Number of individuals, sex, age, plumage: "darker" individual
Locality: South Jetty of the Columbia River, within 300 meters of the observation platform.
Dates: November 17,2002
Time of Day: between 09:30 and 10:00hr (near high tide)
Reporting observers address: Mike Patterson
1338 Kensington Av.
Astoria, OR 97103
Other observers: Todd Thornton, who helped in producing the field description and notes. Steve Warner
Light conditions: partly cloudy
Optical equipment: 8x42 Legend Bushnell Binoculars, 25x60 Bushnell spotting scope
Distance from bird: 200 to 300 meters
Duration of observation: off and on for about 30 minutes
Habitat: near ocean surf and area just beyond main breakers
Behavior: the bird made several passes over a large flock of Surf Scoters moving with a distinctive flapping and gliding. The glide was made with strongly arched wings.
Description: Apprx the same size (perhaps a bit smaller) than Short-tailed Shearwaters seen around the same time. Overall, clearly a shearwater by flight style and shape. Gray-brown above and pale belly and lower breasts below.
Head- distinctly brown hooded including chin with thin, dark bill.
Upper- brown-gray above wing coverts slightly lighter than showing weak two-tone constrast when in direct sun.
Breast and belly- upper breast dusky gray-brown, a bit lighter than face and crown. Belly whitish, under-tail coverts brown-gray.
Underwing- mostly pale with dark trailing margins. Darker at axillaries.
Similar Species: too small and delicate for a Pink-footed Shearwater; also fine, dark bill. Pale belly and flight style eliminate Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwaters. Completely dark hood and generally brownish-gray rather than dark gray-black tones should exclude Manx Shearwater.
Previous experience: I have considerable experience with regularly occurring dark-bellied shearwaters, Pink-footed and Buller's Shearwater. I have never seen an unequivocal Black-vented Shearwater before.
