The Pesky Pterodroma(s) from May 28 & 30, 2017 - by Brian Patteson

Gadfly petrels are some of the most variable looking birds you will encounter.  Look at a couple of dozen Black-capped Petrels and you will quickly see what I am talking about.  Late in the day on May 28 on our pelagic trip from Hatteras we encountered an odd looking bird.  It did not look quite right for a Black-capped Petrel, but it did not really fit well for Bermuda Petrel either.  It stayed in the chum slick long enough for most folks to see it and several photos were obtained. Following photos by Peter Flood

At the time, we tentatively identified it as an odd Black-capped Petrel because seen in direct comparison to Black-capped Petrels it did not seem much smaller.  Bermuda Petrels are generally noticeably smaller than Black-caps, and, while this bird had a hooded appearance beyond the smudging of most darker Black-caps, the tail looked too extensively pale to be a Cahow.  Photo by Peter Flood

The underwing was more like that of a Cahow, but looked even more extensively dark than any Cahows we have observed including dozens of live birds in Bermuda.  Photo by Steve Howell  

The tail was odd.  At a distance it looked mostly white, as in Black-capped Petrel, but inspection of photos revealed a gray tail like a Fea's Petrel.  Photo by Steve Howell 

The bill looked a bit heavy, but probably not too heavy for a big, male Cahow.  We subsequently encountered either the same bird or an identical looking individual about 10 miles away two days later, but the observation was brief and we only have a single photo for comparison.  Photo by Steve Howell  

Again the Fea's-like tail is striking, but the bird had a Cahow-like underwing.  The molt of the bird is not unlike that of a few Cahows that we have seen off Hatteras over the years, and the coloration could be the result of a bleaching by the sunlight like you see in first summer gulls.  But it's not a slam dunk Bermuda Petrel, and the fact that vagrant Cahows and vagrant Fea's have been captured in the Azores makes you wonder what is possible.

-Brian Patteson

 The Cahow Collection - Brian Patteson

all photos by Brian Patteson - 1998 & 2000 slides / 2014 digital

This May 1998 Cahow shows similar molt stage with extensively pale uppertail:

The same individual shows similar molt and gray looking hood:

Final photo of the May 1998 Cahow showing blacker looking hood and molt not unlike the mystery petrel:

Another Cahow from May 2000 with similar molt and pale uppertail:

The same May 2000 bird showing heavy looking bill:

Another Cahow from August 2014 showing a gray looking hood:

The same individual showing brownish upperparts:

Sunday June 4, 2017 - by Brian Patteson

I was not quite sure of what to expect today, as I knew the Gulf Stream had taken a queer turn and we would be looking at different water than what we had been working in the day before. Cloud cover prevented us from getting an up to date satellite image of the offshore waters, so we just had to make a SWAG and head to where we thought the best conditions would be. I wanted to check out the cooler blended water just south of the hard current, and I hoped it would be where we had seen some life the day before in the hot water. We landed in the cooler water about 30 miles south of the inlet around 0800, and by keeping in touch with the charter fleet we were able to figure out where the hot water change was to the north of us. The cooler water was actually about 79 to 80 degrees and the hot stuff got up to 84, which is not what you expect in early June, but the seas have been calm, so the surface water has been holding the heat.

There were a few shearwaters and some Short-finned Pilot Whales in this cooler water, but not too many Black-capped Petrels, so I headed north to see if the petrels were closer to the hot fast water. Along the way, we started to see a few more birds so we slowed down to chum. Within minutes, a Trindade Petrel came in to sniff out the slick. It stayed in view for a while but never came super close to the boat. Nevertheless, we got a few photos and it was nice to compare it to Back-capped Petrels and Cory’s Shearwaters. Photo by Steve Howell  

This was our first Trindade Petrel of the year, and I felt lucky to get it as there were so few birds around, but sometimes they appear on slow days. We had both Atlantic Cory’s and Scopoli’s around, but unlike yesterday, no Great Shearwaters. Scopoli's photo by Peter Flood

 

We kept pushing northward closer to the hot water and went through a vast area of scattered Sargassum. There we saw several individual Audubon’s Shearwaters and a couple of pairs sitting together, but no Bridled Terns. The terns are easier to find when the Sargassum is lined up on a current edge and there is enough flotsam for perches. There were a few Band-rumped and Wilson’s Storm-Petrels around, but overall the storm-petrel numbers were quite low. A couple of weeks of offshore wind is not good for finding storm-petrels here, but we did eventually find a Leach’s Storm-Petrel, so we got all three of the expected species for June.

Around midday we were in the hot fast water and I planned to take it up the northeast, but the current was running inshore instead of up the break. It was also devoid of life, so I decided to jog back south where we had seen a few birds and work inshore from there. We found a few birds back in the blended water, but no new species for the day. Our best find for the afternoon was a couple of Cuvier’s Beaked Whales. Photo by Steve Howell   

They were distant and sounded before we could get a good look, but the water was fairly shallow for them (around 250 fathoms) so I decided to hang out for a while in the area. They are capable of some long deep dives, but they were up in about 20 minutes. We got a much better look that time, but they dove again before we got really close. The ride back to shore was easy and uneventful. We found plenty of water in the shortcut channel and got back to the dock less than 10 minutes after we left the ocean behind.

