ML527784291
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Adult, Unknown sex - 1
- Behaviors
- Flying
Media notes
iPhone/scope video of the booby bathing.
Observation details
Continuing dark type adult; without white on head or tail. Smaller booby with overall brown plumage; lighter brown on head and undersides. Bill blackish at tip, fading to purplish inner half, and then with dull bluish facial skin. Feet dark-red. Somewhat ratty appearance, with tattered inner secondaries, etc. This is perhaps the same bird that was first discovered at the Point Loma Sportfishing Pier as a first-cycle immature in July 2015, and has remained in this area ever since. Initially spotted it taking a very extended and frantic bath - flailing one wing at a time wildly in the air and sometimes rolling over onto its back. After awhile it then flew over and landed on the nearer bait barge just as a fishing boat pulled up to buy bait. The booby patiently stood mere feet from the dock worker and fishermen. After the boat left, the dock worker specifically fed the booby 8-9 small fish and helped chase pelicans away so that only the booby could get the fish! Afterwards, the booby made a triumphant flight - touring all around the W end of Shelter Island, sometimes cutting right over the island and flying around the Kona Kai Marina. We raced over to Shelter Island to get a better view. From there we had spectacular looks at the booby - at one point it flew within 10ft of us! At 5:20pm the booby settled onto the RP FLIP to roost for the night.
Technical information
- Camera
- iPhone 12PRO
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Kowa scope
- Original file size
- 79.13 MB