MADEIRAN STORM-PETREL
September 17, 2007
Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:58 am (PST)
A MADEIRAN STORM-PETREL was seen off Pendeen Watchpoint (Cornwall) yesterday evening - lingering for nearly an hour. It was discovered by local birder John Foster, just after a period of light drizzle and sea-mist passed through at 6.15pm.
Initially believing it to be a Leach’s Petrel, the bird gradually flew closer in towards the rocky outcrop allowing John to get clearer views. It was feeding in the light WSW wind and occasionally dropping on the water and ‘paddling’ over the surface. As it came closer, it was seen to be round-winged and blunt-tipped, and had a rather indistinct whitish carpal patch. Furthermore, as it veered left and right, the tail was seen to be rounded rather than fork-shaped.
It flew on flat wings and was rather different in profile to Leach’s Petrel, nd more importntly, from Wilson’s Petrel. As Storm Petrels passed by in ront of it, it was seen to be much bigger and the amount of white visible on the ump area was striking and extending around on to the underparts and sides. The underwing was uniformly dark. John kept the bird under observation for a constant 15 minutes (6.15-6.30pm) and realising the enormity of his find, Telephoned John Swann, Martin Elliott and other birders.
Unfortunately, when JS arrived, the bird had been lost from view, but just as ME came on site, it was relocated and remained under observation, albeit about 200 yards further out, from 6.45-7.00pm. Both Kester Wilson and Colin Moore made it down also, and the five observers (plus a single visiting birder) were able to take notes and witness the event.
All observers agreed that the bird had a less pronounced angle at the carpal, that the flight ‘jizz’ was flat, the upperwing covert band was very
indistinct, the tail fork was negligable, the white on the rump was extensive and that the bird was large, and were all convinced that the bird was not a Wilson’s Petrel.
This is the second Madeiran Petrel to be recorded in the Southwest this year, following one photographed by Joe Pender 6 miles south of St Mary’s (Scilly) on 28th July 2007 (Bob Flood, John Higginson).
