Hi Russell,
Yes, Storm-petrels do hang around in flocks. E.g. I have seen approx.
5,000 Ashy Storm-petrels (about 50% of the world population) in one dense
raft off California. Here in Australia I've seen a flock of 300 Wilson's
Storm-petrels and smaller flocks of other species. However, your
description doesn't really fit Storm-petrels. The only one that matches
the coloration you mentioned would be White-faced Storm-petrel. But flight
style doesn't fit. Looks like further information is needed to identify
them.
Cheers,
Nikolas
A/Prof Nikolas Haass | Head, Experimental Melanoma Therapy Group
The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute
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On 1/06/14 10:57 PM, "Russell Woodford" <> wrote:
>Hi Kevin
>
>These seemed a lot smaller, or at least chunkier (shorter-winged and stout
>body) than shearwaters. I tried to look for the M marking to make them
>some
>sort of Prion but I just couldn't see enough detail.
>
>I wondered about CDP but as I've never seen one I wouldn't stick my neck
>out and try to identify anything as a diving-petrel. And storm-petrel
>don't
>hang around in flocks, do they?
>
>I think the closest I can get is "dumpy seabirds a long way away." I think
>I need to go on another pelagic!
>
>Cheers
>
>Russell
>
>
>
>
>
>On 1 June 2014 22:48, Kev Lobotomi <> wrote:
>
>> Hi Russell
>> What you describe reminds me more of Fluttering Shearwaters. They tend
>>to
>> flap a lot & then glide. Fluttering are blackish above white below,
>>prions
>> are blue-grey above with a distinct M marking across the upperparts &
>>white
>> below. Prions have a more buoyant flight with lots of gliding and
>>pattering
>> on the surface. I suppose the other possibility is Diving Petrels, but
>>they
>> are rarely seen from shore. They are tiny compared to the other two &
>>their
>> flight is not dissimilar to a quail with a whirr of wings, although
>>they do
>> glide a little as well in a strong breeze.-Kevin Bartram
>>
>> > Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2014 22:34:09 +1000
>> > From:
>> > To:
>> > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Small seabirds of Blue Rocks
>>
>> >
>> > Also late this afternoon, close to sunset, very hazy ...
>> >
>> > There was a group of 45-50 smallish dumpy seabirds about a kilometer
>>off
>> > the beach. They would head in one direction, then wheel around and
>>head
>> in
>> > the other. They did this for a few turns then headed westwards. Flight
>> > usually began with fast wingbeats followed by short glides very low
>>over
>> > water. Some birds landed briefly. White contrasting with darker grey,
>> but I
>> > couldn't pick up any clearer markings. Fairy Prion? Or too hard to
>>call?
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