91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 I believe I just spotted a pair of Bermuda Petrels. I was taking pictures of some Buzzards flying around my back yard and I saw them flying over. They were really high. So the pics are horrible. I couldnt get the “insert image from url” to work. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dwxe_WGcs27w3bk7_-PB3GODCbtzgJGf/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1peWIMrU3lIlka1g6V1KnME3mWOXkaKvF/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_1_qOlEEYOwLwT23DRuNwF4yCJyhKn_s/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hvF_ZnKjl_URXwnxF3ySLasya8YwCdem/view?usp=drivesdk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Sorry, the link doesn't work. It says "Access denied". However, a Bermuda Petrel would be highly unusual in a back yard. Could you also please give us your general location? Welcome to Whatbird! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 (edited) Coast of SE North Carolina They were set to restricted. Try them now Edited December 25, 2021 by 91GT347 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 The live photos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mAbvst4yA0oegBJUf5gU4x27CG9lgPwZ/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_TxTMgysI4LIRiZTgpJpyPJVwz3VUgp/view?usp=drivesdk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RKIU6yUKBaMNa6wtwI2TWiaWjfX69nWg/view?usp=drivesdk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 That looks like maybe a type of cormorant or larger gull. @Birding Boy @Connor Cochrane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 1 hour ago, 91GT347 said: I believe I just spotted a pair of Bermuda Petrels. How are you ruling out several much more likely possibilities like Ring-billed Gulls? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Kevin said: How are you ruling out several much more likely possibilities like Ring-billed Gulls? Actually by the size (hard to judge though) I was thinking more Herring Gull? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: Actually by the size (hard to judge though) I was thinking more Herring Gull? How are you judging the size? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Just now, Kevin said: How are you judging the size? I said it's hard to judge, but just the GISS I'm getting from the bulkier look. But from eBird, Ring-billed are much more likely. On second thought, proportions look better from Ring-billed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 10 minutes ago, Kevin said: How are you ruling out several much more likely possibilities like Ring-billed Gulls? Im not ruling out anything. I dont know for sure. It didnt look like any gulls Ive seen. Surfing around here for 40 years Ive seen about every gull there is here. Not to mention, every parking lot in town is full of them. Skinny, long wings and the white section underneath the wings, was the main parts that I was going by. It was bigger than a gull. Other Petrels Ive seen have just dark edges on their underwing or all one color. . This one, just the center section from the body to about halfway was white. Im not sure was the main reason I came here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghann Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Welcome to Whatbird! I am also unsure of these shots. Gull does feel a bit off, but I can't get a good feel for what it could be. The petrels would be exceedingly rare. Since it's a holiday, it's probably going to be slow on here today, but hopefully some of our really experienced ID people can come on and give you their thoughts soon. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 Thanks ! My first thought was actually a Kite. It was much more kite like than gull like. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GT347 Posted December 25, 2021 Author Share Posted December 25, 2021 The bottom was colored much like a swallow tail kite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 I don’t think the wings are pointed enough for any kite, and I think they all left your area weeks ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 Gull sp. for me 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 48 minutes ago, Avery said: Gull sp. for me Seems like a good bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted December 25, 2021 Share Posted December 25, 2021 I'm not dead set on it being a gull, in fact, I'm not really dead set on it being anything, from these photos. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peromyscus Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 7 hours ago, 91GT347 said: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RKIU6yUKBaMNa6wtwI2TWiaWjfX69nWg/view?usp=drivesdk Access denied Welcome to Whatbird, 91GT347. Your bird is a gull, and is not a kite. Kites have longer tails than your bird, and as Charlie said, left your area weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamBird Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 Okay, North American birds aren't my specialty but let me just throw out Northern Gannet. I also struggle to see this as a gull but think the Gannet might match the OP's description a bit better than a petrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLecy Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 Structure is way off for any Pterodroma sp. Cahow's have never ever, to my knowledge, been spotted from shore and are highly endangered (134 nesting pairs as of 2020 per BOW), making that even less likely. The tail is too short and blunt for a Gannet. It's a gull, and probably a Herring. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 3 hours ago, DLecy said: Structure is way off for any Pterodroma sp. Cahow's have never ever, to my knowledge, been spotted from shore and are highly endangered (134 nesting pairs as of 2020 per BOW), making that even less likely. The tail is too short and blunt for a Gannet. It's a gull, and probably a Herring. Agreed. On 12/25/2021 at 12:49 PM, 91GT347 said: Thanks ! My first thought was actually a Kite. It was much more kite like than gull like. Trying to force an ID is a problem that all birders encounter, including myself, that we should all try to avoid. I’m not talking to you specifically, just as an example. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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