[birdky] Observation notes on band-rumped storm-petrel
- From: "Ben Yandell" <by@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Birdky" <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 00:03:37 -0400
For those who like details:
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KENTUCKY ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Kentucky Bird Records Committee
REPORT FORM
This form is intended as a convenience in reporting observations of species
on the KBRC review list. The KBRC recommends the use of this form or this
format when submitting records for review (to assure that all information
involving an observation is accounted for). Attach additional sheets as
necessary. Please print or type. Attach drawings, photographs, or tape
recordings, if available. Include all photos if they exist. When completed,
mail to: Lee McNeely, KBRC Secretary, P.O. Box 463, Burlington, KY 41005.
Species name: Band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro)
Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage:
1 bird, unknown age/sex/plumage
Specific locality (including county): Falls of the Ohio, Jefferson County,
KY.
Date(s) when seen: August 31, 2005
Time(s) of day when seen: 8:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m., approximately
Reporting observer & address: Ben Yandell, Louisville
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird: Mary
Walter
Other observers who independently identified the bird: Mary Walter,
Brainard Palmer-Ball
Light conditions (position of the bird in relation to shade and to direction
and amount of light):
Good light, not glaring, not reflected off the water. No heat waves,
precipitation, or strong wind.
Optical equipment (type, power): Three different spotting scopes, 2-3
binoculars.
Distance to bird: 150-500?? yards. We were at overlook of the Interpretive
Center (in Indiana). Bird was over the water below the Falls gates. Flew
mostly over the turbulent water from 50+ yards below the gates to out of
sight downriver.
Duration of observation: In view at least half of the time during the 45 or
so minutes that Mary and I watched it. Brainard got to see the bird only a
few minutes before it could not be relocated (floated downriver?).
Habitat: Turbulent Ohio River water, below open gates at the Falls.
Remnants of Hurricane Katrina had come through the night before.
Behavior (flying, feeding, resting, etc. -- include and stress any habits
used in identification:
Flight: Wingbeats shallow and steady, maybe at rate of 160-200 flaps/min
(??). Glides interspersed with flaps; maybe 4-15+ flaps between each glide.
Flight very low to water, at times disappearing behind the small waves of
the turbulence. Never more than 10 feet above the water. Flight was
straight, with a fairly leisurely pace - a typical flock of flying peeps
would have easily passed the bird, for example. Took video that, although
from a distance, should show flight pattern reasonably well, including
flap-glide pattern, wingbeat depth and speed, and turns.
Behavior: In flight almost the entire time we watched it. The bird rested
on the water only 2-3 times, a minute or less each time. Did not see it
feed, although it may have been foraging. It seemed about to foot-patter on
the water once. No reactions to / interactions with other birds observed.
Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have
been seen). Include if possible: total length or relative size compared to
other species present or familiar species; body bulk; shape, bill, eye, leg
and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar
species:
First impression was an essentially all-black bird with distinctly
delineated white rump, black tail behind the white rump. White extended
all the way across the rump, and did not have any obvious markings within
the white. Tail seemed essentially squared off, not deeply forked. Bird
was noticeably larger than nearby barn swallows; smaller than Forster?
s/common terns resting on exposed rock in river. Paid considerable
attention to relationship of feet to tail in flight, and feet did not extend
beyond tail. Upperside of each wing had dark golden / brownish diagonal,
dark enough to be difficult to observe at a distance if just using
binoculars. Underwing was well observed in the scope, and was uniformly
dark, with no lighter area in center. Resting on the water, the bird had a
lighter patch toward the back of the bird. Pushed-in, storm-petrel face.
We systematically went through the description in Sibley, each looking at
the bird point-by-point, except did not notice the comment about wing shape
during glide, so did not pay direct attention to that. Memory is that wings
were bowed down during glide, and I think video may confirm that.
Voice: No vocalizations heard.
Similar Species (include how they are eliminated by your observations):
Considered other storm-petrels. Ruled out Leach?s by flight pattern, shape
of rump patch, and tail shape. Ruled out Wilson?s by flight pattern,
feet-tail relationship, and uniformly dark underwing. Insufficient personal
experience to use wing length as a distinguishing characteristic, but the
video may help with that.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained (By whom? Attached?): I (Ben) took
about 20-30 seconds total of DISTANT, handheld video at 22x. ... Should be
useful for flight behavior, but probably not for plumage or structure.
Previous experience with this species: None. This was a life bird for BY
and MW. BY has seen Wilson?s and Leach?s storm-petrels, but does not have
extensive pelagic experience.
Aids (give books, illustrations, birders, etc., used in identification) at
time of observation: Sibley.
After observation: None, other than re-review of Sibley.
This description was written from: notes made immediately after
observation, and then from later discussion with Mary.
Are you positive of your identification? Yes.
Signature of observer:
Date and time of writing this account: 11:30 pm. August 31, 2005 (date of
sighting)
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