Western Pacific Odyssey 2012 - Update 5

[John Brodie-Good]

Hi seabirders

The end of this voyage looms ahead.....two pacific albatross join an already incredible seabird tally

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> 22 April - At sea Day 4 to Bonin Islands
> Bonin Petrel A
> Wedge-tailed Shearwater A
> Short-tailed Shearwater B
> “Atoll”/Tropical Shearwater low A
> Leach’s Storm-petrel 1
> Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel A
> Red-tailed Tropicbird 2
> White-tailed Tropicbird 2
> Red-footed Booby 5
> Brown Booby 1
> Sooty Tern A
> Pomarine Skua 2
> Arctic Skua 1
> Long-tailed Skua 5
>
> 23 April – At sea Day 5 to Bonin Islands (Japanese waters)
> Kermadec Petrel 1
> Bonin Petrel B
> Bulwer’s Petrel 1
> Wedge-tailed Shearwater A
> Short-tailed Shearwater C
> “Atoll”/Tropical Shearwater 2
> Wilson’s Storm-petrel 4
> Leach’s Storm-petrel 2
> Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel A
> White-tailed Tropicbird 1
> Brown Booby 4
> South Polar Skua 1
> Pomarine Skua 1
>
> 24 April – off Bonin Islands
> Black-footed Albatross A
> Bonin Petrel B
> Wedge-tailed Shearwater C
> Short-tailed Shearwater B
> Bannerman’s/"Atoll"/Tropical Shearwater 1 - there is definitely a need for
> further research on this group along the route of the WPO......
> Bryan’s Shearwater 1 - seen by some of the group and showed current known
> characteristics, ie small size, white face etc.
> Wilson’s Storm-petrel 2
> Leach’s Storm-petrel 1
> Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel B
> Tristram’s Storm-petrel A
> Red-footed Booby 3
> Brown Booby A
> Sooty Tern 3
> Brown Noddy A
> South Polar Skua 1
> Arctic Skua 1
> Long-tailed Skua 2
> Cuvier’s Beaked Whale 3
>
> 25 April – Torishima
> Short-tailed Albatross – a total of nine for the day with two close to the
> ship (adult and subadult).
> Black-footed Albatross A
> Bonin Petrel 2
> Wedge-tailed Shearwater 2
> Short-tailed Shearwater 5
> “Atoll”/Tropical Shearwater 1
> Leach’s Storm-petrel 1
> Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel 4
> Tristram’s Storm-petrel A
> Red-tailed Tropicbird 1
> Brown Booby 2
> Brown Noddy 1
> Sooty Tern 1
> South Polar Skua 3
> Pomarine Skua 3
> Long-tailed Skua 7
> Siberian Rubythroat 1 female (south of Torishima). Difficult to guess where
> this left land but if it came from Ryuku Islands, these are almost 600nm
> away and 1,200+ from Luzon in the Philippines.
> Cuvier’s Beaked Whale 1
> Ginkgo-toothed Beaked Whale – a pod of animals were seen very close to where
> another group was seen in 2011 off Torishima. These appeared to be the same
> species, with the male being very dark/black with little, if any, scratches
> and with white marks (presumably from cooky-cutter sharks) on its body. The
> head was seen by some and the animals appear to fit this species.
>

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