Hi -
Chuck Philo and I scanned the ocean from Yaquina Head for from about 8:20 -
9:45 today. We had a fairly consistent movement of shearwaters, mostly
southbound, at distances of 1/2 to 1+ miles. We concentrated on the shearwaters
so did not keep good numbers on other birds. The light conditions were pretty
unusual: Initially the ocean surface was misty, but the sun had just cleared
the hills behind us, so when Sooty chearwaters tipped up, their whitish
underwings were lit up and very prominent, but the rest of the bird was hard to
see. The underparts of white-bellied shearwaters were also very prominent when
they tipped. After the first half hour, light conditions becam more normal.
Black-vented Shearwater 1 definite, another bird was BV or Manx, but I think
BV. On the one I am calling definite, I could see the black of the tail
extending well past the end of the underside white. I could not see details of
face pattern.
Sooty Shearwater continuous movement for the first hour, then sporadic: brief
peak of 50 birds/minute, average of at least 20/minute for first hour.
Pink-footed Shearwater 5 definite
Buller's Shearwater 4 definite
large white-bellied shearwaters 25+
Fulmar 6+
(Aleutian) Cackling Goose 1500 + in flocks of 180 - 400
Pacific Loon a few per minute
Red-throated Loon 8 or so
Red-necked Grebe 2 in flight
Herring Gull several adults
Heermann's Gull modest movement - a few per minute.
Bonaparte's Gull 1 or 2
Wayne
