ML140498941

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

Photo M. Vaughn.

Observation details

Despite numerous previous sight reports, mostly from the northern Gulf of Alaska, this is the first documented record for Alaska. Text below was taken from a report I sent to the Alaska Checklist Committee (AKCLC). The record was accepted unanimously by the AKCLC. Details of Observation: At 13:01 on 21 August 2013 a Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes) was observed by 14 birders on the M/V Kennicott during a birding trip led by Lang and Dittrick. The bird flew from left to right across the bow at 500 yards and continued in that direction until it was at the 3 o'clock position, directly off the starboard beam. It then changed direction and flew with the ship, staying off the starboard beam at a distance of about 300-400 yards, and matching the ship's speed, for about five minutes. During this time we observed the bird continuously through spotting scopes and binoculars and care was made to discuss the identification of the bird and the differences between similar species. After about five minutes the bird began to quarter toward the ship and again crossed the bow, this time at a distance of only about 200-250 yards. As it did so Lang and M. Vaughn were able to take a series of photos of the bird. We then watched the bird fly directly away, losing sight of it at the ship's 9 o'clock position. At 13:34, approximately 10 miles from the initial observation, (N59 34.694 W 141 58.561) we observed it, or another Flesh-footed Shearwater as it flew with the ship more than 500 yards off the port side for a few minutes. Description: The bird was a fairly large, all dark shearwater, about the same size of Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus). It's broad and pointed wings were held with the wingtips down in a shallow arc and the wrists pushed slightly forward, giving the bird a very different shape than the flat, narrow winged, and straight-winged profile of a Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus, griseus). At a distance it was the bird's behavior and flight style that first caught our attention. It flapped infrequently, mostly gliding low over the water. When it did flap the rate of these flaps was most similar to the slow flap of a Buller's Shearwater (Puffinus bulleri), not the fast and 'jerky' style of Sooty Shearwater, which were fairly common in the area. During the observation it mostly flew very low to the water, slowly swaying back and forth, occasionally flapping. It's swaying style and infrequent flaps gave the impression that the bird was crawling on the wind. Overall the bird was dark chocolate brown. In the field the brown was slightly warmer in tone than the cold brown of a Sooty Shearwater. The primaries were only slightly paler than the rest of the underwing, and they lacked the bright flash of a Sooty Shearwater (see fig ##). The upperparts were uniform in coloration and tone. The bill was long, pinkish based, with a dark bulging tip (see fig ##). We were unable to see the feet. Discussion: With good views separating Flesh-footed Shearwater from similar species in the North Pacific is straightforward. We noticed immediately that the bird's flight style was much different from Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwaters (P. tenuirostris). Closer inspection of wing shape, underwing pattern and bill color further eliminated both Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwater. Dark-morph Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is somewhat similar in plumage, but the Fulmar's shorter, more rounded wings, shorter bill, and overall stockier body, along with it's flight (frequent flapping, short glides) quickly eliminated that species from consideration. The highly unlikely Parkinson's Petrel (Procellaria parkensoni) can be ruled out by it's stockier bill that is yellow-greenish based, not pink (Howell 2006, 2012). Dark North Pacific Pterodroma petrels can be ruled out by their all dark-bills, differing pattern on the primaries, and very different flight styles.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS-1D X

ISO

1000

Focal length

700 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/13.0

Shutter speed

1/1250 sec

Dimensions

1006 pixels x 646 pixels

Original file size

459.42 KB