<snip>
> Weather conditions at the time were influenced by a large, fairly deep Low
> arriving onshore a few days ago then stalling just to the NW of Vancouver
> Island. As the High impeding its soutward progress for the last few days
> began to decay today the Low resumed its southward march, and its first
> cloud-decks of its southeastern quadrant had just begun to move over
> Vancouver this afternoon. Brisk northwesterlies began blowing about mid-day,
> tailing off in mid-afternoon, then strengthening to gale-force in the later
> afternoon, when the bird flew by the jetty.

Great description, Michael. Actually, I had been watching that cold front
approach just knowing that there would be something good swept inland. My first
encounter with "migrating" shearwaters was October 29, 1983 in the northern Gulf
lf Alaska. We had been steaming northwest for about 72 hours from the mouth of
the Columbia R. We had been watching a cold front coming at us from the
northwest on the weather fax. When we passed through it, there was an absolutely
unbelievable carpet of shearwaters on its north side riding the northwesterly
winds.

My journal entry from Oct. 29 when passing through the cold front read:

Time: 0045UTC; position 54.2N, 161.1W; wind NW 24 kts; cloudy with snow squalls;
seawater temp 9.0 deg. C.; ship's heading 269 deg./17kts. -
"850+ shearwaters flying ahead of snow squall approaching from the northwest
(JB - i.e. the cold front); silvery underwing coverts noticeable in all those
viewed through binoculars although other shearwater species possibly present."

The next entry then reads:

Time: 0115-0445UTC; position 54.2N, 161.2W to 54.2N, 163.9W; wind NW 10-15;
cloud and shower activity decreasing; seawater temp 8.5 deg. C.; ship's heading
270 deg. 17 kts -

"From the intersection of ship's course and continental shelf to eastern end of
Unimak Pass, a veritable flying carpet of Sooty Shearwaters (underwing flash)
and Short-tailed Shearwaters (no underwing flash). One N. Fulmar passed over the
stern of B deck (20 meters above sea) within 4 meters of me; all other birds
stayed within 2-3 meters of sea surface. Number of individuals estimated at
40,000+ shearwaters and 25+ fulmars but this likely conservative since linear
distance involved ~95 nautical miles. Greatest concentration nearing Unimak
Pass. Likely migrating flock heading southeast."

>Sea state at the time was a
> heavy northwesterly two- to three-meter chop with many large whitecaps on a
> flood tide.

Sounds familiar. Incidentally, I had just gotten my sealegs when we ran through
the shearwaters so I could have missed some during the time I was comtemplating
throwing myself over the side.




==========================
Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jbowling at direct.ca