the West Coast of North America Harry R. Carter(a), S. Kim Nelson(b), Spencer G. Sealy(c), and Gus B. van Vliet(d) a:Carter Biological Consulting, 1015 Hampshire Road, Victoria, BC V8S 4S8 carterhr AT shaw.ca b:Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 c:Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 d:PO Box 210442, Auke Bay, AK 99821 Corresponding Editor: Joan Hagar. Abstract Even though Kittlitz's Murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris) remain almost entirely within the species' breeding range throughout the year, 20 records were obtained south of the breeding range along the west coast of North America between 1969 and 2010. Eight records between southern British Columbia and southern California (19692010), within the California Current region (33ø49ø N), were considered to be vagrants, occurring far from the nearest breeding areas (1060 to 2920 km). Twelve records in southern Southeast Alaska and northern British Columbia (19942001) were relatively close to southernmost breeding areas (<730 km), still within the southern Alaska Current region (51ø56ø N), and were considered to reflect occasional use of the southern part of the non-breeding range. With no records south of breeding areas prior to 1969, vagrancy and movements just south of the breeding range may have increased in recent decades because more qualified observers have covered the coastal areas, as well as due to changes in weather, reproduction, and movements. Increased search effort and better documentation of records will facilitate future confirmation and identification of changes in the type or frequency of these occurrences. Received: June 11, 2010; Accepted: February 15, 2011 sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters Subject: Kittlitz's Murrelet article From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:33:44 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: I thought someone might be interested in this article: Northwestern Naturalist 92(3):186-199. 2011 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1898/10-21.1 Occurrences of Kittlitz's Murrelets South of the Breeding Range Along the West Coast of North America Harry R. Carter(a), S. Kim Nelson(b), Spencer G. Sealy(c), and Gus B. van Vliet(d) a:Carter Biological Consulting, 1015 Hampshire Road, Victoria, BC V8S 4S8 carterhr AT shaw.ca b:Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 c:Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 d:PO Box 210442, Auke Bay, AK 99821 Corresponding Editor: Joan Hagar. Abstract Even though Kittlitz's Murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris) remain almost entirely within the species' breeding range throughout the year, 20 records were obtained south of the breeding range along the west coast of North America between 1969 and 2010. Eight records between southern British Columbia and southern California (19692010), within the California Current region (33ø49ø N), were considered to be vagrants, occurring far from the nearest breeding areas (1060 to 2920 km). Twelve records in southern Southeast Alaska and northern British Columbia (19942001) were relatively close to southernmost breeding areas (<730 km), still within the southern Alaska Current region (51ø56ø N), and were considered to reflect occasional use of the southern part of the non-breeding range. With no records south of breeding areas prior to 1969, vagrancy and movements just south of the breeding range may have increased in recent decades because more qualified observers have covered the coastal areas, as well as due to changes in weather, reproduction, and movements. Increased search effort and better documentation of records will facilitate future confirmation and identification of changes in the type or frequency of these occurrences. Received: June 11, 2010; Accepted: February 15, 2011 sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: NEW title From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:22:16 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: Just posted about a new biography of L.E. Richdale called: Seabird Genius, at my blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-title_23.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: Seabird conservation From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:18:06 -0500 Seabird enthusiasts might be interested in a large, multiauthor study just reported in SCIENCE magazine (23 Dec 2011, Vol.334 No 6063 pp.1703-1706) examining the relationship between the abundance of so-called 'forage fish' (anchovies, sardines, krill and squid) and the future sustainability of upper trophic level predators (specifically, birds) in different marine ecosystems. The authors used data collected over multiple decades from seabird surveys and forage fish abundance measurements to see if the relationship between the two is constant across 7 ecosystems. The paper is dense but the conclusion seems to be that a “one-third for the birds” measure provides a useful guide to what is needed to sustain predator-prey interactions and marine food webs. Citation and abstract are as follows: Global Seabird Response to Forage Fish Depletion-One-Third for the Birds Philippe M. Cury et al. One-third of maximum fish biomass must be available for seabirds to sustain high breeding success. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/334/6063/1703 ABSTRACT: Determining the form of key predator-prey relationships is critical for understanding marine ecosystem dynamics. Using a comprehensive global database, we quantified the effect of fluctuations in food abundance on seabird breeding success. We identified a threshold in prey (fish and krill, termed “forage fish”) abundance below which seabirds experience consistently reduced and more variable productivity. This response was common to all seven ecosystems and 14 bird species examined within the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. The threshold approximated one-third of the maximum prey biomass observed in long-term studies. This provides an indicator of the minimal forage fish biomass needed to sustain seabird productivity over the long term. -- Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs, NY, USA http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.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: New field guide From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:23:10 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: I thought someone might find this new book useful: A Field Guide to the Southeast Coast and Gulf of Mexico (scroll down to the third book): http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-titles_21.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Seabirds in the Sea of Japan From: "katahdinss AT comcast.net" <katahdinss@comcast.net> Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:27:48 -0500 We just did a passage through Sea of Japan from Petro to Incheon as part of a longer cruise from Alaska. This in September. Rather dull (not alcids at all, for example) but we did have three Pomarine Skuas on September 22, 2011. This was while we were in Sea of Japan, somewhat to the S and E of the ROK peninsula. Gail Mackiernan Silver Spring, MD p.s. the best birds on our trip were 25 Solander's Petrels in USA waters, possibly first confirmed record for AOU area. Original Message: ----------------- From: Alex Bond least.auklet AT gmail.com Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:22:29 -0800 (PST) To: seabird-news AT googlegroups.com Subject: [Seabird-News:1571] Seabirds in the Sea of Japan (apologies for cross-posting) Dear fellow seabirders, I'm working with colleagues at Birds Korea to clarify and confirm the status and records of several seabirds in the Sea of Japan (between the Korean Peninsula and Japan). It's a little-travelled area (especially in North Korea (DPRK), but even records from South Korea (ROK) are spotty at best. If anyone knows of published or documented records of the following species from Korean waters, we'd appreciate hearing about it: Least Auklet (Aethia pusilla) Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella) Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea) Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) - especially in the summer, or in offshore waters Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) Spectacled Guillemot (Cepphus carbo) - particularly large numbers (>5 individuals), and particularly in the southern waters off the peninsula Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) - particularly large numbers (>10 individuals) Skua (Catharacta sp.) - any records We're trying to be as exhaustive as we can with the literature, but some records will undoubtedly evade us. Thanks in advance. Alex Bond Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/seabird-news/-/9HepDQO4jOcJ. 