Xenornis

First, for context, a colored bathymetric map of Panama. Zooming in, a simplified diagram showing the 200, 1000, 2000 and 3000 meter isobaths. Zooming in further, the Google Earth image showing two notable points of our September 11 deep water pelagic trip : our stops that produced Tahiti Petrel and Wedge-tailed Shearwater . These stops were not serendipitous, but were carefully planned atop seamounts, underwater mountains. The most productive one, 45 km east-southeast of Punta Mala, has its summit at 91 meters deep, but is surrounded by 1000-meter depths. The Wilson's and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels were seen about halfway to that spot, maybe at 300 m depths. We suspect the other mound, with a 37-meter deep summit was not in deep enough waters (around 500 m). There is a third seamount, about 45 km west-southwest of Punta Mala, also at the 1000 m isobath, that remains unexplored. Heading in that direction would allow us to swing by Islas Frailes, as a bonus. Finally, some eye cand...

Venicio Wilson forwards this photo of a Storm-Petrel photographed by Christian Gernez on the Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic's Sea Voyager, apparently near Punta Mala, apparently a few days ago. Additional photos are apparently on their way, but in the meantime let's start speculating, shall we? We would strongly lean for Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, probably the commonest Oceanodroma in Panama waters, and not just because we like erring on the side of caution: there's just a lot of white on this rump, and the rump is shaped like a wedge! Also, if you squint you can almost imagine the white extending down the sides, a tell-tale tail. Shape and lenght of the tail itself is not particularly clear, but again if you squint you can almost see it as slightly notched, but not deeply forked. ¿Any dissenting opinions?