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       Full species list

King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus 
10000s at South Georgia (highest numbers on Salisbury plain), 1 27/3 at sea between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Emperor Penguin   Aptenodytes forsteri
1 immature bird at sea 193 nm SW of South Georgia (57°19' S 39°48' W).

Gentoo Penguin   Pygoscelis papua 
±40 at Penguin Island, 10s at Gourdin Island, Brown Bluff and Paulet Island.
Few at Coronation Island (S Orkney) and at sea.
100s at South Georgia.

Adelie Penguin   Pygoscelis adeliae 
±50 at Gourdin Island, ±40 at Brown Bluff, ±20 at Paulet Island.

Chinstrap Penguin   Pygoscelis antarctica 
±700 at Penguin Island, ±1000 at Gourdin Island, 10s at sea between Antarctica and South Georgia, ±25 at Gold Harbour.

Rockhopper Penguin   Eudyptes chrysocome 
±130 at various locations onshore of Tristan da Cunha.

Macaroni Penguin   Eudyptes chrysolophus
10s at sea around South Georgia, ±1000 Rookery Bay.

Magellanic Penguin   Spheniscus magellanicus
100s in the Beagle Channel.

Wandering Albatross   Diomedea exulans 
3 in the Drake Passage, ±50 Albatross Island, an average of about 4-8 daily between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.
One individual followed the vessel for more than 1300 km!

Amsterdam Albatross   Diomedea amsterdamensis
One possible record of a bird approximately 200 nm SSW of Tristan da Cunha.

Southern Royal Albatross   Diomedea epomophora epomophora
One when we just had left the Beagle Channel.

Black-browed Albatross   Thalassarche melanophris 
Thousands in the Beagle Channel, >100 at South Georgia, daily between 5 and 20 between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Shy Albatross ('Shy' or White-capped)   Thalassarche (c.) cauta  or steadi 
At least 3 different individuals at Tristan da Cunha, 3 more between Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena.

Grey-headed Albatross   Thalassarche chrysostoma
Two days with 8-10 when we crossed the Drake Passage, daily birds between South Orkney and South Georgia, with a maximum of 14 at South Georgia.

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross   Thalassarche (c.) chlororhynchos 
Only around Tristan da Cunha, and to the North of that. Daily numbers reached ±200 near the island, dropping rapidly upon heading North.

Sooty Albatross   Phoebetria fusca 
Daily numbers of ±10 between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha. Maximum ±45 at Tristan.

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross   Phoebetria palpebrata 
One in the Drake Passage, 2-6 birds daily between South Orkney and South Georgia.
Several daily between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, the last ones about halfway between the 2 islands.

Southern Giant Petrel   Macronectes giganteus 
Seen daily from the Beagle Channel until leaving Tristan da Cunha, with a maximum of ±60 at Penguin Island.

Northern Giant Petrel   Macronectes halli
Hardly to be considered more Northern than the previous species: seen in more or less the same region, although in much lower numbers. Maximum ±25 at South Georgia.

Antarctic Fulmar   Fulmarus glacialoides
Seen daily between the Beagle Channel and South Orkney. Highest numbers on the first day (>100).

Antarctic Petrel   Thalassoica antarctica 
One individual during the approach of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Cape Petrel   Daption capense 
Seen only south of the Antarctic convergence, usually 10s daily. Maximum ±100 at South Orkney. Here was also one individual that matched the Snares subspecies australe .

Snow Petrel   Pagodroma nivea
One individual between icebergs in the Weddell Sea.

Kerguelen Petrel   Pterodroma brevirostris 
Several in the Drake Passage, ±25 in the Scotia Sea, around 5 daily between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Great-winged Petrel   Pterodroma macroptera 
Common in the waters around Tristan da Cunha, especially close inshore. Maximum numbers ±200.

Soft-plumaged Petrel   Pterodroma mollis
A mere 8 birds in the Drake Passage, 2 in the Scotia Sea, 10s daily between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha. Also North of Tristan still ±10 daily (until about halfway to St. Helena). Maximum ±300 at Tristan.

Atlantic petrel   Pterodroma incerta 
Good numbers between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha (10-20 daily). North of Tristan these quickly dropped to zero.

Blue Petrel   Halobaena caerulea 
Only 3 during the Drake Passage crossing, but good numbers in the Scotia Sea with a maximum of >100. A few more north of (but close to) South Georgia.

Broad-billed Prion   Pachyptila vittata
Only one individual was seen well enough to be sure of identification, but there probably have been more, especially halfway between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Antarctic Prion   Pachyptila desolata 
Several south of the Antarctic convergence while crossing the Drake Passage.
Good numbers around South Orkney and (to a lesser extent) South Georgia.
Particularly abundant halfway between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha

Slender-billed Prion   Pachyptila belcheri
At least 4 birds during the Drake Passage crossing, north of the Antarctic convergence.
Also good numbers halfway between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Fairy Prion   Pachyptila turtur 
About 2-10 were seen daily around South Georgia, especially on the Northern side.

