Rob,
This all helps a lot, thanks. I’ve now taken some time to upload more shots to Bird-O that will show the range of underwing markings. As you’ll see, many of them are very dark. The feedback so far is positive and there really is little else these can be.
http://birdo.wildiaries.com/trips/10330
Very exciting! Just goes to show how much there is still to discover in our mighty country.
…and yes, Arabian or Persian Shearwater, depending on your naming preference. Note, pink legs are a very significant character for separating from Tropical, well visible in one of the photos linked to above (http://birdo.wildiaries.com/pictures/30941).
Note again, I have arranged a vessel to the birds leaving on the 6th. EOIs to me quickly please on 0405 220830.
Simon.
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Simon Mustoe Tel: +61 (0) 405220830 | Skype simonmustoe | Email simonmustoe@ecology-solutions.com.au
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From: robert_p_morris@hotmail.com To: simonmustoe@hotmail.com; birding-aus@vicnet.net.au Subject: Arabian … new seabird for Australia? Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:54:50 +0000
Hi Simon An interesting discovery whatever they are. Well done! I have seen large nos. of Arabian (we used to call them Persian) Shearwaters in Oman (Mirbat) and small nos in the UAE when I lived there. There do look good for Arabian (which I think have also been recorded off Sri Lanka and India?) but I remember a much darker underwing than this (more like a Hutton’s underwing). Have a look at some of Jans Erikens shots from Mirbat): http://www.birdsoman.com/Birds/011-Petrels/PersianShearwater/PersianShearwater.htm This could be moult / wear or the light / photos from you trip? Also I don’t remember the eye looking so prominent (almost Little like) although Arabian can almost look like it has a poorly defined pale supercilium. I’ve seen Audubon’s on the Seychelles (I think this is now ‘Tropical’) and their upper parts are a sooty black colour – but the white sides of the rump are not always an obvious feature. In essence Arabian and Tropical (the forms I have seen in the Indian Ocean) are like comparing a Balearic and Manx Shearwater – colouration wise (this will mean more to Poms who grew up sea watching off Cornwall!). These birds don’t look like Tropicals I’ve seen in the Indian Ocean. This probably doesn’t help much…………! cheersRob Morris
Brisbane, Australia
> From: simonmustoe@hotmail.com > To: birding-aus@vicnet.net.au > Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:09:10 +1000 > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Ashmore Update and … new seabird for Australia? > > > Hi, > > We’ve just got back from the most awesome Ashmore Reef trip. The details are on the Bird-O front page. There’s also a brief article on what we think is a wintering ground for Arabian Shearwater in Australian waters – which would be a new bird for the continent. > > More to come later…http://bird-o.com/2010/10/22/is-arabian-shearwater-a-new-wintering-seabird-for-australia/ > > Simon. > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > Simon Mustoe > Tel: +61 (0) 405220830 | Skype simonmustoe | Email simonmustoe@ecology-solutions.com.au > > Visit BIRD-O at http://www.bird-o.com > Follow BIRD-O on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/birdodotcom > Like BIRD-O on Facebook? Visit http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Bird-O/117732794921095 > Email BIRD-O at info@bird-o.com > > > > > > ========== > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > > http://birding-aus.org > ========== ============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au
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