Memorandum to:         The Director of Birds Australia

From:                           Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

Date:                            24^th July 2007

Voting Members:         Andrew Silcocks            Glenn Holmes

Mike Carter                   John Hatch

                                    Tony Palliser                 Jamie Matthew

                                    Rohan Clarke                 Danny Rogers

cc.

Submission No. 505: Westland Petrel Procellaria westlandica, Ocean Grove, VIC. 14^th December 2001. Submitted by: Christopher Gray.

Verdict: Accepted

This submission concerns a beach-cast specimen located at Ocean Grove, VIC on the 14^th December 2001.  The specimen was forwarded to the Victorian Museum.

The submission included photographs and biometrics of a partly decomposed carcass, the sex & age of which could not be determined.  Measurements provided include: wing 395, tail 120, tarsus 68, mid toe 82 (with claw 89) and bill 47mm. The body colour was black and the bill featured long flat nostrils, with entirely black ungues.

The photographs and confirmation from the Victorian Museum support the claim with members voting unanimously in favour of acceptance. The measurements are consistent for the species claimed and combined with the all-dark ungues rule out both Black Petrel P. parkinsoni and White-chinned Petrel P aequinoctialis

The 5^th record of Westland Petrel to be accepted by BARC.

References and Bibliography:

· Enticott, J. & Tipling, D. 1977. Photographic Handbook of the Seabirds of the World, New Holland, London.

· Harrison, P. 1983. Seabirds: an Identification Guide. Croom Helm, Kent.

· Harrison, P. 1989. Seabirds of the World: A Photographic Guide. Christopher Helm, London.

· Marchant, S. & P.J. Higgins. (Eds). 1990. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds.  Volume 1 (part A). Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Tony Palliser

Chairman, Birds Australia Rarities Committee