Seen 11/23 from the south end of Boiler Bay wayside
flying south by itself late AM in direct sunlight during
a period of clearing. Seen at 22x several feet above
the water over the near surf roughly 125-150 yards out.
I picked the bird up a ways to the north and was able
to continuously track it for 8-10 seconds including a
good view of the scapulars.
Recognized immediately as a small cigar-shaped alcid
most similar in proportions to Marbled Murrelet and
detectably sleeker-bodied than Ancient. Wingbeat
speed and speed of travel very fast, noticeably more
so than Ancient, but seemingly slightly slower than I am
used to for avg. Marbled (flying into a strong SSW wind
which was picking up at the time). Wing plane relatively
stable - didn't notice any significant side to side rocking.
Pattern of "Xantus's" Murrelet was immediately
apparent given close view - appeared starkly, sharply
delineated black/white, with completely white
underparts from vent to chin, and uniformly blackish
upperwings and upperparts from rump extending to
crown and forehead meeting the bill. Line of
delineation fairly straight along the length of the
body. No hint of paling on the scapulars. Eye dark.
Bill small dark thin/sharp.
Underwing flashing unmistakably strikingly white,
more so than Ancients I had been watching a few
minutes before in similar lighting, with the white
appearing to cover the entire underwing in bright
sunlight.
Line of black-white delineation on the face appeared
to curve up from the bill above the eye and down
immediately behind and adjacent to the eye so that
a small section of the face in front of and above/forward
of the eye including the supraloral was white, giving
the bird much more of a distinctly white-faced appearance
than I have noticed on a few Scripps's detected from the
same spot in similar lighting (no prior experience with
this species). This was very well seen and at closer range
than I am used to tracking most small alcids.
Phil
POST: Send your post to obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
JOIN OR QUIT: //www.freelists.org/list/obol
OBOL archives: www.freelists.org/archive/obol
Contact moderator: obol-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
