Little Shearwater
October 29, 2003
3.1 nautical miles west of Point Joe, Monterey County, California
The small thumbnails are links to larger pix.
Caption text by Peter Pyle who has written a description.
Don Doolittle provides this description.
Debi wrote a trip report.
All images from photographs taken by Debi Shearwater copyright 2003.
Digital scans of photos by Mark Paxton and Aeon at The Pinnacle, weekly newspaper of
San Benito County.
Little Shearwater (left) and California Gull (right). On the shearwater, note the
small size relative to the gull, small bill, rounded wings, white face and
underwing linings, and black back. This image of the shearwater perhaps most accurately depicts plumage patterns and leg color due to more neutral lighting or exposure.
Note the small bill, short tail, white face and underparts, and leg color.
Note the rounded wings, white face, blackish upperparts (with warm tones due to the strong and low lighting), and white on sides of rump.
Several aspects of this image
appear to be artifacts of lighting, as shown by comparison with other
photos. These include the pale patch on the forehead (causing the head to
resemble that of a Sooty Tern), an expanded amount of dark in the face, a
shadowy appearance to the underwings, and the pinkish-appearing legs. This
illustrates the caution that one should take when analyzing images taken
under low and strong lighting conditions.
Note the small bill, rounded wings, short tail (with feet
appearing to protrude beyond the tail), extensively white face and
underparts (including dorsally to the sides of the rump), and blackish
upperparts. Foot color is difficult to judge in this photo due to the
storng and low light, however, its appearance in the field was confirmed to be bluish gray.
Northern Fulmar (upper left) and Little Shearwater (lower right). On the
shearwater, note the small size relative to the fulmar, short tail (with
feet protruding beyond tail tip), and extensive white to the underparts.
Note the small bill, short tail, and white pattern in face.
Note the extensive white to underparts when sitting, and black back.
Note the small bill, short tail, and extensive white to the
face and underparts, including the undertail coverts.
The leg color is hard
to determine due to the extremely strong lighting but in the field it was
confirmed to be grayish blue.
Click on the murrelet to find out how to reserve a trip.
