by Gunnar Engblom July 7, 2008 1

Pelagic July 6, 2008 –

Pelagic birding in Lima

For once we had great sunshine on the pelagic in July. That is very unusual.

Chilean Skua

Chilean Skua. All together around 20 seen. This is certainly the highest number ever.

South Polar Skua

South Polar Skua. Two definite and maybe one more seen.

Band-tailed Gull

Band-tailed or Belcher’s Gull was common. Most birds this time of year had non-breeding plumage with dark hoods! This one did not. What a beautiful gull this is!

Salvin’s Albatross

Last week we saw for the first time ever on a Lima pelagic a Chatham Island Albatross. I believe this however is an adult Salvin’s. We id:ed it as such in the field due to the pale forehead. However, the bill does look a bit yellowish.

South American Tern

The above pictures are of two Sterna Terns. Are they South American Terns? Strange having this summer plumage this time of year. Certainly, they are not Arctic Terns with such massive bills. UPDATE: The experts mean they are South American Tern.

by Gunnar Engblom October 25, 2007 1

Pelagic on August 2, 2007

South American Tern in summer plumage in the winter!

In 2005 on a pelagic in July from Lima a dark gray bellied breeding plumage Sterna Tern was seen that was tentatively identified as Antarctic Tern, which would be a first for Peru. This one looks quite like the one we saw then, though I recall the bill was shorter than this. The posterior discussion on Birding Peru Yahoo-group confirmed this bird as South American Tern.

Sooty Shearwater identification

Short-tailed Shearwater? Unfortunately not. Scrutinizing the pictures and with comments from Birding Peru yahoo group it is noted that the dark black wedge from the “arm-pit” is a good field mark for Sooty Shearwater.

Sooty Shearwater with one Pink-footed Shearwater in the center.

Northern Giant Petrel new species for Peru

Northern Giant Petrel was recorded for the first time in Peru in 2002 on a Kolibri Expeditions pelagic. It is now a regular on our pelagics of July to September. This is the first time we found a bird that is not completely brown. Can this one be aged?

Here it is with a juvenile.

Buller’s Albatross

Buller’s Albatross I only found for the first time in July 2006. This year it has been seen on a number of pelagics in July-September. And even adults and subadults (such as this photo).

Chilean and South Polar Skua in a fight. Great Show

South Polar Skua is quite regular on our pelagics during May-September

Join us on next full day pelagic Nov 17…or on our regular daily whale-watching excursion between November to March.

https://www.kolibriexpeditions.com/

Gunnar – kolibriexp@gmail.com