Ancient Murrelet

Synthliboramphus antiquus

Appearance:
Small auk
Black face and crown
Grey back
White underparts
Pale, stubby bill
White throat extending back and up to ears
Breeding plumage:
   Black throat
   White band at neck
   White eyebrow

Listen to its call.

I stopped off at Ogden Point yesterday for a chilly walk along the breakwater. There were a number of seabirds around including Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot and a couple of these little fellows: another lifer for me and a rarity for this area.

And now a bit of trivia for you. The name Ancient resulted from the grey back resembled a shawl draped across an old person's shoulders

Learn more about the Ancient Murrelet.

Cassin's Auklet

Ptychoramphus aleuticus

Appearance
Small seabird
Dark gray above and pale below
Small white crescent above eye
Dark bill with pale base to lower mandible
Blue feet

Listen to it's call.

A boat trip on the Juan de Fuca Strait off East Sooke Park this afternoon awarded us with a nice, close look at this auklet. There was quite a bit of excitement on board at the sighting as the Cassin's Auklet is on the near threatened list. 

Learn more about the Cassin's Auklet.

Marbled Murrelet

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Appearance:
Small, chunky auk
Short, pointed, black bill
Short tail
Winter plumage:
   Black upperparts
   White underparts, throat, chin and collar
   White stripe over wings
Breeding plumage:
    Dark mottled brown all over

Listen to its call.

I saw a pair of these murrelets yesterday off the breakwater at Ogden Point.  They only stopped by for a minute before diving underwater, presumably in search of food.

Learn more about the Marbled Murrelet.

Common Murre

Uria aalge

Appearance:

Medium-sized seabird

Charcoal black upperparts

White underparts

Long, straight, black bill

Breeding:

Dark head and neck

Non-breeding: 

White lower face and nape
Dark line curving down behind eye

Listen to its call.

Leaving Sidney Spit last Saturday after my discovery of two new birds, I received an added bonus on the ferry trip home when we passed a flock of these birds.

These large auks are mainly found in open marine waters and gather in large flocks far offshore; they only stay on land to breed.  Hmm...It's a good thing I took a little trip on the water then.

non-breeding

Learn more about the Common Murre.

Pigeon Guillemot

Ceppus columba

Appearance:
Medium-sized alcid (auk)
Thin, black bill
Red mouth lining
Red legs and feet
Breeding:
   Black plumage
   White patch on wing
Non-breeding: (below)
   Mostly white with mottled back
   Dark eye line

Listen to its call.

Taking advantage of the nice weather, my husband and I launched our kayaks from Island View Beach this morning. As I haven't been having much luck finding new birds on the land recently, I was pleased to encounter a wide variety of birds on the water. Unfortunately, I didn't have my usual camera along (for obvious reasons) but I managed to get a few shots of this bird with my old Canon PowerShot. 

Learn more about the Pigeon Guillemot.

Additional pictures:

breeding plumage

non-breeding plumage

changing to non-breeding plumage

Rhinoceros Auklet

Cerorhinca monocerata

Appearance:

Medium-sized seabird

Black upper parts
Dark gray underparts
White belly
Eyes have long white plumes above and below
Yellow-orange bill with whitish horn
Legs and feet are gray

Listen to its call.



After my shortage of bird sightings recently, I was very excited to see this trio off Ten Mile Point this morning. Unfortunately, they spent a very short time close to shore, preferring to be further out at sea. I guess that's why they are called seabirds.

These birds, which also go by the name Unicorn Puffin, have a bill that sheds its sheath every year. The horn-like projection on the bill that gives these birds their unique appearance only develops when they are ready to breed.

Learn more about the Rhinoceros Auklet.