birding-aus

Abbott's Booby in Cairns? = RED-FOOTED BOOBY

To: "BIRDING-AUS" <>, "Chris Corben" <>
Subject: Abbott's Booby in Cairns? = RED-FOOTED BOOBY
From: "Mike Carter" <>
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 17:15:48 +1000
Rohan Clarke, Sean Dooley nor I were happy about this bird being called an Abbott's Booby.

Initially our concern was size. Too small. Then black in hind neck and tail was wrong. White spotting in wings and on shoulder would be atypical. Only adult female Abbott's has pink bill and this bird looks immature. Twice as much black on bill tip as should be for Abbott's. Culmen concave like Red-footed not convex like Abbott's. Black line along lower mandible from gape fits Red-footed not Abbott's. Feet are orangey like young Red-foots not blue like Abbott's. QED. SORRY!

Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza  VIC 3930
Tel  (03) 9787 7136

-----Original Message-----
From: 
 On Behalf Of Chris Corben
Sent: Tuesday, 2 October 2007 9:46 AM
To: Birding-Aus (Forum)
Subject: [Birding-Aus] Abbott's Booby in Cairns?

Hi all

This was sent to me by Martin Reid in Texas. I have been away and don't know
what's going on, so I thought I'd just pass it on.

Cheers, Chris Corben

Chris Corben

www.hoarybat.com

**************************************************************
I hope you don't mind the intrusion, but i thought some folks in
Australia would want to know about this booby seen by two friends of
mine (from Washington State) on c. September 18, 2007 at Michaelmas
Cay, which I gather is offshore from Cairns.  They have it labelled
on their web images as a mystery booby - but it's no mystery, I
reckon, as It looks like a female (maybe not adult?) Abbott's Booby,
which I am guessing is a Mega.  Apparently the saw it fly way, but it
could still be in the  area; I gather from Ryan that he has sent the
pics to an Australian Ornithologist who was on a Sydney pelagic with
them during their trip here's the three pics that Ryan Shaw took of
it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shyalbatross/1429004401/in/set-7215760212556461
4/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shyalbatross/1429004535/in/set-7215760212556461
4/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shyalbatross/1429880476/in/set-7215760212556461
4/

You can email Ryan for more details (date, etc) at: 

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to tell me the status of Abbott's Booby
in Australia?
Cheers,
Martin
PS I also sent this info to Phil Hansboro


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