Sooty Shearwater is a spectacular long-distance migrant,
following a circular route, travelling north up the western
side of the Atlantic Ocean at the end of the nesting season.
reaching sub-arctic waters in June/ July where they then
cross from west to east, returning south down the eastern
side of the Atlantic Ocean in September/ October, reaching
the breeding colonies in November. In the Atlantic Ocean
they cover distances in excess of 14,000 km (9,000 miles)
from their breeding colony on the Falkland Islands north to
the North Atlantic Ocean off north Norway. They feed on fish
and squid and can dive up to 60 metres for food but more
commonly take food from the surface, in particular often
following whales.
There has been one Sooty Shearwater reported from S.
Gloucestershire;
1974: (1)
One was identified on September 7th during a storm at Aust
and was watched for around three hours. It may also have
been seen subsequently off New Passage. This occurrence
constitutes the first report of this species in S.
Gloucestershire.