Tropical Audubon Society

South Florida’s Voice of Conservation

Larry had asked if I could take George Kenyon in search of one of the few birds he still needs for ABA, the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel. I had a family boat trip planned for Saturday and didn't think I coudl take George out, but when the fam changed their minds at the last minute, I contacted Larry and we decided to try.

So far this year, I had not seen a Band-rumped yet, and I thought the chances were slim. We headed out with flat calm conditions and very little activity of any kind. Out in 2,000' of water we found 2 Storm-Petrels, but they were Leach's. Wrong species. As we came in a little shallower, wouldn't you know it, we see a Band-rumped Storm-Petrel flying towards a weedline where it met up with a 2nd Band-rumped. George got his ABA bird #790. We also had a distant tropicbird that evaded us as it flew fast to the east. Could have been either one, so it goes down as tropicbird sp. No shearwaters, but that doesn't surprise me with the flat calm conditions.