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com – What can On Demand Business Solutions do for you? http://link.mail2web.com/Business/SharePoint -- 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: Cape Verde info request From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:46:43 +0000 (GMT) A few of us will be in Cape Verde at the end of the Atlantic Odyssey, early May, disembarking on Praia. We have about 4 or 5 clear days. We hope to get out on boats with chum to draw in Fea's Petrel, Cape Verde Shearwater, and the local Band-rumped Storm-petrel. Has anyone recently tried this? If so, from which island and did you have much success? -- 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: Seabirds in the Sea of Japan From: Alex Bond <least.auklet AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:22:29 -0800 (PST) (apologies for cross-posting) Dear fellow seabirders, I'm working with colleagues at Birds Korea to clarify and confirm the status and records of several seabirds in the Sea of Japan (between the Korean Peninsula and Japan). It's a little-travelled area (especially in North Korea (DPRK), but even records from South Korea (ROK) are spotty at best. If anyone knows of published or documented records of the following species from Korean waters, we'd appreciate hearing about it: Least Auklet (Aethia pusilla) Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella) Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea) Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix) - especially in the summer, or in offshore waters Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) Spectacled Guillemot (Cepphus carbo) - particularly large numbers (>5 individuals), and particularly in the southern waters off the peninsula Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) - particularly large numbers (>10 individuals) Skua (Catharacta sp.) - any records We're trying to be as exhaustive as we can with the literature, but some records will undoubtedly evade us. Thanks in advance. Alex Bond Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seabird News" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/seabird-news/-/9HepDQO4jOcJ. 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: Dec. 27(28) Hatteras, NC Pelagic Trip Added From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:54:47 -0500 It is fairly short notice, but we have added one more pelagic trip to our 2011 schedule. We are planning to run a trip from Hatteras on Dec. 27, with a weather date the following day. It is not a weekend departure, but maybe it will work for some birders who are teachers or students or otherwise have some time off then. We have set the trip up as an effort to help John Vanderpoel find a Great Skua for his North American Big Year. As of Dec. 13, John was at 740 species, so he has a real chance to beat the record, which is 745. We would love to see John break the record, which was set by Sandy Komito in 1998, when you could still get to Attu. I have not been to sea off Hatteras for over a week, but nine days ago there were still plenty of Great Shearwaters around, so maybe there is a chance for a late one on the 27th. The 27th is also the day of the Cape Hatteras CBC, so if we can find a Great Skua or Great Shearwater close enough to shore, there is the chance to add a new species to the all time CBC list. We will certainly be heading out past the circle for much of the day, but we did coax a Sooty Shearwater in bounds three years ago. Other possibilities for the day include Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Red Phalarope, various rare and uncommon gulls, Black-legged Kittiwake, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Dovekie, Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin, and perhaps even a Common or Thick-billed Murre. There was a Thick-billed Murre a couple of miles from Hatteras Inlet late last December, and there were a few Common Murres around in January. December and January are good months to see Red Phalaropes and kittiwakes off the coast here, generally much better than February, which is when we run most of our trips. Manx Shearwater has also been known to make a strong showing off the NC Outer Banks during early winter. Winter trips will continue in 2012 and include the following dates: Jan. 14(15) Feb. 4(5) Feb. 11(12) Feb. 18 (19) Feb. 19 (20) Feb. 25 (26) Winter trips off Cape Hatteras are a lot of fun because there are so many birds from start to finish. These trips focus on birding in the cold water, not the Gulf Stream, so the biodiversity and the biomass can be quite impressive. There are sometimes thousands of gulls and gannets to go along with the less common, more highly sought "pelagic" species. Photographers should have a field day, as our chum brings the birds close to the boat. More information about the trips, incuding past results, can be found at our website- www.seabirding.com/ I hope that some of you can join us. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Voyage updates From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:02:53 +0000 Hi seabirders, The current Antarctic season is now well under way with a few interesting reports.... The late November, In Search of Emperor Penguins voyage on Plancius 20 Nov - 3 Dec, hit pay dirt with little ice at the top of the Weddell Sea allowing the ship to sail down to Seymour Island and make a landing. 13 adult Emperors were seen in total plus 2 Sooty Albatross and a number of Antarctic Petrels in the Drake Passage also noteworthy. We have a similar voyage on offer in November 2012 on the vessel Ortelius. (Source David Walker) A recent Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia voyage, 20 Nov - 8 Dec saw a number of Atlantic Petrels, sailing east from the Falklands to South Georgia. (Source Martin Hale). Finally, on a slightly warmer note, a few berths have suddenly become available on the 2012 Western Pacific Odyssey from NZ to Japan with Chris Collins and Peter Harrison MBE onboard, contact us for details and booking. Cheers John Brodie-Good WildWings UK 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: Short-tailed Albatross video From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 15:24:18 +0000 (GMT) Short-tailed Albatross 'fest': video fooage: http://scillypelagics.blogspot.com/ probably the best at-sea footage currently available -- 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: Puerto Montt Storm-petrel From: Tim Worfolk <timworfolk AT blueyonder.co.uk> Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 00:38:29 -0800 (PST) Hi all, Just found some of the best photos I've so far seen of the 'Puerto Montt Storm-petrel' posted here: http://davidshoch.smugmug.com/Seabirds scroll down for the Selo Reloncavi gallery. Photos by David Schoch, taken in October this year. regards Tim Worfolk -- 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 Albatross and the Fish From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 15:26:01 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: I just posted about the above book here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-title.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: Results of Nov. 19 Lewes, DE Pelagic From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:16:22 -0500 First, we have this report plus a number of photos from the trip up on our new Facebook site. If your on Facebook, just look up "Paulagic Birding" to find our page and feel free to friend us for future updates, results, photos, etc. If not, go to: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.112003875582334.15784.100003181671988&type=1&l=328d91106d Now on to the trip report! We had a great day on our trip out of Lewes, DE on Nov. 19, 2011. We managed to slip in between some really awful weather and get a very nice day. Daytime temperatures were mild (in the 50s), winds were generally 10-15 knots, and seas ran 2'-4'. As usual, we managed to cover both Delaware and Maryland pelagic waters. Although not reflected in the counts due to proximity to land (we like to start counting out further to keep the list truly pelagic), we saw a number of loons, scoters, and other waterfowl heading south as we headed east. We saw several PARASITIC JAEGERS and though most were at a distance, one bird came in and chased the gulls around behind the boat. Large flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were feeding 20-30 miles offshore and one LITTLE GULL was seen among them though not seen by all, the unfortunate side effect of having so many birds to look through. By now we had picked up some nice NORTHERN GANNETS which we saw on and off all day. A few distant and early flyby RAZORBILLS made the count. One oddity was an AMERICAN COOT that was well offshore. One very interesting non-bird sighting was a very late sighting LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE. We