Pelagic Pelagic October 2000 |
February 12, 2004 |
Gunnar Engblom |
Description: Pelagic off Callao, Lima w Letta some 30 nm from La Punta Species Seen: 33 Trip data We arranged the first ever full day whale-watching trip in Peru off Callao. The weather was overcast until 2.30 or 3 PM and then the sun came out. Though we did not see any true whales but Common Dolphin (around 20-30) 12º14.360S, 77º35.007 and Dusky Dolphin (around 100) at 12º18.492S, 77º30.078W. This was not a pelagic trip for birders primarily, most had joined to have the chance to spot some whales. We saw no big whales but dusky and common dolphin. The dusky dolphins put up quite a show as there were about 100 of them all together and they were making high leaps up in the air. The "whale-watchers" were very happy with this experience. We were to start at 5.30 but actually set off at 6.30. I wanted to reach some 50 nm to reach waters that were 2000m deep. However, we only got to 30 nm off the coast, and depth here was about 1000 meters 12º17.100S 77º38.100W. A lot of seabirds where seen here including Black-browed Albatross and White-chinned Petrel We were back in Callao at 16.30. A bit too short. The birding was great though with a lot of variety of birds. The air-temperature was quite pleasant. The sea was a bit shaky but not too bad. Since both Mikko Pyhälä and I were quite novice to sea birding we felt like amateurs trying to straighten out some of the birds. We have included our reasoning for identification in the account below.Waved Albatross
Diomedea irrorata Black-browed Albatross
Diomedea melanophris Cape Petrel
Daption capense White-chinned Petrel
Procellaria aequinoctialis Sooty Shearwater
Puffinus griseus Wilson´s Storm-Petrel
Oceanites oceanicus White-vented Storm-Petrel
Oceanites gracilis Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel
Oceanodroma tethys Peruvian Diving-Petrel
Pelecanoides garnotii Blue-footed Booby
Sula nebouxii Peruvian Booby
Sula variegata Neotropic Cormorant
Phalacrocorax olivaceus Guanay Cormorant
Phalacrocorax bougainvillii Red-legged Cormorant
Phalacrocorax gaimardi Peruvian Pelican
Pelecanus thagus Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus Red Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicaria Band-tailed Gull
Larus belcheri Gray Gull Larus modestus Gray-hooded Gull Larus cirrocephalus Sabine´s Gull
Xema sabini Swallow-tailed Gull
Creagrus furcatus Elegant Tern
Sterna elegans Royal Tern
Sterna maxima South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea Common Tern
Sterna hirundo Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea Peruvian Tern
Sterna lorata Chilean Skua
Catharacta chilensis Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinus Long-tailed Jaeger
Stercorarius longicaudus Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica |
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