Today was our ninth consecutive trip, and I would like to thank our crew of leaders for their unceasing efforts. Today we had Kate Sutherland, Steve Howell, Peter Flood, and our greenhorn, Sage Church. Steve and Pete have headed home, but Kate, Sage and I will be back out on Friday and Saturday and there is plenty of space for others to join us. It looks like we get some northeasterly winds for a couple of day before we start so it should be great birding by the end of the week.

Trip List June 4, 2017

Trindade Petrel  1

Black-capped Petrel  16

Cory's Shearwater  31

Audubon's Shearwater  24

Wilson's Storm-Petrel  22

Leach's Storm-Petrel  1

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  8

Laughing Gull  1

Common Tern  2

jaeger sp.  1

Cuvier's Beaked Whale  2

Short-finned Pilot Whale  12-14

Sunrise by Steve Howell

Another record shot of the Trindade Petrel by Peter Flood

Dorsal view of a Scopoli's Shearwater by Peter Flood

Ventral view of one by Steve Howell

We were able to approach some shearwaters on the water as well, these both looked like they were perhaps the nominate type of Cory's Shearwater (Scopoli's) by Peter Flood

Audubon's Shearwaters were quite cooperative today!

And finally one of the Band-rumped Storm-Petrels from today, photos show it is growing p8, so still finishing molt like the Grant's type - by Steve Howell

Saturday June 3, 2017 - by Steve Howell

Everyone enjoys seeing boobies, and today was no exception. Add to this some superb marine mammal sightings and good opportunities to watch the different storm-petrel species and it was “just another amazing day offshore” in the Gulf Stream. Conditions were mostly calm with low rolling seas and some impressive, ‘boiling’ white cloud formations, although a southwest breeze picked up in early afternoon to freshen our ride back to shore. The calm seas made for some nice flyingfish on the ride out, here an immature type known as “Purple Bandwing.” Photo Steve Howell 

Shortly after slowing down a pod of pilot whales showed well, logging at the surface in the gentle seas. Photo Steve Howell  

Black-capped Petrels appeared steadily, but with the calm conditions many were sitting on the water, several of them feeding. As on previous days the black-faced type predominated and only a few white-faced birds were seen, here sitting together—the difference is pretty obvious!  Photo Steve Howell

More Black-capped Petrels and a few Audubon’s and Cory’s Shearwaters marked our passage towards to shelf break, before a radio call from one of the fishing boat captains alerted us to a pod of Sperm Whales. We soon found the animals, which were in unusually shallow water and quite tightly grouped—in only 800 feet of water and only 27 miles from the inlet. It looked like a group of mostly young animals and Brian maneuvered the boat to give some excellent views.  Photo Steve Howell 

Continuing into the deep blue the storm-petrels following the boat offered some challenging opportunities to pick out Band-rumped and Leach’s from the Wilson’s. For a change of pace, a near-adult Pomarine Jaeger made some nice passes overhead and showed how the ‘spoon-tipped’ tail projections are twisted to 90 degrees and thus can look ‘atypically’ pointed from directly below! Compare these two images:  Photos Steve Howell. 

The heat was settling in and things started to quiet down, but then one of our group of visiting Irish seabird enthusiasts shouted “Kogia!” and sure enough three of these rarely seen animals were logging at the surface, although as always they quickly ‘sank’ from view and only a few lucky souls got to see them—thanks Niall! The genus Kogia comprises the Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales, two very similar species of small, poorly known cetaceans. One animal showed a classic Dwarf dorsal fin; the other two were less clear-cut, but presumably also Dwarf Sperm Whales. Photo Steve Howell 

“Larger storm-petrels” (i.e., Band-rumped or Leach’s as opposed to the smaller Wilson’s) continued to appear in the chum slick, and while looking back there several people called out “booby!” and sure enough a nice near-adult Brown Booby flew over the slick and up the starboard side of the boat, although sadly it kept on going rather than electing to come in for a close view.  Photo Steve Howell. 

Storm-petrels continued to show in the slick among the Wilson’s, and by the end everyone had seen Leach’s and Band-rumped well—or at least as well as they tend to be seen. Adding to the challenge, a fresh-plumaged Band-rump showed nicely, but not quite close enough to determine whether it was an adult of the summer-breeding Madeiran type (and thus not in wing molt) or a fresh-plumaged juvenile Grant’s type (the winter-breeding population, and the commoner one we see here). Photos Steve Howell. 

An obliging Great Shearwater also joined the feeding birds behind the boat and gave great views, at times in direct comparison with Black-capped Petrels. Photo Peter Flood  

All in all, a really nice day out on the ocean. There’s still room on tomorrow’s trip if anyone feels the desire to get out there (again)...