expect them to have left our waters by now. As we got further offshore, we lost most of the Bonaparte's and starting seeing more GREAT SHEARWATERS and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, both putting on great shows as they came in over and over for the chum we were tossing. Eventually we managed to find multiple single and small groups of MANX SHEARWATERS and we managed to set the record one-day count for this species in Maryland. Along the way we picked up a few RED PHALAROPES for both states. As we got deeper we also found several NORTHERN FULMARS, one or two of which came in for nice close passes to the boat. RESULTS Green-winged Teal - 1 (DE: 1, MD: 0) Surf Scoter - 2 (DE: 2, MD: 0) Black Scoter - 45 (DE: 45, MD: 0) Red-throated Loon - 4 (DE: 4, MD: 0) Common Loon- 2 (DE: 2, MD: 0) Northern Fulmar - 5 (DE: 0, MD: 5) Great Shearwater - 45 (DE: 29, MD: 16) Manx Shearwater - 29 (DE: 11, MD: 18) Northern Gannet - 135 (DE: 124, MD: 11) American Coot - 1 (DE: 1, MD: 0) Red Phalarope - 4 (DE: 2, MD: 2) Black-legged Kittiwake - 10 (DE: 3, MD: 7) Bonaparte's Gull - 3047 (DE: 3029, MD: 18) Little Gull - 1 (DE: 1, MD: 0) Laughing Gull - 135 (DE: 134, MD: 1) Ring-billed Gull - 2 (DE: 2, MD: 0) Herring Gull - 148 (DE: 117, MD: 31) Great Black-backed Gull - 44 (DE: 37, MD: 7) Forster's Tern - 2 (DE: 2, MD: 0) Parasitic Jaeger - 5 (DE: 5, MD: 0) Razorbill 4 - (DE: 4, MD: 0) Common Dolphin - 20 (DE: 8, MD: 12) Loggerhead Sea Turtle - 1 (DE: 1, MD: 0) Our 2012 schedule is complete will be up on our web site within the next few days. Here's hoping for as birdy a year as we had in 2011! -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: Birding Down Under-Magenta Petrel Sightings From: JENNIFER ZUFELT <zufelt_k AT shaw.ca> Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:26:15 -0500 Seabirders I am currently heading home having just completed the classic 'Birding Down Under" Expedition with Heritage Expeditions led by Rodney Russ. Adam Walleyn a fellow Canadian provided his considerable expertise on the seabirds of the southern ocean and was key in the success of the endeavor. The seabird highlight was clearly the 3 sightings of Magenta Petrel on Nov.14th. We missed this species initially as we cruised through its foraging grounds between the Bounties and the Chathams. The next day after a zodiac tour of Mangere Island we cruised in the late afternoon to the NE towards Chatham Island. The first sighting was noted by only a few individuals but it rallied virtually all birders to the bridge were a second sighting took place about 45 minutes later. About 45 minutes after that another Magenta Petrel flew in from the northeast right under the bow of the boat and emerged in front of the bridge windows to the astonishment of all. It turned around and crossed the bow again illiciting euphoric gasps of appreciation from the elated observers. Incredibly good views were had by those present and without any doubt this was a thrill of a lifetime. These are the first sightings of Magenta Petrel from this area but given the proximity to its breeding location it seems a logical place to find this astonishingly rare seabird as it returns from foraging in the evening. The cetecean highlight occured between the Chathams and Dunedin when a pair of Southern Bottlenosed Whales were seen and well photographed. The nonseabird birding highlights were good views by all of Campbell Island Teal and sightings of Forbe's Parakeet by some on Mangere Island. I will post a full trip report in the next few weeks and will post a link once that has been accomplished. Kirk Zufelt Auckland Airport -- 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: Bermuda Petrel From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:10:38 +0000 (GMT) You can follow our study trip for the Cahow at: http://scillypelagics.blogspot.com Bob & Ash, Scillypelagics.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: The Puffin monograph From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:44:32 -0800 (PST) HI ALL: I posted about the 2nd edition of the Poyser monograph: The Puffin here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2011/11/4-new-titles.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: Seabird and Cetacean Surveillance Ecologist job (JNCC) From: "Linda Wilson" <Linda.Wilson AT jncc.gov.uk> Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:08:21 -0000 The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is recruiting a full-time, permanent Seabird and Cetacean Surveillance Ecologist post, to be based in our Aberdeen office in the UK. The closing date is 15 November (9am). Interviews will be w/c 28 November. Please see our website for more details: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-3252 Apologies if you receive this several times through cross-posting! Linda J Wilson Senior Seabird Ecologist Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Inverdee House, Baxter Street, Aberdeen, AB11 9QA Tel: 01224 266563 Fax: 01224 896170 Email: linda.wilson AT jncc.gov.uk Website: www.jncc.defra.gov.uk _____________________________________________________________________ The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature conservation, on behalf of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems. JNCC SUPPORT CO. Registered in England and Wales, company no. 05380206. Registered office: Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 1JY This message has been checked for all known viruses by JNCC delivered through the MessageLabs Virus Control Centre. -- 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: Pacific and other voyages Update From: John Brodie-Good <john.brodiegood AT btinternet.com> Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:52:16 +0100 Hi all, The new spring Pacific voyages for 2013 have just been put back a year to 2014, due to timings of the ship's ongoing multi-year maintenance programme. Apart from the slight frustration of a longer wait the good news is another Western Pacific Odyssey instead, dates will be 2nd April - 3rd May 2013 and this departure will run from Christchurch, NZ to Yokohama, Japan. This one will cut through the Cook Strait and miss the Hauraki Gulf. We will lay on an optional pre-voyage pelagic for NZ Storm-Petrel a few days before the main voyage sails however. Advance berth requests are being taken now.......please e-mail tours AT wildwings.co.uk We have plenty of other interesting voyages to consider in the meantime.. The Atlantic Odyssey 2012 & 2013 Argentina-Antarctica-South Georgia-Tristan Da Cunha- Ascension-Cape Verde North Atlantic Odyssey 2012 Scotland-Fair Isle-Jan Mayen-Pack Ice-Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen West African Pelagic 2013 Cape Verdes - W.Africa-Canaries-Salvage Is-Deserta Is-Madeira Russian Far East 2012 Birding Kamchatka and the Kurils The Sea of Okhotsk In Search of Spoon-billed Sandpipers Remote Islands of the Southern Indian Ocean 2012 Mauritius-Heard Is-Kerguelen Islands-Crozet-St Paul-Amsterdam Is-Australia Antarctica 2012 and 2013 The most comprehensive programme of voyages for seabirders, we select ships and itineraries very carefully. New Antarctic itineraries include South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands (very rarely visited!) in 2012 and the Antarctic Odysseys in early 2013 combining both the Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea. Full details can be found on our website or contact me at tours AT wildwings.co.uk All the best John Brodie-Good WildWings UK 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: NEW Kittiwake monograph From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:24:50 -0700 (PDT) HI ALL: I posted info about the NEW Poyser Kittiwake monograph here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2011/10/featured-titles.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: Pterodroma Guide photos From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:43:36 +0100 (BST) Dear All, We need sharp images, close up, atmospheric, in flight, sat on sea, in hand, various poses and postures, upperside and underside, island/colony shots, etc. Species: Trindade, Kermadec, Atlantic, Great- winged, Bermuda, Black-capped, Soft-plumaged, Cape Verde Fea's, Desertas Fea's, Zino's. Standardised rates of payment. Please email Bob Flood at tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk Thanks -- 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: Trip Report: San Diego Sea Otter, Skua, Tropicbird, Buller's Shearwater... Oct 8, 2011 From: thunefeld <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:27:41 -0700 (PDT) Greetings, The all day (13hour) Oct 8, 2011 Buena Vista Audubon Society GRANDE pelagic trip report is up with a few of Tom Blackman’s photos and links to the Union Tribune article and the Channel 8 video/news report of the Sea Otter spotted by Dave Povey just off the Zuniga Jetty on our return home. http://socaltripreports.com/?p=401 The trip was a great success and an awful lot of fun. Buller’s Shearwater, Least & Ashy Storm-petrels, South Polar Skua and 3 Red- billed Tropicbirds made it all the more fun. We’re off again tomorrow morning to the edge of the Continental Shelf to hunt pterodromas on a 56 hour adventure on GRANDE courtesy of the Buena Vista Audubon Society. Wish us luck! http://socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips/sandiegooct151756hr.html Peace on earth. W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole and Mike San Miguel “Come on out with us to see what’s out there.” Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Our SoCal Pelagic “e-Newsletters” http://www.facebook.com/SoCalPelagics and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoCalBirding A Few Of Our Seabird & Marine Mammal Adventures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC4qRYFdjXo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABXQwF2vD2w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8UdCYAOax0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyb8fBCsP0s -- 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: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:42:02 -0700 (PDT) Link to article in Yomiuri Shimbun (Daily Yomiuri), dtd. 10 October 2011: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111009002543.htm [With thanks to Simba Chan and Richard Klim for advising.] -- 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: Buller's shearwaters and NZ disaster From: Chris Gaskin <chris.gaskin AT xtra.co.nz> Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:06:23 +1300 Hi Debi, folks, Thanks for the post of those stunning images of Buller's shearwaters off the coast of California. Thanks to Todd and Abe. Such beautiful birds. Buller's shearwaters are already back in NZ waters for breeding this (Austral) summer. That's the good news. Now for the bad news. I don't know how many of you have caught up with the container ship grounding off the Port of Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. For news you can check out: http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/tragic-impact-on-wildlife-oil-disaster Also www.nzherald.co.nz or www.tvnz.co.nz As Karen Baird (Birdlife International/Forest & Bird) writes, after a day of working through dead, oiled birds: "I was shocked too, by the numbers of Buller’s shearwaters (92) a bird that only breeds on the Poor Knights Islands (200 miles away) but were our third most common species after common diving petrel and fluttering shearwater. There was no sign of the beautiful plumage of this our most attractive endemic shearwater, just matted feathered cold bodies. We will be keeping an eye out for data loggers which have been placed on some of these birds by Graeme Taylor from the Department of Conservation who is studying the movements of these birds." Grim news. And it gets worse. Colin Miskelly (from Museum of NZ/Te Papa) who has been heading the forensic team ID'ing birds has just posted the following (BIRDING-NZ): I have been helping with identification of dead oiled sea birds for the last 2 days. This included birds recovered on 11-13 October up to mid afternoon. Note that this was not a straightforward task in the many cases where no plumage coloration was discernible. The first 801 birds identified were: Mallard/hybrid duck 2 Little penguin 20 Antipodean wandering albatross 1 White-capped mollymawk 1 Northern giant petrel 2 Cape petrel 4 Grey-faced petrel 1 Mottled petrel 1 Antarctic prion 3 Fairy prion 12 Blue petrel 13 (perhaps the most surprising species to be affected at all, let alone 13 of them) Buller's shearwater 92 Flesh-footed shearwater 3 Sooty shearwater 13 Fluttering shearwater 198 Little shearwater 15 Common diving petrel 358 White-faced storm petrel 38 Australasian gannet 7 Pied shag 4 Little black shag 1 Spotted shag 2 Pukeko 1 Bar-tailed godwit 1 Variable oystercatcher 1 Rock pigeon 3 Tui 1 Australian magpie 1 Blackbird 1 Starling 2 No banded birds were noticed. Chris Gaskin On 13/10/2011, at 5:26 PM, Debra Shearwater wrote: -- 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 ID Guide From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:25:05 +0100 (BST) Dear All, We are preparing the second Guide in our series 'North Atlantic Seabirds' called 'Pterodroma Petrels'. It includes vagrants. We have most the footage required but are keen to supplement the following species: Trindade Petrel, Kermadec Petrel, Cape Verde Fea's. If you have any video of these species that can be used in the Guide, then please contact me on tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk Thanks, Bob Flood -- 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: Pseudobulweria From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2011 04:18:51 -0700 (PDT) Recent postings have touched on genetic research with the Short-tailed Albatross, so it may be opportune to inform of another recent paper, of interest to Seabird-News: The genus Pseudobulweria has been controversial for a long time and the phylogenetic relationship between its taxa had not been investigated before. It consists of four extant species, three of which are classified 'critically endangered' and the other 'near threatened'. Recently-collected specimens of Fiji and Beck’s Petrels allowed Gangloff et al (Conserv. Genet., also Gangloff thesis) to show: (a) The validity of the Pseudobulweria genus (b) Taxonomic repositioning of the genus (showing affinities to Puffinus and Bulweria) (c) The genus consists of Mascarene Petrel, Fiji Petrel, Beck’s Petrel, Tahiti Petrel (d) Confirmation that Fiji Petrel is a member of the genus (as per field studies) (e) Consistent separation of Beck’s Petrel as a species (it had been thought, by some, to be a small race of Tahiti Petrel), but by the small genetic distance of 1.21% (see earlier postings re Short-tailed Albatross!) Regards 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: Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2011 06:00:57 -0700 (PDT) Hi Angus Apologies for this long reply! On Oct 6, 11:51 pm, Angus Wilson wrote: > Hi Tony, Very interesting. Not having access the paper, can I ask a few > basic questions. > > 1. Is the DNA and isotope work based on the sub-fossils or on living birds > as well? In other words, if there were two taxa is there any firm evidence > both are still extant? > (a) As Alex says this particular study paper was on subfossil bones predominantly, all some 1000 yrs old. They say also, that 45 ‘modern’ samples (41 from Torishima and four from the Senkaku Islands) were analyzed, though these are not dated (and similar levels of diversity were found for both the ancient and modern samples). The main authors have written two other papers on mtDNA analysis with modern Short- tailed Albatrosses. I do not have these at present but I’m underway trying to retrieve the most important. I do know that two clades were found in this earlier study also, one specific to Torishima and the other spread over both regions. (b) There is belief, as none of the Senkaku population carry leg bands and over a thirty-year period of looking, they have not originated from Torishima. > 2. Are there any behavioral (or non-molecular) clues beyond the lack of > mixing to suggest the two island populations are distinct in any way? Have > there been hints at differences before? > (a) Hasegawa (guru and saviour of the species) noted different courtship displays (pre-mating isolation) and different breeding seasons (by a few weeks). Also, he noted some retarded chicks on Torishima in the 90’s – notably in the same area of the colony – these may have had genetic problems (inter-breeding?) (b) I don’t think there has even been the suggestion of sub-species status for the Senkaku birds in the past. Checking back on early references, the earlier names proposed (scientific synonyms) do not appear to make any direct link to the Senkaku Islands. > 3. Is the degree of divergence reported comparable to other cryptic species > pairs? The percentages seems high considering the examples you give but I > have absolutely no feel for this. > I’m surprised also at the high sequence diversion (11.5%). The large albatrosses have been debated the most over the years, with various percentage variations quoted, then questioned, by different authors. Examples, raised the most in conversation I suppose, would be the Wandering complex and Shy complex where species/races and close similarity are passionately tackled. Further examples of percent divergence in sister taxa – Gibson’s and Antipodean Albatross 1%, (Tasmanian) Shy and White-capped 1.8%, Wanderer (Snowy) and Tristan 4.5%. As for storm-petrels, Monteiro’s as an example, I recall a figure of 1.5-2%, so this