Fw: [obol] BC Photos: Murphy's or Solander's Petrel?

[Phil Pickering]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Gillson" <greg@...>
To: "OBOL" <obol@...>
Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 10:24 AM
Subject: [obol] BC Photos: Murphy's or Solander's Petrel?

>I received 3 photos of a dark Pterodroma off Tofino, BC, which I have
>hosted
> to my "photos by others" page.
> http://www.pbase.com/gregbirder/_from_others
>
> It appears to have more wing flash, a larger bill, and a more pointed tail
> than I would expect for Murphy's Petrel. But so far, all my experience has
> been from other people's photos....
>
> Comments solicited (and can someone to forward the photo link to ID
> Frontiers?).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Greg Gillson
> The Bird Guide, Inc.
> greg@...
> http://thebirdguide.com
>
>
> Greetings Greg,
> I don't think we have ever met but I know you are a seabird enthusiast. My
> brother had this bird on Tuesday 40 miles off Tofino BC. Originally he
> thought Murphy's Petrel but upon looking at the photos Solander's seems to
> fit better. Can you comment or do you know anyone that can help out here.
> The new Albatross, Petrels and shearwaters of the World book by Onley and
> Scofield would lead me to think Solander's but I have only seen Murphy's
> twice and never Solander's so I am no expert.
> Mike Force is thinking Solander's and I think it could be a potential 1st
> for North America?
> Hope you can help.
> Cheers!
> Rick Toochin
> Sooke, BC
> nubicus@...
>
> _______________________________________________
> obol mailing list
> obol@...
> http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol
>

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[Joseph Morlan-2]

Phil,

Thanks for drawing our attention to these very interesting photos.  I
believe they represent the best candidate for Solander's Petrel I have seen
in North American waters.

I have experience with multiple Murphy's Petrels seen in Spring and Summer
off California and more recently had an opportunity to see up to seven
(three visible at once) Solander's off Australia in August 2005.  One
problem is that Murphy's seems to be quite variable in appearance, and it's
not unusual for them to show the dark hooded effect often touted as good
for Solander's.  

My impression from seeing Solander's was that the dark tips of the
underwing primary coverts formed an obvious division. This dark bar was
always easy to see, even from a considerable distance and never faint or
blended as is the case with Murphy's. I am aware of a claim by at least one
authority that Solander's has an immature plumage in which the underwing
pattern is more blended.  If true such birds would be extremely confusing.
 
Solander's also struck me as longer winged and less dumpy-bodied cf.
Murphy's.  The bigger bill of Solander's was not evident in the field from
the views I got, but there was a subtle difference in the distribution of
pale around the base of the bill.  On Murphy's the chin and throat area are
pale, but the forehead has much narrower pale feathering, making them look
pale throated.  On Solander's there is an equal amount of pale across the
forehead as there is on the chin, giving the impression of the bill being
surrounded equally with white. This difference is visible only at
relatively close range and when presented with different angles of view.  

These photos seem to show the correct underwing pattern and white bill-base
feathering for Solander's.  The first two photos looks less streamlined and
more dumpy than I would expect for Solander's, but the last photo looks
long-winged and long-tailed, as I recall with Solander's.  


On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 11:10:15 -0700, Phil Pickering <philliplc@...>
wrote:

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Greg Gillson" <greg@...>
>To: "OBOL" <obol@...>
>Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 10:24 AM
>Subject: [obol] BC Photos: Murphy's or Solander's Petrel?
>
>
>>I received 3 photos of a dark Pterodroma off Tofino, BC, which I have
>>hosted
>> to my "photos by others" page.
>> http://www.pbase.com/gregbirder/_from_others
>>
>> It appears to have more wing flash, a larger bill, and a more pointed tail
>> than I would expect for Murphy's Petrel. But so far, all my experience has
>> been from other people's photos....
>>
>> Comments solicited (and can someone to forward the photo link to ID
>> Frontiers?).
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Greg Gillson
>> The Bird Guide, Inc.
>> greg@...
>> http://thebirdguide.com
>>
>>
>> Greetings Greg,
>> I don't think we have ever met but I know you are a seabird enthusiast. My
>> brother had this bird on Tuesday 40 miles off Tofino BC. Originally he
>> thought Murphy's Petrel but upon looking at the photos Solander's seems to
>> fit better. Can you comment or do you know anyone that can help out here.
>> The new Albatross, Petrels and shearwaters of the World book by Onley and
>> Scofield would lead me to think Solander's but I have only seen Murphy's
>> twice and never Solander's so I am no expert.
>> Mike Force is thinking Solander's and I think it could be a potential 1st
>> for North America?
>> Hope you can help.
>> Cheers!
>> Rick Toochin
>> Sooke, BC
>> nubicus@...
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> obol mailing list
>> obol@...
>> http://oregonbirdwatch.org/mailman/listinfo/obol
>>
>
>
>Join or Leave BIRDWG01: http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwg01
>
>Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg01.html

--
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA        jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu
SF Birding Classes start Nov. 3    http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/
California Bird Records Committee  http://www.californiabirds.org/
Western Field Ornithologists       http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/


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