ML542015091

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

***RARE I was at the front of the boat as we were headed back to port after a long day at sea, when a Pterodroma zipped by at 2:05 pm going the same direction. It had a gray back with a strong dark "M" pattern and a pale tail, so I knew it wasn't a Black-capped. Brian Patteson yelled something from the bridge and everyone came back out to look; the captain gunned the engines and we caught up, or the bird came back for another pass, and I think most got to see it. My notes say "2:05-2:08 pm" so it didn't last long. At the time the taxonomy was a little unclear; we believed it was a "Cape Verde Petrel" though I remember some discussion about Soft-plumaged Petrels, Fea's Petrel etc. Subsequent analysis and the pictures lead many (Patteson, Brinkley and Steven N. G. Howell among others) to believe this was a Zino's Petrel based on the fine bill and paler underwings. I got a couple distant photos and made a sketch, and some months later got some more pix from Jim Spencer, but the best series and more discussion can be seen at Brian Patteson's website (http://seabirding.blogspot.com/2013/09/unsung-september-trip-added-sept-28.html). Accepted by NCBRC and the ABA in 2013 (see https://blog.aba.org/2013/12/aba-adds-zinos-petrel-982.html).

Technical information

Model

Canon MG5400 series Network

Dimensions

1360 pixels x 906 pixels

Original file size

255.12 KB