figure for Short-tailed Albatross is impressive. For larger species (e.g. albatrosses) for each percent the evolutionary timescale is said to be longer and, some taxonomists have questioned timescales/DNA variation with the storm petrels also. > 4. Is is known or assumed that the Short-tailed Albatross nesting on Midway > come from the Torishima population? > Certain, both parents were hatched and banded on Torishima. > Obviously there are significant conservation issues if this pans out. The > upside of the intense territorial dispute over the Senkaku islands is it > might mean the albatross are left alone. Am I right that an unspoken reason > for the quarrel (at least between PRC and ROC is the potential for > exploitable 'seabed resources' in the area? > I’m not clued-up on this, and it’s complicated (historic problems between China and Japan, made worse with island claims after WW2). To end on a high note, the Short-tailed Albatross population have grown well – the population now estimated at 3000 birds. Regards 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: Re: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? From: Alex Bond <least.auklet AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 17:46:29 -0600 Hi all, The data are from subfossil bones dating from 700-1200 CE from adults, immatures, and birds of unknown age. As someone who works extensively with isotopes in seabirds, and having read the paper, I have serious concerns about the interpretation of isotopic data as presented (although it doesn't lend much to the overall "story" of the paper, which is genetic, and largely beyond my expertise). Regards, Alex Bond Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada On 6 October 2011 16:51, Angus Wilson wrote: > Hi Tony, Very interesting. Not having access the paper, can I ask a few > basic questions. > > 1. Is the DNA and isotope work based on the sub-fossils or on living birds > as well? In other words, if there were two taxa is there any firm evidence > both are still extant? > > 2. Are there any behavioral (or non-molecular) clues beyond the lack of > mixing to suggest the two island populations are distinct in any way? Have > there been hints at differences before? > > 3. Is the degree of divergence reported comparable to other cryptic species > pairs? The percentages seems high considering the examples you give but I > have absolutely no feel for this. > > 4. Is is known or assumed that the Short-tailed Albatross nesting on Midway > come from the Torishima population? > > Obviously there are significant conservation issues if this pans out. The > upside of the intense territorial dispute over the Senkaku islands is it > might mean the albatross are left alone. Am I right that an unspoken reason > for the quarrel (at least between PRC and ROC is the potential for > exploitable 'seabed resources' in the area? > > Cheers, Angus Wilson > > -- > 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. > -- 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: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? From: Angus Wilson <oceanwanderers AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 18:51:06 -0400 Hi Tony, Very interesting. Not having access the paper, can I ask a few basic questions. 1. Is the DNA and isotope work based on the sub-fossils or on living birds as well? In other words, if there were two taxa is there any firm evidence both are still extant? 2. Are there any behavioral (or non-molecular) clues beyond the lack of mixing to suggest the two island populations are distinct in any way? Have there been hints at differences before? 3. Is the degree of divergence reported comparable to other cryptic species pairs? The percentages seems high considering the examples you give but I have absolutely no feel for this. 4. Is is known or assumed that the Short-tailed Albatross nesting on Midway come from the Torishima population? Obviously there are significant conservation issues if this pans out. The upside of the intense territorial dispute over the Senkaku islands is it might mean the albatross are left alone. Am I right that an unspoken reason for the quarrel (at least between PRC and ROC is the potential for exploitable 'seabed resources' in the area? Cheers, Angus Wilson -- 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: Are there two species of the 'Short-tailed Albatross'? From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 15:00:46 -0700 (PDT) In the most recent issue of the journal 'Conservation Genetics' there is a very interesting paper ('Inferring the ancient population structure of the vulnerable albatross Phoebastria albatrus, combining ancient DNA, stable isotope, and morphometric analyses of archaeological samples’: Eda et al) The authors have analysed the DNA (plus stable isotope ratios) of 1000 year-old bones of Short-tailed Albatross, finding two distinct clades, suggesting the 'Short-tailed Albatross' existed in two distinct populations. The genetic distance between them though was found to be greater than that of other sister albatross species. The authors suggest that birds at the present two breeding sites are descended from these two ancient populations, and that a re-evaluation of the status and conservation strategy for the species is required. It was known that very few of these albatrosses survived their slaughter for the feather trade, and that by the mid-20th century only some 50 birds in total were left (all believed at Torishima), but the article now puts forward that a very small population were overlooked, on the Senkaku Islands. So, descendants of each population seem to have survived at both locations. There is no evidence of any emigration from Torishima to the Senkaku Islands which now has some 500 birds - for example, nearly all Torishima birds have been fitted with metal leg bands as chicks since 1979, and no banded birds have been observed on the Senkaku Islands, in various study years of the 1980’s, 1990’s, 2001/2. It is unfortunate that no surveys can take place at the present time due to territorial disputes between China, Taiwan and Japan. The sequence diversion between these two clades, two populations, is an amazing 11.5%. Consider, for example, 2.9% between Salvin’s and Chatham Albatrosses, or 7.2% between Black-browed and Campbell Albatrosses. The authors do not introduce ‘the species argument’ but, on the above, there does seem a possible future split of the Short-tailed Albatross - the Torishima and Senkaku birds – though, it might be said, more work is needed on the Senkaku birds (both, on the islands whenever possible, and within the museum collections) to prove with certainty that members of this relict population do have the lineage, and to check further the morphology as this may be yet another cryptic species. -- 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: Call for video From: "tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk" <tubenose@tiscali.co.uk> Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 05:27:16 +0100 (BST) We are putting together video for the next Guide in our series on North Atlantic Seabirds - 'Pterodroma Petrels'. Although we have some fine footage overall of all species, we are interested in additional footage of Kermadec Petrel, Trindade Petrel, and Cape Verde Fea's Petrel. If you have any footage that you think might interest us, then please email Bob Flood at tubenose AT tiscali.co.uk You can check out the first Guide in the series 'Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel' at http://scillypelagics.com/Multimedia_ID_Guide_SP_BUPE.html Thanks in advance Bob Flood -- 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: Dark Long-tailed Jaeger Photographed on St. Paul in July From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:57:06 -0700 Paul, A fascinating bird indeed! Let’s just suppose it is an adult (my guess is not based on what I see, but I hedge on that). I would make the point if dark type Long-tailed jaegers in adult type plumages are so extremely rare, can we really regard them as a dark morph? I mean a dark morph has to be relatively regular in occurrence, not a “freak” occurrence. Another way to pose this is, how do you decide the difference between a morph and a melanic bird? The only thing that comes close to this in rarity might be Cory’s Least Bittern. Regards, Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: seabird-news AT googlegroups.com [mailto:seabird-news AT googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Guris Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 2:37 PM To: Post Seabird-News Subject: [Seabird-News:1537] Dark Long-tailed Jaeger Photographed on St. Paul in July Forrest Rowland sent around some photographs he took on July 9 of this year on St. Paul of a dark Long-tailed Jaeger. The bird exhibits some pale barring on the undertail and shows a few pale feathers at the shoulder and at the base of the nape, below the yellow/brown on the nape itself. A discussion ensued about the age of this bird and whether it was (or will be) a true dark morph Long-tailed Jaeger, a bird whose existence is questioned by some authorities. Here is the information found thus far: Forrest's photos that kicked this all off: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24205189 AT N03/6192534817/in/photostream Surfbirds discussion of the exact same bird photographed independently July 14: http://surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9252 The blog post by the original July 14 photography mentioned in Surfbirds: http://bagsy-thecaptainslog.