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The First Sighting of Beck’s Petrel by a Birding Group

Expedition First – The First Sighting of Beck’s Petrel by a Birding Group

The morning of April 19 saw the 'Spirit of Enderby' drifting over a shallow shelf extending off the northwest coast of Bouganville Island, Papua New Guinea.  Over 50 birders were out on deck in the gentle breeze and sunshine and eagerly scanning the water.  For two hours we had been laying chum – fish oil and fish guts.  Many birds were flying in to investigate this food source.  Just after 0900 shouts rang out “Beck’s Petrel off the port side”.  This was the moment we had all been hoping for and the mythical petrel came flying in low over the chum slick allowing great views by all.  Over the next hour at least three Beck’s were carefully observed by all passengers on board and hundreds of pictures were taken.  Following these observations we crossed the Buka Channel and sailed off the east coast of New Ireland where we were able to observe at least 8 more Beck’s Petrels.
 
The Beck’s Petrel is one of several mysterious seabirds of the Pacific Ocean.  Single specimens were collected in 1928 and 1929 in Papua New Guinea and the Solomons, but no further evidence of the species was garnered for many decades and it was feared possibly extinct.  However, given that the species inhabited such a remote and little visited region of the Pacific, hopes remained alive that it would one day be found again.  In the past few years, a handful of possible sightings have been made; the most enticing of these was made on last year’s Western Pacific Odyssey.  Confusion over the identification criteria with the similar Tahiti Petrel precluded a conclusive identification on these birds.  Then in August 2007 a number of sightings were made and a specimen obtained off New Ireland.  Measurements of the specimen confirmed the rediscovery of Beck’s Petrel.
 
We were able to observe Beck’s Petrels at close quarters and in association with several other species of seabird to make size comparisons.  All observers were quite impressed at just how distinctive Beck’s Petrel is in comparison with Tahitis, a species we also observed on the day.  The Beck’s were obviously smaller, a fact most easily appreciated by comparison with the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters in the area.  Further, our field observations were that the Beck’s has a more fluttery and erratic flight style than the Tahitis.
 
Our sightings of Beck’s Petrels are surely the highlight of the odyssey.  Along with the single observer sightings of last August, these are the second ever definitive observations of Beck’s Petrel and the first by a birding tour group.  The sighting capped off a thrilling two days of seabirding and cetacean watching in the Bouganville/New Ireland area that also included observations of 10 Heinroth’s Shearwaters and brief views of the mysterious “Fiji-type petrel” that inhabits these waters.

From Adam Walleyn, staff ornithologist, Heritage Expeditions