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Posted by Toe on 22:22:18 05/01/13
This morning while grouper fishing in 140' of water off the whistle buoy between Ocean Reef and Elliot Key I had a Black-capped Petrel fly north to south behind my boat. The stern of the boat was facing north and I noticed a bird heading straight for us. At first I just assumed it was a shearwater, but it did a high arc so I put the rod down and ran for the camera. Luckily I got it just as it flew 100 yard to the inside of me. I checked my position and it put me just inside the Dade County line. If accepted by the Miami-Dade Records Committee (John), this is the first County record. This species is seen pretty regularly off Ponce Inlet, but almost always out in the middle of the Gulfstream ~60 nm out. Today's bird was only 7 miles offshore. They breed on Hispaniola, and are known to make foraging trip as far north as North Carolina. I wonder if this individual was on a return flight from one such trip.
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