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-four-on-st-paul-pribilo f-islands.html Comment in Surbirds thread by Alex Lees: from Kjellen (1997) No dark-phase bird was recorded among the 600 Long-tailed Skuas observed during the expedition*. Apparently, only two dark birds have ever been described. Both originated from western Greenland and are now in the collection at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen. According to Boertmann (1994). both showed subadult characters, although the central tail feathers were fully grown. It is doubtful if these two skins really merit the claim of a dark phase in adult Long-tailed Skua but dark birds are not uncommon among juveniles (Cramp & Simmons 1983, N. Kjellen. pers. obs.). *from the Kola Peninsula in the west to Wrangel Island in the east Dutch Birds article linked to by Brian S in Surfbirds thread which states the Greenland birds are adults: http://www.dutchbirding.nl/content/j...pdf/2000-5.pdf And a snippet from the Boertmann (1994) article: pg. 35, right column, under "Remarks" for longicaudus: " A dark morph seems to be very rare (e.g. Furness 1987). Recent reports from Greenland have been non-breeders (Kampp 1982; Dändliker 1988). The two dark morph skins in ZMUC (both from West Greenland) both show some immature plumage characters, although both have fully elongated tail streamers." All in all, a fascinating bird. -PAG -- Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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. -- 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: Dark Long-tailed Jaeger Photographed on St. Paul in July From: Paul Guris <paulagics.com AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:36:36 -0400 Forrest Rowland sent around some photographs he took on July 9 of this year on St. Paul of a dark Long-tailed Jaeger. The bird exhibits some pale barring on the undertail and shows a few pale feathers at the shoulder and at the base of the nape, below the yellow/brown on the nape itself. A discussion ensued about the age of this bird and whether it was (or will be) a true dark morph Long-tailed Jaeger, a bird whose existence is questioned by some authorities. Here is the information found thus far: Forrest's photos that kicked this all off: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24205189 AT N03/6192534817/in/photostream Surfbirds discussion of the exact same bird photographed independently July 14: http://surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9252 The blog post by the original July 14 photography mentioned in Surfbirds: http://bagsy-thecaptainslog.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-four-on-st-paul-pribilof-islands.html Comment in Surbirds thread by Alex Lees: from Kjellen (1997) *No dark-phase bird was recorded among the 600 Long-tailed Skuas observed during the expedition*. Apparently, only two dark birds have ever been described. Both originated from western Greenland and are now in the collection at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen. According to Boertmann (1994). both showed subadult characters, although the central tail feathers were fully grown. It is doubtful if these two skins really merit the claim of a dark phase in adult Long-tailed Skua but dark birds are not uncommon among juveniles (Cramp & Simmons 1983, N. Kjellen. pers. obs.).* *from the Kola Peninsula in the west to Wrangel Island in the east** Dutch Birds article linked to by Brian S in Surfbirds thread which states the Greenland birds are adults: http://www.dutchbirding.nl/content/j...pdf/2000-5.pdf And a snippet from the Boertmann (1994) article: pg. 35, right column, under "Remarks" for longicaudus: " A dark morph seems to be very rare (e.g. Furness 1987). Recent reports from Greenland have been non-breeders (Kampp 1982; Dändliker 1988). The two dark morph skins in ZMUC (both from West Greenland) both show some immature plumage characters, although both have fully elongated tail streamers." All in all, a fascinating bird. -PAG -- *Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics PO Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 215-234-6805 paulagics.com AT gmail.com 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: Fascinating collaboration - petrel foraging and provisioning of chicks From: "Chris Gaskin" <chris.gaskin AT xtra.co.nz> Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:02:25 +1300 Hi all, The link below is to a delightful collaboration of seabird science and art. In 2009 DOC staff on Raoul Island (Kermadecs) fitted data loggers to black-winged petrels breeding in the vicinity of the base. This was for Matt Rayner's Pterodroma tracking project. The dataloggers were retrieved in 2010 and the data down-loaded. In 2011 a group of artists were taken to the Kermadec Islands in Pew-sponsored expedition aboard a NZ Navy vessel. During their time ashore on Raoul one of the artists (Fiona Hall) filmed an adult black-winged petrel feeding a chick. Feeding one's chick? Just a matter of scooting down to the marine equivalent of the supermarket for a bit of this and that? No way! Seabirds have it tough and some of the journeys these birds are making are extraordinary. Yet they do it, time and time again. And still find time for a bit of parental bonding! http://www.thekermadecs.org/black-winged-petrel-feeding-its-chick Happy seabirding Chris Chris Gaskin -- 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: Seabird Fest 2012 From: John Puschock <g_g_allin AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:04:03 +0000 Hi all, Zugunruhe Birding Tours will be running "Seabird Fest", Sep 23-26, 2012. Seabird Fest is a pelagic trip from Vancouver, BC to Los Angeles, CA aboard a repositioning cruise ship. Besides pelagic birding and marine mammal viewing, it will also feature presentations by Jim Danzenbaker (sales manager for Kowa Sporting Optics), Paul Guris (founder of See Life Paulagics), and Todd McGrath (leader of trips everywhere -- does he even need an introduction?), social gatherings to meet the leaders and fellow trip participants, and pre-dawn walks to see what birds landed -- or crashed :( -- on the ship overnight. Besides the speakers already mentioned, other leaders on the trip will be Shawneen Finnegan (manager of the BirdArea database for Santa Barbara Software Products and more), Greg Gillson (founder of The Bird Guide, Inc.), Dave Irons (Content Editor at BirdFellow.com), Brenda Rone (marine mammal expert), and me (all-around nice guy). More comfortable than the usual pelagic, it's the perfect trip for those uncomfortable on small boats and/or your non-birding partner -- You might even be able to convince them that it's a regular vacation and not have it count against your other birding trips! We will also be offering pre- and post-cruise tours of coastal British Columbia and Southern CA to look for regional specialties. For more information, including prices, leader bios, and more details about the pre- and post-cruise tours, please go to http://www.zbirdtours.com/seabirdfest/seabird_fest2012.htm. John Puschock g_g_allin AT hotmail.com Seattle, WA http://www.zbirdtours.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: New Zealand Storm-Petrel From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:27:48 -0700 (PDT) HI: Genetics prove it's the "extinct" species: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/179614/test-proves-bird-alive sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------ Subject: Southern California White-chinned Petrel, 12 tropicbirds From: thunefeld <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:21:20 -0700 (PDT) (San Diego) The Trip Report, photos and video are now posted for the Labor Day week Southern California pelagic trip aboard SEARCHER featuring Todd McGrath’s WHITE-CHINNED PETREL plus 12 Red-billed Tropicbirds and a pod of well photographed Baird’s Beaked Whales. Full trip report, photos, video: http://socaltripreports.com/?p=331 The video only is posted at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0a-c4tZz7M So far in SoCal this summer we’ve seen Cook’s Petrel, Dark-rumped Petrel and lots of tropicbirds near the shelf edge. The final pelagic trip this year to the shelf edge is aboard the Buena Vista Audubon Society charter of GRANDE on Oct 15-17. The 2010 October trip recorded Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel and Flesh-footed Shearwater. This trip is a “for sure” go, room for 8 more. http://socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips/sandiegooct151756hr.html White-chinned Petrel 3:22 p.m. 6 Sept 2011 34°10'4.47"N 120°22'19.07"W 5.5 n (10.5 km) miles N of San Miguel 17 n. miles . (31.7 km) S of Pt Conception W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole and Mike San Miguel “Come on out with us to see what’s out there.” Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf -- 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: Monterey Seabirds October trips From: Roger Wolfe <rogwolfe AT cruzio.com> Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:32:03 -0700 Monterey Seabirds will be running all day pelagic trips coming up in October on Sundays the 9th and 29th as well as Saturday October 15. We have recorded STREAKED SHEARWATER on three of our last five mid October trips: > http://www.montereyseabirds.com/SeabirdTripReport071013.htm > http://www.montereyseabirds.com/SeabirdTripReport081012.htm http://www.montereyseabirds.com/SeabirdTripReport071014.htm Todd Easterla is planning on being there for all of these October trips and will be joined by other experienced members of our team of spotters. Cost for these trips is $120 and there are spaces available on each. You can reserve a spot online at http://www.montereyseabirds.com or over the phone by calling 831 375 4658. Hope you can make it! Roger Wolfe for Monterey Seabirds Soquel Canyon, CA 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: Sep 18--*95 birders take part in pelagic off British Columbia, Canada From: Russell Cannings <russellcannings AT shaw.ca> Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:55:04 -0700 Hi all, Just got back from a great pelagic off British Columbia (September 18th).  The 126-foot boat took *95 keen birders (not including crew) out to La Perouse Banks (20 miles off Ucluelet, BC). No major surprises but highlights included at least 5 SOUTH POLAR SKUAS, 2 SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATERS, 1500+ NORTHERN FULMARS, and many groups of breaching HUMPBACK WHALES. Thanks to WildResearch BC for putting on the event. Does anyone know of another pelagic trip in NA that has had this many participants???  Many lifers for the first-timers on board, and 3-5m swells kept people on their toes (and near the railings!). Russ Cannings Penticton, BC, Canada -- 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: Fort Bragg, California -Trip reports from August From: Kirk Zufelt <zufelt_k AT shaw.ca> Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:23:11 -0400 Seabirders In late August I spent 4 days off Fort Bragg, Califronia with Shearwater Journeys. Although we didn't find any mega-rarities we had four good days of seabirding and some excellent conditions for photography. I have posted a report on my website with over 100 pictures. I tried to make the report especially useful for visiting seabirders planning a trip California over the next couple of years. The variety of great pelagic birding opportunities in California currently is really outstanding. The last half of the report is dedicated to Shearwater Journeys master chummer -Wes Fritz. Thanks http://www.pelagicodyssey.ca/styled-3/page30/ Kirk Zufelt -- 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: Solander's Petrels in US waters, Bering Sea From: "katahdinss AT comcast.net" <katahdinss@comcast.net> Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:18:14 -0400 Hi all, Barry and I are on board the Silver Shadow heading along the 53rd parallel from US waters into Russian territory. Yesterday evening while still well within the USA we had about 25 Solander's Petrels beside the ship and following in the wake. This was at about 6 PM and by 8 PM we crossed into Asian waters. Some reasonable photos were taken, showing the distinctive features of this species. Today we are still seeing a lot of them (over 50 by noon) but now they are Russian birds! Otherwise the usual expected species, Laysan and Black-footed Albies, Mottled Petrels, Northern Fulmar, Forktailed SP, Short-tailed and a few Buller's Shearwaters, and today only a few Red-legged Kittiwakes intermixed in flocks of (apparently migrating) Black-leggeds. Barry has an immature Ross' Gull yesterday but I dipped on it. No Short-tailed Albies so far, alas... Cheers, Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://link.mail2web.com/mail2web -- 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: SOCAL WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: thunefeld <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:23:43 -0700 (PDT) (San Diego) SEARCHER returned from its Labor Day week pelagic from San Diego to the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara then out to the Shelf Edge, Rodriguez Dome and Bell Bank. The trip was full of Black-footed Albatrosses, Long-tailed Jaegers (65) and Red-billed Tropicbirds (12) but the big news came on Tuesday afternoon as we were departing the Channel Islands for the continental shelf… a WHITE-CHINNED PETREL came into the slick. Todd McGrath obtained awesome photos (one of them seen in this video) and I obtained some fuzzy video footage seen in this 40 second sneak- peek “movie trailer.” The full trip report & video are currently in production as we await participants to process and email us some of their best photos. WHITE-CHINNED PETREL MOVIE TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDathWSjSxo So far in SoCal this summer we’ve seen Cook’s Petrel, Dark-rumped Petrel and lots of tropicbirds near the shelf edge. The last trip this year to these waters is aboard the Buena Vista Audubon Society charter of GRANDE on Oct 15-17. Last year we saw a Wedge-rumped Storm- Petrel and Flesh-footed Shearwater on the October trip. The price is $325 but an early bird special through next Wednesday saves you $30. http://socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips/sandiegooct151756hr.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole and Mike San Miguel “Come on out with us to see what’s out there.” Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf -- 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: Next Oregon Inlet, NC trip on Sept. 17 (18) from Wanchese From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 08:00:03 -0400 Seabirders, Thanks to all who came on short notice so that we could run a pelagic trip from Wanchese, NC on Sunday, Sept. 4. It was a beautiful day at sea, with the highlight being an adult Sabine's Gull that joined us for several minutes (photo on our trip report at www.seabirding.com/) . We also saw two Long-tailed Jaegers, another seasonal specialty. Shearwaters were in lower numbers than they had been pre-Irene, but we almost always had some Great and Cory's around while we were in the Gulf Stream. We also found a nice variety of non-avian sea life, including Pilot Whales, Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtles, and a couple of Yellowfin Tuna, which joined us for the ride back to shore. I have always liked September for pelagic birding off the Outer Banks, but we do not always schedule trips because attendance is hard to predict. We have had a few more inquiries than usual this year about mid-September though, so I would like to run at least one more trip next weekend, Saturday, September 17, with a weather date that Sunday. Hatteras Island is still not acessible by road, so we are returning to Wanchese on Roanoke Island, where we are close to Oregon Inlet (a little closer than Manteo.) The list of birds that we have seen on past NC September trips is long and varied. Trindade Petrel, Fea's Petrel, Black-capped Petrel, Bermuda Petrel, Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Audubon's Shearwater, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, White-tailed Tropicbird, Red-billed Tropicbird, Masked Booby, Brown Booby, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Phalarope, Sabine's Gull, Sooty Tern, Bridled Tern, South Polar Skua, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, and Long-tailed Jaeger have all been recorded in mid to late September. It is prime time for Sabine's Gull, a real rarity off the East Coast, and it is also peak time for juvenile Long-tailed Jaegers moving south. Though we have not yet seen a White-faced Storm-Petrel on our trips off NC in September, they are annual visitors, and we have seen them before in September off southern Virginia. Except for Band-rumped Storm-Petrels, which clear out in late August, pretty much all of the summer birds are still around in September, and it is cooler and less crowded on the Outer Banks, with post-summer motel rates. Wanchese is just a few miles south of Manteo on Roanoke Island. Please feel free to pass this along to interested parties. This is as good a time as any for a first pelagic trip. