Side by side

  

Two species of storm-petrels — Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) on the left and a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) on the right. 

We didn't see many storm-petrels during the boat trip on 23 May 2021, but here's a fun silhouette view of two Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels:

 

 

If you're not familiar with them, storm-petrels are small seabirds.  These two species have a wingspan of ~16" — similar to that of an American Robin.

Named after William Elford Leach

 

Although not a great photo, this was the first time I've seen a Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) on an offshore boat trip to Cordell Bank, so it seemed worthwhile to include a photo for the record. (Photo taken on 14 October 2018.)

For a look at the more frequently encountered storm-petrel species in this area, you can review the posts called "A stormy cast of characters"on 4 September 2013 and "Ocean runners" on 14 August 2016.

P.S.  William Elford Leach was an English zoologist active in the early 19th century.

Pearl gray

 

I'm so thankful to Dea for alerting me to the presence of some Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma furcata) at the entrance to Bodega Harbor yesterday (10 May 2017).  Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels are small (~8.5 inches long) and fast, and therefore hard to photograph, but I'm excited to share a few photos for the record.  [Click on the images for slightly larger and sharper versions.]

 

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels are usually found farther offshore, so watching them from land was a real treat.  The storm-petrels were feeding very close to shore — sometimes flying right along the edge of the jetty.

I was standing on the North Jetty (at the end of Doran Beach).  The next image shows a storm-petrel flying over the South Jetty with Bodega Head in the background:

 

Sometimes the storm-petrels would fly low to the water and start foot-pattering on the surface:

 

And sometimes they'd land on the water and reach for prey:

 

On several occasions they appeared to catch small fish:

 

The storm-petrels were so close, it was a great opportunity to study their feathers:

 

I didn't get many photos that show their forked tails very well, but here's one as this storm-petrel flew along the South Jetty:

 

 

I heard that a few storm-petrels were still around today near the entrance to the harbor.  If you're interested in looking for them, they also might be visible from the southern end of Bodega Head.

P.S.  Thanks again to Dea for letting me know the storm-petrels had appeared.  I never thought I'd be "buzzed" by a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel while standing on the jetty!

 

"Ocean runners"

 

Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa), above, and two Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma furcata), below

Photographed at Bodega Canyon, ~18 miles offshore, 14 August 2016

P.S.  Their genus, Oceanodroma, means "ocean runner," likely for the way they can appear to be running on water (flying low and sometimes pattering their feet on the surface of the ocean).

 

From 20 miles offshore

A few pictures from the pelagic trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank on 18 September 2015:

 

 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata)

 

Northern Fulmar (Fulmaris glacialis) 

 

Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus)

 

Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) 

 

Wings over wind over waves

(Black-footed Albatross with 6.5-foot wing span)

Many thanks to Debi Shearwater for 35 years of organizing pelagic trips out of Bodega Bay and giving so many people a chance to learn about offshore wildlife.

A stormy cast of characters

Well, I'm a little short on time tonight, but Pelagic Week #3 must go on!  Here's a quick look at four species of storm-petrels observed at sea on 30 August 2013:


"The Northerner"

 

 

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) — this species is only found in the North Pacific Ocean.  They're most abundant in Alaska, and their southernmost breeding site is in northern California.  Note the pale blue-gray plumage, dark ear patch, and shallowly notched tail.

 "The Southerner"

 

Black Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma melania) — they nest on islands in southern California and Baja California, and then disperse both northward (to southern and central/northern California) and southward (to Central America and northern South America).  Note the long wings, dark plumage with pale wing bar (extending to about the wrist/bend in the wing), and dark feathers on the head and at the base of the tail (especially compared with the next species).  I wish I had a video, as the flight style is one of the most distinctive things about Black Storm-Petrels — they fly like nighthawks or Short-eared Owls.

"The Californian"

 

 

Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) — nests almost exclusively on islands in California!  The description of the plumage in the Birds of North America account is apt, especially for the images above: "a smoke-gray color that befits its foggy environment." These pictures aren't great, but compared to the Black Storm-Petrel, note the smaller size, shorter wings, paler and less extensive wing bar, and grayer feathering on the head and feathers at the base of the tail.

"The Visitor from Antarctica"

 

Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) — say hello to this long distance migrant from the Antarctic region!  Wilson's Storm-Petrels aren't common here, but we saw two individuals last week.  I don't think you'll have trouble noticing the broad white rump patch!