THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
SOOTY SHEARWATER – Puffinus griseus
As with all reports of rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective rarities committees
Sooty Shearwater are spectacular long-distance migrants, 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, in;
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 record of this species for S. Gloucestershire.