GREAT SHEARWATER and SCRIPPS'S MURRELET in BC

Yet again, Paul Lehman and Co. have observed some great birds off BC by taking advantage of some California--Alaska cruises.

On July 31, they observed a "Scipps's-type" Murrelet (i.e. Xantus's complex) approximately 120 miles SW of Vancouver Island--apparently still in Canadian waters.

On the way back south, they ran into some large concentrations of seabirds near Triangle Island, including a mass of FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS numbering close to 10,000 individuals. The species highlight in that area however was a GREAT SHEARWATER that was photographed 111km NNW of Triangle Island on August 5th. This is the second photographed record for BC, and probably the 3rd record all-time (first being one with good supporting fieldnotes).

Great Shearwater (Owen Schmidt)