Exploring the Pelagic Birds of the Atlantic: A Glimpse at Leach’s Storm-Petrel

We are on a seabird watching tour west of Ireland with Blacksod Sea Safari. On the trip to the Atlantic we pass the island of Inishkea, which my skipper, Toby, highly recommends to me because of the many breeding birds – probably also Storm Petrels – in summer. But I’m not in the mood for that right now. I tell him to just pass the island and then continue, just west. We were surrounded by the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean. The sun is already high in the sky, a steel-blue sky with practically no clouds. The boat rocks on the choppy waves in a moderate wind. It should be a perfect day to see some of the ocean’s most fascinating and difficult to observe creatures: seabirds. Among them there might be a small, dark bird with a fluttering flight pattern – the enigmatic Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous). And then we see the first chains of shearwaters on the horizon. Now he has also got a taste for it and is steering the boat further and further through the increasingly high waves. Great. Suddenly we are practically in the middle of the migration. New chains of seabirds keep flying straight towards us. They fly consistently from north to south, see the boat quite late, fly around it, sometimes just a few meters away, and fly southwards unfazed. They are mainly Manx Shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus). Then Cory’s Shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) and Great Shearwaters (Puffinus gravis) also appear. Small storm petrels keep darting back and forth in between, which can quickly be identified as European Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus).

A storm petrel makes me use the camera more intensively. This bird apparently does not have the otherwise clearly visible white underwing. And the light grey stripes on the arm wing are also completely different. Hey, that’s definitely the Leach’s Storm-Petrel. Great. I’ve finally found this bird – a lifer. And then I took a great photo of it.

We’re at sea right at the right time of migration; about 5-8 km from the last island. The diversity of ocean species is becoming more and more apparent. The Leach’s Storm-Petrel is tiny, but a remarkable bird that spends most of its life at sea. Unlike many other bird species, this storm petrel only comes ashore during the breeding season and often chooses remote islands as nesting sites. The bird’s long, forked tail and erratic, bat-like flight distinguish it from its smaller cousin, the European storm petrel.

Storm Petrels are true ocean travelers that can cover great distances. They belong to the Hydrobatidae family, a group of seabirds adapted to life at sea. Their distinctive behavior of “walking on water” or wading while feeding on plankton and small fish near the surface is an iconic sight. The name “petrel” itself comes from sailors who believed these birds were harbingers of storms, as they were often seen before rough weather.

I had specifically chosen the first week of September. This should be a good time to see the late summer pelagic migration. I was particularly interested in the waverunner. The analysis in eBird shows that the initially planned locations near Liverpool – i.e. at the western end of the Irish Sea – have decreased significantly in recent years. The counts are only sporadic and always only in a few specimens. The west coast of Ireland also shows a similar picture. But here the numbers are significantly higher – even at the end of August/beginning of September. And there are also more places where you can try your luck. This time I decide to stay on the northern west coast, the Mullet Peninsula, which is much further north than where I was in May of the same year.

While Hydrobates leucorhous is commonly spotted during pelagic trips in the North Atlantic, it is also known for its long migrations, crossing vast stretches of ocean to reach breeding grounds as far away as the eastern United States and Canada.

Our sighting of this tiny pelagic wanderer was a reminder of the awe-inspiring journeys these birds undertake—quietly thriving in a world far removed from our own.

The Mullet Peninsula and particularly Annagh Head, an exposed rocky outcrop in the middle of the Atlantic, are strategically located on important migration routes and are therefore ideal places to observe a variety of bird species. During the autumn migration, many species pass through on their way to warmer climes, while others settle down for the winter and take advantage of the mild coastal conditions. If you really want to get close to seabirds, the pelagic species – whether to enjoy the incomparable feeling of immediate connection at eye level or to take close-up photos of these elegant flyers – you have to rent a boat. A trip should last at least 3 hours. It still costs almost € 400 – 500.

In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic Bird-lens.com has specifically made trips to remote places. Additionally every chance is used, if a rare bird is around the homeground. This to do everything to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic. The yield of pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. There are other nice images of birds, that you will find behind the tab “Picture Shop“. Just give a notice if you need a picture of a bird which is not online.