Thank you to everyone who joined us today!  David Bradford did an excellent job organizing a group that joined us for two trips, plus we had a very keen group from Ireland with us yesterday & today who spotted birds & cetaceans - thanks Niall & Aidan!  A big thank you also to our leaders, Steve Howell, Peter Flood, and Sage Church for all they did to help us out today - we meet at 0515 if anyone wants to join us! (KS)

Trip list June 3, 2017

Black-capped Petrel  49-58

Cory's Shearwater  19

Great Shearwater  4

Audubon's Shearwater  15

Wilson's Storm-Petrel  50-55

Leach's Storm-Petrel  3

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  11-15

Oceanodroma sp  1

Brown Booby  1

Pomarine Jaeger  1

jaeger sp.  2

Dwarf Sperm Whale  3

Sperm Whale  8-10

Pilot Whale (prob Short-finned)  20-25

Bottlenose Dolphin  2

Black-capped Petrel images - white-faced individuals top by Peter Flood, bottom by Steve Howell

Obliging Great Shearwater behind the boat by Peter Flood

One of the Leach's Storm-Petrels we encountered today by Steve Howell

Another awesome photo of the pod of Sperm Whales by Peter Flood

And finally, some closer images of the Pilot Whales, what a treat!  by Peter Flood

Friday June 2, 2017 - by Peter Flood

Part of the reason one day can be different from the next in the Gulf Stream is that streams do indeed flow.  Well offshore there were instances today when the water was moving at 4 knots.  Weed lines, tidal fronts, differing water masses and color changes can be transported from one area to the next somewhat rapidly in the northerly flowing Gulf Stream.  

Today we once again departed Hatteras Landing under quite pleasant conditions with light westerly winds and mostly overcast conditions. (sunrise by Kate Sutherland)  

In and around the shelf break we encountered a few Cory's Shearwaters and several Audubon's Shearwaters sailing around a Sargassum Line.  Not nearly as many as we had seen earlier in the week.  

A 1st summer Long-tailed Jaeger briefly zipped in towards the Stormy Petrel II for a look at our enthusiastic participants before heading off to the southwest.   Shorty thereafter we began to see our first Black-capped Petrels arcing up on the horizon. (photo by Peter Flood) 

At this point things were quite birdy with shearwaters, petrels and increasing numbers of storm-petrels attending Kate's chum banquet off the stern.  Our second Pterodroma of the day in the form of a Fea's Petrels tacked in towards the boat from the bow and made a nice close pass down the port side to inspect  our chum slick.  The Fea's stayed in view for a couple of minutes showing well and providing long leisurely looks much to the delight of all on board. (photo by Steve Howell) 

A small pod of Pilot Whales briefly flirted with the Stormy Petrel II followed up by an adult Arctic Tern that spent a couple of minutes off the stern.

A Long-tailed Jaeger returned (perhaps the same bird seen earlier) and was eager to harass three Laughing Gulls which had become far too comfortable feeding off the stern for the past couple of hours.  The jaeger stayed with us for several minutes and was seen well, and photographed well.  (photo by Peter Flood) 

The northerly component of the offshore winds today blowing against the current seemed to provide better conditions for storm-petrels as we had a nice solid following of Wilson's Storm-Petrels with an occasional Band-rumped and Leach's Storm-Petrels zipping through our chum slick. (photo of fresh Band-rumped by Peter Flood)

 

By late morning the winds a slackened considerably providing near glassy conditions over a gentle swell.  A few additional Pilot Whales were seen along with some Bottlenose Dolphins  - a couple of which engaged in some bow-riding in the crystal blue Gulf Stream water.  Looking forward to another and no doubt different day tomorrow!  -Peter Flood

Thank you to everyone who joined us today!  Our leaders also did an amazing job: Ned Brinkley, Steve Howell, Peter Flood, Chloe Walker, and Sage Church.  Peter did an excellent write up & he and Steve once again were amazing photographers!  -Kate

Trip List June 2, 2017

Fea's Petrel  1

Black-capped Petrel  58

Cory's Shearwater  26

Audubon's Shearwater  24

Wilson's Storm-Petrel  105-125

Leach's Storm-Petrel  4-5

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel  9-12

Oceanodroma sp  3

Bridled Tern  1

Arctic Tern  1

Long-tailed Jaeger  1-2

Laughing Gull  4

Pilot Whale (Prob Short-finned)  22-27

Bottlenose Dolphin  25+

hammerhead sp  1

Fea's Petrel!!  Photo by Peter Flood (top) and one courtesy of Scott Spangenberg (bottom)

We found some Black-cappeds on the water today, Steve captured this shot of the two types side by side, which could some day prove to be separate species.  (white-faced L, dark R)

Wilson's Storm-Petrels by Steve Howell - molting adult with yellow webbing on feet (top) and fresh juv (bottom)

The Long-tailed Jaeger (both photos same bird) as an example of how light in photos can change what you see!  Top looks like 2-3 white primary shafts (typical for LTJA) and bottom the light is reflecting to show what looks to be 5-6!

Some photos of the Pilot Whales (Peter Flood)

 Pilot Whale & Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Steve Howell)