Another Brown Booby from Oregon

Perhaps missed in the excitement of the Coos Bay Brown Booby from October 28 to November 28+, was another report of Brown Booby in November. Phil Pickering did a seawatch on a blustery day at Boiler Bay, about 100 miles north of Coos Bay. While the Coos Bay Brown Booby was still being reported there, Phil spotted another female-plumaged Brown Booby on November 22, 2009 from Boiler Bay.

Pickering's report was:

"Seen briefly in front of squall <1/2 mile at ~9:20, drifting slowly S 40-50 feet above the water over a small feeding group of Pelicans/gulls. Recognized immediately by unmistakable shape - 2/3 size of Pelican with long comparatively slender body, long neck, long evenly tapered bill, and very long obviously wedge-shaped dark tail. Upperparts entirely dark brown, belly white, complete solidly dark brown hood extending to lower breast, sharply delineated from white belly. Underwing/bill color didn't register."

Amazingly, during this same seawatch, a Laysan Albatross also soared by about 1 mile offshore. This is species is rarely reported from shore.