CORAL SEA

7 - 9 April: At sea in the CORAL SEA. We've left behind the southern ocean
albatrosses, instead replaced them with more tropical seabirds. These
included higher counts of Tahiti Petrels and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters; one
Providence Petrel, many Gould's Petrels, Tropical Shearwaters, presumably
one Polynesian Storm-Petrel, White-tailed Tropicbirds; Masked, Red-footed
and Brown Boobies; Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds; Sooty Terns and Black
and Brown Noddies. The single Polynesian Storm-Petrel was with a feeding
flock of Wedge-tails and noddy terns prior to the morning wakeup call.
Unfortunately, no announcement was made to the general ship. So, most on
board missed this singular sighting! Neither of the two leaders saw the
bird, either. This was quite a disappointment since no other sightings have
been made of this species.
Debi Shearwater, at sea in the Western Pacific