ML621308658

Detalles de la observación

*First true inland Texas record* Tabitha and I spotted this bird entering our field of view from the north at 4:10PM - we had it in scope view for over a minute as it tracked south-southeast out over the lake and were able to study and digiscope this bird throughout the observation period. Immediately obvious as a medium-large shearwater, but didn’t instinctively fit any of the “regular” boxes. It was Ardenna-sized, but very lightly built and slender with extremely long, tapered wings. It flew on snappy, deep wingbeats given in rapid bursts between steep shearing arcs, tilting almost to vertical at the peak of each arc with wings shoved forward and crooked at the wrist. The tail was quite long, giving it a very small-headed appearance in the field. In terms of plumage, the primary concern was eliminating Great Shearwater, which we did in the field once we had good views in good light of the very smooth, uniformly dark brownish upperparts, lacking the pale collar/capped appearance and the white uppertail covert band of Great. The underparts were white, but contrasted noticeably with the darker underwings (underwing details not seen well but appeared darkish in the field). We took some poor digiscope videos of this bird and will upload them with some still frames. Have some experience with Wedge-tails within normal range, along with lots of experience identifying Cory’s and Great Shearwater in the past. *Tabitha will submit video of bird in flight and soaring to the checklist in coming days*