Tuesday 29 July 2014

I don’t Be-leach it!

Head of a Leach's Petrel


Distinctive wing of a Leach's Petrel

Forked Tail

Tuesday 29th July comments: The fine weather continues to dominate as the seabird season draws to a close. Each day

Late last night another nocturnal Petrel ringing session produced some wonderful highlights including five Storm Petrels. These dingy nocturnal seabirds breed as close as the Shetlands, but wander down the North Sea under the cover of darkness and are trapped regularly, as they are tape lured into bird ringers nets which help us peace together their movements.

However the real highlight came in the form of not one, but two Leach’s Petrels (a larger and rarer cousin of the Storm Petrel). The first was heard singing around the nets before eventually ending up in the ‘shelf’ of a mist net but whilst the bird was in the hand, another circled singing!

It was a great moment and although the second bird avoided capture (it unfortunately ‘bounced’ out of the net), to witness two singing Leach’s Petrel’s in Northumberland is something very unique!

It’s never dull on planet Farnes and you can’t take your eyes off this season…

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