ML46426111

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Though not incredibly rare from Cape Ann or outer Cape Cod, Atlantic Puffin is exceedingly rare from the South Shore. I picked-up a distant group of large alcids dropping-onto the water, among them, though trailing behind the group, was a significantly smaller alcid, which was clearly not a Dovekie (the only other similar "small alcid" expected in the Northeast). After searching with my scope (and dialed up to nearly 60x) I found the group and the subject bird, which stood-out as something remarkably different. My first thought was Atlantic Puffin, but as the birds bobbed in and out of view in the turbulent seas, it was difficult to examine individual characters; however, after several quick rounds of viewing, the composite became suggestive: first, the subject bird was an alcid, black above and white below; it was significantly smaller and more compact (rounder) than were the adjacent Razorbills (this trait alone eliminated Razorbill and both Murres from consideration) and sat higher on the water; the primaries appeared to project above the stern, indicated a long-winged bird; the bill was substantial and seemed triangular (in direct comparison to the adjacent Razorbills) though not thin (eliminating Dovekie); the face appeared dusky gray, but black toward the front (again, eliminating all other northeast alcids). One image was useful and shows the more compact shape and size (relative to an adjacent Razorbill, which is a bit more distant than the subject and yet is still noticeably longer) and the gray face and large bill (the shape is tough to discern, but the bill is clearly not right for Razorbill or Murres or Dovekie); toward the chin, there appears some white coloration: this is an alcid in the background an not part of the subject bird.

Technical information

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