ML565276381
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Behaviors
- Flying
Media notes
Birds moving north into a 30 knot headwind
Observation details
Given the number of Murphy’s Petrels seen and documented on this trip, these details are generalized, though I did note many Sooty Shearwaters being misidentified as Murphy’s throughout the trip, especially the first morning where Murphy’s were quite scarce among numerous Sooty Shearwaters. See photos of many birds in this trip report (https://ebird.org/tripreport/122483). Medium-sized dark Pterodromas with dark underwings and variable bold whitish patches at the primary bases. Upperparts variable, ranging from brownish to silvery in more worn individuals, often with notably darker “M-pattern” across the upperwings. Variable white around the bill base and throat. Bill stout and dark. Compared with Sooty Shearwater, Murphy’s were notably more dynamic in flight, towering higher with steeper arcs and more agile direction changes. It was a treat to see so many Murphy’s in their element--cutting across the 30-35 knot winds with amazing speed and elegance, covering massive distances fast and disappearing quickly from view, often riding low in big wave troughs for long periods before bounding up high in a completely different place. In contrast to Sooty Shearwaters, Murphy’s was shorter and thicker-necked, longer and more pointed-tailed, with more swept-back wings. I was struck by the amount of individual variation in these birds. We tried to document as many as possible with photos and video, and those will be added to the trip report above as they are processed.
Technical information
- Camera
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 236.24 MB