Hello all,
I was able to sneak out to the coast for a brief seawatch this morning,
hoping for Black-vented Shearwater. I birded Boiler Bay from about 8:30 to
9:30. While viewing conditions were good (sunny, no fog, albeit a bit hazy
at the horizon) and there was a nice assortment of the expected species
around, shearwater action was mostly lacking. I had to strain my eyes to
finally spot a few distant SOOTIES way out on the horizon.
I was just about to give up, when a small, dark and white shearwater flew
into my scope view, heading south. I was able to track it for about 10 to
15 seconds before it disappeared behind the waves. Not the most satisfying
view, but I am quite sure it was a BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER. Clearly a small
shearwater, with a more compact body and shorter wings than Sooty or
Pink-footed. The upper side was a somewhat dingy brownish-black, not a
deep, dark black as in Manx Shearwater, and the demarcation between the
dark upper side and the white underside was rather blurry and indistinct.
When it flew away from me, I could see that the undertail coverts were dark,
The bird flew south in a relatively straight line, low over the water, with
rather quick wingbeats and no gliding. It was out a little over one-third
the way between me and the horizon. I kept scanning for a while longer, but
noticed no other shearwaters in the area.
Other birds at Boiler Bay included numerous BROWN PELICANS, steady but
rather small numbers of PACIFIC and RED-THROATED LOONS flying south, many
WESTERN GREBES, a few RED-NECKED and HORNED GREBES and 17 EARED GREBES in
the cove N of the viewpoint. The only alcids I notices were COMMON MURRES
and 3 MARBLED MURRELETS.
Glad I made it out there and was able to join the ranks of those who added
Black-vented Shearwater to their Oregon State Lists this fall.
Unfortunately, Oscar wasn't feeling well enough to join me this morning.
Hopefully, the shearwaters will hang around a little longer!
Happy Fall Migration
Hendrik
--
__________________________
Hendrik G. Herlyn
Corvallis, OR
*"Nature is not a place to visit. It is home." -- Gary Snyder*
