Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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van Oordt G.J. & Kruijt J.P. (1954) Birds, observed on a voyage in the South Atlantic and Southern Oceans in 1951/1952. ARDEA 42 (3-4): 245-280
On a voyage in the Southern Ocean from Cape Town along the Antarctic Continent to the Ross Sea and back in January, February and March 1952 the following facts were stated: 1. Vast numbers of antarctic birds, especially of Procellariiformes, were met with everywhere in the Southern Ocean and on the whole they were uniformly distributed here. As hundreds of birds were found by us many hundreds and even thousands of miles from the nearest breeding colonies known, these birds must be considered summering birds. They mostly comprise juvenile, not yet mature birds, but in those cases in which the adult birds can be distinguished in the field (Diomedea melanophris, Diomedea exulans, Phoebetria palpebrata) it was stated that both juvenile and adult birds were summering, at large distances from their nearest breeding colonies. 2. Spectacular migratory movements of Puffinus griseus were seen in February 1952 along the Antarctic Continent, off Wilkes Land, i.e. between about 100¦ E. and 160¦ E. 3, Oceanites oceanicus migrated in large numbers along the Antarctic Continent during our return voyage in February and March 1952. 4. In March 1952 on the homeward voyage several Sterna paradisaea were seen in the Antarctic Ocean migrating along the Antarctic Continent in a westerly direction. 5. It was found that Hjdrobates pelagicus winters in large numbers in the Cape seas, also S. of the Cape. 6. Two single Phalaropus julicarius seen 19 Jan. 1952 at 41 ¦30' S., 2,8¦ E., i.e. about 600 nautical miles S. E. of S. Africa, proved that this species also winters south of the Cape. 7. Diomedea cauta was met with frequently in the Cape seas. 8. Puffinus diomedea was found in large numbers in the Cape seas during the southern summer. 9. Several species were encountered in well-defined areas of the Southern Ocean: Pterodroma inexpectata was absent west of 95¦ E. and Procellaria aequinoctialis was not observed east of 100¦ E. Moreover, Diomedea melanophris and Pterodroma lessonii were limited to two separate areas, and Diomedea chrysostoma was absent between 100¦ E. and 140¦ E. 10. The southernmost observation of any Diving Petrel, probably of a Georgian Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgica), was made on 21 Febr. 1952 at 68¦40' S. and 173¦ E., i.e. at the western entrance of the Ross Sea.


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