Leucistic Sooty Shearwater in Monterey Bay

Sooty Shearwater leucistic

Sooty Shearwater leucistic showing underwings

Sooty Shearwater leucistic

Sooty Shearwater leucistic

Sooty Shearwater leucistic

Sooty Shearwater leucistic with normal Sooty Shearwater behind it

A little more in depth description and photos of the partially leucistic Sooty Shearwater seen on a Monterey bay pelagic trip with Shearwater Journeys. This was one of possibly two present but certainly the most photogenic. The bird was in a large feeding flock of Sooty Shearwaters that we managed to get right in the middle of. The bird was in view for a few minutes and then dove right next to the boat and it was not seen again. Despite its unique appearance it was easy to lose in this dense feeding flock of shearwaters. There had been numerous sightings of similar birds on other Shearwater Journeys trips but as Debi Shearwater points out in her blog they are seldom photographed. Another similar bird was indeed photographed by Brian Sullivan on a trip on September 11, 2011
http://shearwaterjourneys.blogspot.com/2011/09/images-of-day-by-brian-sullivan.html

I was very happy to get a look at this bird as well as manage several photos of it before it disappeared. A truly unique looking individual.