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: A surprising 'seabird' From: Tony Pym <tony_pym AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 00:00:37 -0700 (PDT) A surprising 'seabird'.... http://www.avibirds.com/pdf/M/Moerassneeuwhoen10.pdf -- 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: SoCal Trip Report: 7 tropicbirds, Laysan, Cook’s & Dark-rumped Petrels From: thunefeld <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 09:20:53 -0700 (PDT) The TRIP TRAX (showing exact locations of the Cook’s & Dark-rumped Petrels, Laysan Albatross, Townsend’s Storm-petrels, 7 Red-billed Tropicbirds) off Southern California is now posted along with the TRIP VIDEO of the August 15-16 Buena Vista Audubon Society annual late summer 48-hour pelagic trip. Click on http://socaltripreports.com/?p=278 The last deep water trip to the shelf edge from SoCal this season with space remaining (seen in previous years: Least, Leach’s, Black and Ashy Storm-petrels, Laysan & BF Albatrosses, Flesh-footed and Buller’s Shearwaters, RB Tropicbirds, Xantus’s & Craveri’s Murrelets, Cook’s & Hawaiian Petrels) is sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society aboard GRANDE Oct 15-17: http://socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips/sandiegooct151756hr.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole and Mike San Miguel “Come on out with us to see what’s out there.” Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Our SoCal Pelagic “e-Newsletters” http://www.facebook.com/SoCalPelagics and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoCalBirding A Few Of Our Seabird & Marine Mammal Adventures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC4qRYFdjXo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABXQwF2vD2w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8UdCYAOax0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyb8fBCsP0s -- 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: Pelagic Trip on Sept. 3 or 4 from Wanchese (Oregon Inlet), NC From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:59:33 -0400 Finally got online w/ this computer for the first time since Saturday morning. We need to make some sort of decision about running a pelagic trip this weekend by Thursday afternoon or evening. I had proposed this trip a week ago to make up for what we lost last weekend, but loss of communications down here on the island ruined getting the word out. I'm looking at the forecast, and it looks good for both Saturday and Sunday. I was hoping to go Saturday, but if for some reason there are more people who could go on Sunday, we will entertain that option, as we are presently underbooked for Saturday. I went to Wanchese Monday and we put the boat back in the water, so as to be ready to run. We had some great birding before the storm. Many birds were no doubt displaced by the storm (tropicbirds in Delaware Bay on Sunday morning!), but hopefully they are making their way back down here on the cool northeasterly winds. September is one of the best months of the year to go offshore but it is so often cursed w/ low bookings we don't run as many trips as we used to. It is prime time for tropical terns and Long-tailed Jaegers. We have seen nearly all of the rarities that occur here from June to August on trips in September. And it will be much cooler than mid summer! Wanchese is on Roanoke Island south of Manteo, so the trip gets to sea through Oregon Inlet, which was recently deepened and widened by Irene. Most of the White-faced Storm-Petrels seen off North Carolina have been found in late summer off Oregon Inlet. Calm weather greatly increases the chances to spot one. Getting out to sea also greatly helps your chances to see any of the pelagic seabirds off our coast. It's exciting to look for these poor exhausted pelagic birds when they are driven inland by storms, but it is much nicer to see them feeding and doing well on the ocean. Contact me ASAP if you are able to join us, so that we can settle on a date and confirm the trip. It would be a shame to miss out on such a pretty weekend. Hopefully e-mail is up for a while; if it goes down here, I should be able to get it nearby on my laptop. The land line went down again but voice mail is working on it at 252-986-1363, and my cell is up now at 252-216-9163. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Pelagic Trip Sat 9/3 from Wanchese, NC From: Brian Patteson <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:30:50 -0400 We are trying to run a pelagic trip from Wanchese, NC this Saturday, Sept. 3 aboard our boat, the Stormy Petrel II, but we need a few more people to make it happen. We were just out from Wanchese on August 20, 22, 23, and 24 and we amassed a nice list of birds including Black-capped Petrel, Cory's, Great, Sooty (!), Manx, and Audubon's Shearwaters, Wilson's and Band-rumped Storm-Petrels, Masked Booby (two trips!), Red-necked Phalarope, Bridled and Sooty Terns, Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers, and South Polar Skua. We also saw some dark skuas which might have been one year old Great Skuas, but we need to do a bit more research on that. Overall there were good numbers of birds, especially shearwaters. Obviously, we need to know ASAP from interested parties so we can see if there are enough participants to run the trip. Unfortunately, I don't have internet at my house b/c of the recent storm, but my phone is working and I do have voice mail at 252-986-1363. So please call, do not reply to this e-mail as power is up and down and I might not be able to get e-mail for extended periods. Cell phones are not working down here in Hatteras, but should work in the Wanchese area when the time comes. The weather forecast is for light winds and slight seas this Saturday and with northeasterly winds over the next three or four days, so that should be good for the return of storm-shuffled birds and the arrival of fall migrants, such as juvenile Long-tailed Jaegers. Late summer is an excellent time to see a wide variety of species on a trip, and it is the best time to see Bridled and Sooty Terns. There is always a long shot chance for White-faced Storm-Petrel on trips from Oregon Inlet, where the water is a bit cooler than it is off Hatteras. For more information and to make a reservation, call me at 252-986-1363. Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC brian AT patteson.com 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: Pelagic Trip Announcement From: MSTENELLA AT aol.com Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:01:05 -0400 (EDT) The New Smyrna Beach Trip should read Sunday, September 18, 2011. Sorry for the poor proof reading. Cheers, Martin Smith -- 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: seabird news From: Ian Paulsen <birdbooker AT zipcon.net> Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:04:14 -0700 (PDT) HI ALL: A couple of items of note: NEW SPECIES: Pyle, Welch & Fleischer 2011. A new species of shearwater (Puffinus) recorded from Midway Atoll, northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Condor: in press. Abstract Small black-and-white shearwaters of the genus Puffinus are distributed globally, and their phylogenetic relationships are complex and uncertain. In 1963 a small shearwater collected at Midway Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean was identified as a Little Shearwater (P. assimilis), but several physical features suggest closer alliance with Audubon's Shearwater (P. lherminieri) and its relatives. Biometrics indicate that the taxon this specimen represents is smaller than any other known shearwater, and phylogenetic analyses indicate it is distinct, with a pair-wise sequence divergence of at least 3.8% from all related taxa. We thus propose a new species based on the specimen: Bryan's Shearwater (Puffinus bryani). The breeding and nonbreeding ranges of Bryan's Shearwater are unknown, but a physical resemblance to the North Atlantic boydi (of controversial taxonomic status within Puffinus) suggests an affiliation with subtropical or tropical waters. Bryan's Shearwater is apparently rare and could be threatened by extinction; therefore, additional information is needed to increase our understanding of this taxon and its conservation requirements. http://www.jstor.org/pss/10.1525/cond.2011.100117 NEW BOOK: From the NEW North Atlantic Seabirds series: http://www.nhbs.com/multimedia_identification_guide_to_north_atlantic_seabirds_bkfno_192841.html sincerely -- Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: http://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------