Ardenna gravis
August 30, 1997: Oregon Inlet Pelagic-Gulf Stream, Dare, NC
We were to see dozens of these birds throughout the day, and they are attractive close up, when you can really see their coloration and plumage. The first few of the day were just large flying blobs to me, pointed out by the guides, but by the end of the day I was calling them with great confidence, based on the rump band, and head and neck coloration. I got a bit of a sense of this bird, but not so as to be able to tell just by flying style. Great Shearwaters were among the stars of one of the highlights of the trip. It was afternoon, most everyone seemed fairly burned out, and we hadn’t seen many birds in quite a while. Suddenly, we could see a huge flock of birds in the distance, apparently drawn to this location by a large school of fish. Dozens of birds, all doing their thing – floating on the water, or flapping wildly fighting over fish, or skimming effortlessly through the air. It was wonderful, and included both Greater and Cory’s Shearwaters, a Pomarine Jaeger, and Sooty, Bridled and Common Terns.
May 23, 1998: Hatteras Pelagic-Gulf Stream, Dare, NC
We only saw two of these birds today, but one of them followed the boat for a few minutes, giving a nice clear look. Definitely distinguishable from the Cory’s, this was a nice sighting.
Let me know what you think!