Leach's storm petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)

NE Maine pelagic waters. Jul 11, 2018

comments (6)

Thibaud Aronson

Lion

I went on a whale-watching trip yesterday, and the whales (a nice group of humpbacks) were lovely, but in fairness, I was more excited about seeing my first pelagic seabirds in the US! And I did see several, including great shearwaters, which I knew from South Africa, and sooty shearwaters, which I knew from New Zealand (It is really amazing the distances that these oceanic birds cover).
But this was a lifer for me, so of course, more exciting! Posted 7 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  These birds are lovely! I used to live in this area (Machias) and your photos are bringing back great memories of the natural beauty in the area! Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
    
    Lion
    
    Oh nice! I actually wanted to go on a trip to the Machias Seal island to see the puffins up close, but they were all booked all the way back in March! I'll just go back to Iceland... Posted 7 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Wow, that’s crazy! I always loved seeing the puffins! Posted 7 years ago

Barry

Lion

Great shot. Yeah, pelagic birds are amazing, when one considers their life on the open sea, but identification techniques, as the guidebooks say are "evolving", especially when one considers how fast and far away they often are when seen on pelagic tours. Posted 7 years ago
1. Thibaud Aronson
  
  Lion
  
  Haha I know! I've never seen the various species that breed in the Mediterranean islands (except for the ubiquitous yelkouan, ticked off from a balcony in Istanbul), but everytime time I check in, it seems that taxonomers have split off a new species, each one nearly impossible to tell from the others! Posted 7 years ago

The Leach's storm petrel

The Leach's storm petrel or Leach's petrel is a small seabird of the tubenose family. It is named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek. ''Oceanodroma'' is from ''okeanos'', "ocean" and ''dromos'', "runner", and ''leucorhoa'' is from ''leukos'', "white" and ''orrhos'', "rump".

It breeds on inaccessible islands in the colder northern areas of the Atlantic and Pacific. It nests in colonies close to the sea in well concealed areas.. more

Info 1 0

Similar species: Petrels And Albatrosses

Species identified by Thibaud Aronson

By Thibaud Aronson

Uploaded Jul 13, 2018. Captured Jul 11, 2018 10:34.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
f/16.0
1/1024s
ISO1000
450mm

Captured in the summer. More summer photos.