Storm Petrels have a cosmopolitan distribution and are found
in all oceans. They are strictly pelagic coming to land only
when breeding. In the case of most species little is known
of their behaviour and distribution at sea where they can be
hard to find and harder to identify. The name Petrel is a
corruption of the word 'pitterel' and alludes to the habit
of tapping the water whilst in flight i.e. 'pitter-patter'.
It is also associated with bad weather hence the prefix
'stormy'. 'Petrel' is also a diminutive form of Peter and a
reference to Saint Peter; it was given to these birds
because they sometimes appear to walk across the water's
surface. Early sailors named these birds 'Mother Carey's
Chickens' because they were thought to warn of oncoming
storms; this name is based on a corrupted form of Mater
Cara, a name for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
There have been around a hundred and twenty-five Storm
Petrels reported from S. Gloucestershire;
2011: (4)
Single birds were seen on May 22nd & 26th off Severn Beach;
One was seen off Severn Beach in flight down river at around
19:30 on July 17th; One was seen off Severn Beach at 14:00
on September 7th;
Storm Petrel off Severn Beach in May 2011. Sarah Loaring.
2009: (1)
One was seen off Severn Beach on November 18th at around
10:00.
2008: (14)
One was seen off Severn Beach on June 22nd at 19:00; At
least two were seen off Severn Beach at 13:00 on June 28th;
At least three birds were lingering off Severn Beach on
August 10th; One was seen off Severn Beach on August 12th;
At least four were present late afternoon off Severn Beach
on August 13th where one was picked up moribund & taken into
care, another was picked up dead at Awkley Flood Pools
beside the M4/ M48 junction; Up to four were seen off Severn
Beach on August 19th, three in the morning, one in the
evening; One was seen off Severn Beach at 10:35 on August
20th.
Storm Petrel at Severn Beach. Left June 22nd, right June
28th 2008. Paul Bowerman.
Storm Petrels off Severn Beach. 13th August 2008. Paul
Bowerman.
Storm Petrel off Severn Beach. 19th August 2008. Paul
Bowerman.
2007: (14)
One was seen off Severn Beach in the morning of July 4th
with two there in the evening; At least two were seen off
Severn Beach close inshore in the morning on July 5th;
Around six were seen off Severn Beach by 10:20 on July 6th
with five lingering until at least 18:00; At least two were
lingering off Severn Beach in the morning on July 7th with
one still present at 14:15; One was seen off Severn Beach at
14:10 on December 29th.
Storm Petrels off Severn Beach. July 2007. Paul Bowerman.
2006: (16)
At least two possibly three were seen after strong overnight
winds off Severn Beach on May 19th; At least one flew past
Severn Beach on May 20th; On May 24th three were seen off
Severn Beach at around 07:00 with three more on the evening
tide; One was seen on the evening tide off Severn Beach on
May 26th; On June 22nd one was seen flying around the sea
defences at Severn Beach at 19:55; On July 9th two were
watched off Severn Beach; Two were reported off Severn Beach
on December 7th at around 14:00.
Storm Petrels off Severn Beach. May 2006. Paul Bowerman.
Storm Petrels off Severn Beach. July 2006. Paul Bowerman.
2004: (6)
Off Severn Beach, one was seen on September 13th; Five were
present on September 14th off Severn Beach.
2003: (2)
One was showing well on May 20th off Severn Beach; One was
reported on July 17th off Severn Beach.
2002: (12)
One was seen on January 28th off Severn Beach; A corpse was
found at Oldbury Power Station on February 17th; Up to six
were seen on May 25th off Severn Beach; One was noted on May
29th off Severn Beach; Two were seen on June 10th off Severn
Beach; One was seen on October 27th off Severn Beach.
2001: (2)
Two were seen off Severn Beach on July 11th.
2000: (3)
One was found on May 17th off Severn Beach; Two were seen on
October 30th off Severn Beach, one of which lingered into
October 31st.
1999: (1)
One was seen off Severn Beach on April 22nd.
1998: (8)
One was seen on June 9th off Severn Beach; One on June 28th
off Severn Beach; Two on July 12th off Severn Beach; Two on
July 18th off Severn Beach; Two on October 27th off Severn
Beach.
1997: (2)
Two were seen on June 21st off Severn Beach, one at 08:40
and one at 09:10.
1996: (5)
Two on August 25th off Severn Beach, dropped to one
lingering into August 26th; One was watched on November 3rd
off Severn Beach; Two were seen on November 6th off Severn
Beach.
1994: (2)
One on June 18th was seen off Severn Beach; One on June 21st
was watched off Severn Beach.
1990: (4)
One was seen on July 1st off New Passage; One was seen on
July 8th off New Passage; One was seen on August 16th off
New Passage; One was seen on September 9th at Oldbury Power
Station over Lagoon II.
1989: (5)
A
count of four were noted on October 29th off New Passage;
One was seen on December 17th off Severn Beach.
1988: (3)
One was noted on February 2nd at Severn Beach; One was seen
on July 30th off Severn Beach; One was seen on September
24th off Severn Beach.
1985: (3)
One was seen on June 23rd off New Passage; One on August 3rd
off New Passage; One on September 16th off New Passage.
1983: (15)
On September 3rd seven were noted off New Passage; Twelve,
the regions highest count to date were off New Passage
September 4th and on September 5th five were still
available; On October 16th there were three, four on the
17th, one on the 18th and one on the 19th off New Passage.
1982: (1)
One flew up stream off Severn Beach in a south-westerly gale
on November 19th.
1978: (3)
One probably this species was reported off New Passage on
September 10th; One was found close inshore on September
16th off Severn Beach; One was seen on September 30th off
New Passage.
1938: (1)
The partial remains of one were found near Severn Beach on
October 16th.
1903: (1)
A
single bird was found on November 15th near Alveston.
1824: (1)
One was identified on October 31st near Alveston following
the violent gale of All Hallows Eve.