1909.
Oct 12 [October 12, 1909]
(No 3)
Both species habitually fly at a height of from 1 or 2 to
6 or 8 feet above the crests of the waves. When the waves
are high they sometimes rise and fall with them or follow
the hollows between them for a greater or less distance before
rising again above their crests. They regularly progress by
alternate flapping & sailing, first giving a few extremely rapid,
nervous strokes and them skimming swiftly on set wings
for a distance of 30 to 100 yards before flapping again.
When thus gliding they usually incline alternately to right
and left turning first the under & next the upper surfaces
of the body & wings towards the observer but this rythmic [rhythmic]
swing although similar to that of the Manx Shearwater
is less pronounced and graceful, hence less impressive. When the
Manx & the Greater Shearwaters thus expose their underparts in the
sunshine they are most conspicuous for the instant but when
their dark backs are turned towards the beholder the bird is
likely to be lost to sight against the blue or gray water
unless it is near at hand. The Fulmar is conspicuous 
at all times for when at any distance beyond 100 yards
its back & upper parts show almost as white as the
under parts. Not once while watching these fine birds
to-day did I see one of them pick up any kind of
food or even obviously try to do so. They seemed, indeed,
to be merely amusing themselves by flying endlessly on and on.
  I saw, about 4 P.M., a very large dark colored bird
with central tail feathers longer than the rest. It was evidently 
a Jaegar & either the Pomarine or the Greater Skua, probably
the former although it looked big enough for the latter.
  One flock of Phalaropes containing 40 or more birds passed
us within 400 yards. They skimmed low over the ocean whirling
& circling like Peeps in a compact bunch, finally alighting in the water.