BCF Cruises 
26 
Warren B. 
a heavy bird, flying with continuous wingbeats. It was undoubtedly in 
the Stercorarious family, possibly a Skua. My description compares 
exactly with Sundell's Jaeger-like bird of yesterday. The "Wedgetail" 
at 1500 didn't look quite right. It was very grey, had very white 
* ventral surfaces . Ventral wing surface showed too much white in the 
middle, and black edges were too thin. Flew rather more typically 
shearwater than most Wedge-tails, although difference here may be 
hair-splitting. Suspect larger numbers of Sooty Shearwaters tomarrow, 
although we turn N earth from today's east course. 
' March 20 — Starting 19 March 1964 a record is being kept of the two 
types of "Harcourt ’s" Storm Petrels we have been seeing. The first, 
hereafter called Type A, Is slightly smaller, very bat-like in flight, 
using floppy wing beats, almost like a butterfly) while the second, called 
e more petrel- like, sli^tly larger, flies very controlledly 
Stiff wings, arcing and scaling in a diminutive copy of Bulwer's Petrel 
We suspect type A to be the $ 0. castro and tyep B to be Q. leucoarrloa 
Leach’s Petrel, but nothing will be conclusively proved until both are 
/ ^ •* ' . 
collected. The li$rt dorsal wing bars are more noticeable on B and it 
seems to be generally a lighter colored bird. 
- \ - ■ c' : - . r i* ‘ r!< “ :•*■*> 4 <j 
Sooty Shearwaters were the big news today. Several certains and 
several possibles seen. Bird* flying in typical Sooty Shearwttor 
fashion but not revealing silver linings will be called either "Sooty 
! • 
Shear (?)" or Shear sp. with a note saying possible sooty shear, 
1 
depending on degree of certainty. At 1426 two Sooty Shearwaters and a 
' 
. 
type B Harcourt* s were flushed from the water by the ship. Four of 
> y i yTy: 
. <fl. *. *.! % ¥ t . V ■ . •“ .* V ’ , Lr. .* • ‘ »*’ , ijf '•£•/'’ ’ J ' / jtv.y ■ / J 
today's Wedge-tails were dark phase and very dark indeed. Ventral surfaces 
» ■* '.v /-• T J • v , . k *• • v 
. b '/ 
