The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I was at Dungeness for the Herald Petrel....but unfortunately I was diligently writing up the RSPB systematic bird list in the office rather than sea watching, a favourite past time (I once put in six hours off The Naze, Essex for 5 common scoter!). I felt particularly sorry for my friend Ian, who had been sea watching that day, only to leave an hour or so before the petrel flew past. All the RSPB staff, Ian and I were in the office when Dave Walker radioed through to ask if we had a copy of Harrison's photographic guide to seabirds.....no we didn't, but Simon, the site manager, radioed down to the shop.....no they didn't have it either and so he reported back to Dave to say "sorry, but we can order it for you" and there I think the conversation would have ended, but I was puzzled, why would Dave Walker, an extremely competent sea watcher with a fairly extensive library in the bird observatory want such a publication in the middle of the day and I said to Simon, "Ask him why he wants a copy". The answer will stay with me for the rest of my days, especially as it was delivered with Dave's typically understated dulcet tones giving maximum effect "Oh, we think we've just had a Herald Petrel". We just looked at each other open mouthed for about five seconds before someone started the swearathon (well four of us anyway. Craig didn't have a scooby why there was such a fuss about an old car and carried on sharpening his knife....).

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

Interestingly, the first edition of Collins Bird Guide includes my 1985 Cape Gannet record under 'accidentals', the only record for Europe. However, the second edition makes no mention of Cape Gannet at all, not even in the index. So no accepted European records. Until we have a bird in the hand, dead or alive, or a photo showing the gular stripe,I believe that is how the situation will remain, and rightly so in my opinion. This is a species which is not going to be identified by any number of flyby flight photos, even, if as in this case, the plumage is perfect for Cape Gannet.

So to summarise Ed, you're claiming a record of Cape Gannet, which you recommend is not accepted?! A somewhat unconventional 'rope-a-dope' approach which might just catch BOURC offguard!

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

What else can I/could I do - my hands are tied by taxonomy and phenotypes!!

I blame the scientists, they're anyone's you know!

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

It is actually amazing what detail you can see from even very small digital images and I fancy that more seabirds could be proven with a little effort but maybe most land based seawatchers do not carry telephoto lenses whereas boat based seabird chsers invariably do. I was rather pleased I had my lens at hand when the S P P flew past otherwise I am sure it would never have been accepted or even maybe cosidered in such an odd location.

I don't think its that easy with a DSLR Graham - there's a big difference between a Pterodroma in a fjord and one being claimed at 2 mile range 'beyond the Runnelstone', you'll not even find the thing in the viewfinder on a sunny day, never mind when its F8 and horizontal rain.... I've seen quite a few good digi-scoped images of mega seabirds in recent years - inc BB Albatross on a seawatch so don't leave that avenue out either. However for anything relatively close-in then you need the DSLR to hand...

http://home.planet.nl/~hend0845/Brunnic ... lemot.html

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Dr Alexander C. Lees
Lecturer in tropical ecology
Manchester Metropolitan University

Lab Associate
Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
Cornell University

http://www.freewebs.com/alexlees/index.htm
@Alexander_Lees

From "BirdGuides" today 15th May :

"Cape Gannet.....Cley Marshes NWT....possible flew East past the beach carpark this afternoon."

Freddy

Its probably much easier to video distant seabirds rather than attempt to go for the "killer" still image. Video may be lower res, but its much easier to get usuable footage, plus you stand a chance of getting the all important jizz.

Of course, if i pick up a distant pterodroma/mega seabird i'm more likely to be yelling directions than thinking of videoing it. I might yell "someone take a ****** picture" i suppose!