Bulwer's Petrel   Bulweria bulwerii
Several were seen between Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena, and between St. Helena and Ascension. None were close inshore.

White-chinned Petrel   Procellaria aequinoctialis
Several in the Drake Passage, and daily from South Orkney onwards, until just North of Tristan da Cunha. Usually 15-20 daily, but a maximum of 50 when departing from South Georgia.

Spectacled Petrel   Procellaria conspicillata 
The first birds showed up about halfway between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, the last ones halfway between Tristan and St. Helena. Maximum well over 20 individuals at Tristan.

Grey Petrel   Procellaria cinerea 
Between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, with a maximum of 21 birds. Only one was seen at Tristan itself.

Westland Petrel   Procellaria westlandica
Three individuals were seen well, just after leaving the Beagle Channel.

Great Shearwater   Puffinus gravis 
A bird seen in the Beagle Channel may have come from the small Falkland population. Also some loners around South Georgia. When heading north of South Georgia, however, numbers rose quickly, with a staggering >1500 at Tristan da Cunha. North of Tristan numbers dropped rapidly again.

Sooty Shearwater   Puffinus griseus
Thousands in the Beagle Channel, but only low numbers between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Little Shearwater   Puffinus assimilis 
Low numbers between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, with a maximum of 24 birds about halfway on that stretch.

Wilson's Storm-petrel   Oceanites oceanicus 
Seen daily between Ushuaia and Tristan da Cunha, usually ±20-40 daily.

Grey-backed Storm-petrel   Garrodia nereis
A total of 3 birds was seen between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha.

Black-bellied Storm-petrel   Fregetta tropica 
Good numbers south of the convergence in the Drake Passage (60-80 daily), somewhat lower in the Scotia Sea. A maximum of ±80 north of South Georgia.

White-bellied Storm-petrel   Fregetta grallaria 
The first birds appeared just north of South Georgia, but the highest numbers were reached at Tristan da Cunha, with about 40 daily.

Madeiran Storm-petrel   Oceanodroma castro 
A few were seen daily around St. Helena and Ascension Island. Maximum number of 14 SSE of Ascension.

Leach's Storm-petrel   Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Two individuals were seen well SSE of Ascension Island.

Magellanic Diving Petrel   Pelecanoides magellani
In the Beagle Channel, ±25 were seen.

South Georgia Diving Petrel   Pelecanoides georgicus
A few were seen well in the Scotia Sea and around South Georgia.

Common Diving Petrel   Pelecanoides urinatrix 
Well over ten were seen in the Drake Passage, and 6 more in the Scotia Sea. Many more unidentified Diving Petrels were seen, especially around South Georgia.

Red-billed Tropicbird   Phaethon aethereus 
At least 20 birds were seen near Jamestown, St. Helena, while 3 more were seen near Boatswainbird Island, Ascension.

White-tailed Tropicbird   Phaethon lepturus
An estimate of ±40 birds at Boatswainbird Island, Ascension.

Masked Booby   Sula dactylatra 
Near Speery Island, St. Helena, ±15 birds were counted. At Ascension, several were seen at sea, with ±500 at Boatswainbird Island.

Red-footed Booby   Sula sula
At Ascension, ±15 were seen on the cliffs of Boatswainbird Island. At least three were of the uniform brown phase.

Brown Booby   Sula leucogaster
Around Ascension 10s were seen, including one that had crashed on deck (and had not survived). We estimated ±300 at Boatswainbird Island.

Neotropical Cormorant   Phalacrocorax brasilianus
A few were seen during our sailing through the Beagle Channel.

Imperial Shag   Phalacrocorax atriceps 

Rock Shag   Phalacrocorax magellanicus
A few were seen during our sailing through the Beagle Channel.

Ascension Frigatebird   Fregata aquila 
Good numbers around Ascension Island. We estimated ±7000 birds at Boatswainbird Island.

Cattle Egret   Bubulcus ibis 
±80 at sea between the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia, 14 more at Gold Harbour, 1 at Grytviken, 1 at Salisbury Plain, 1 at Albatross Island (all South georgia) and 2 at Tristan da Cunha.

Flightless Steamerduck   Tachyeres pteneres
2 were seen during our sailing through the Beagle Channel.

South Georgia Pintail   Anas georgica 
Regularly seen at various places on South Georgia, with a maximum of 24 at Salisbury Plain.

Turkey Vulture   Cathartes aura
One over Ushuaia as we left the harbour.

Crested Caracara   Polyborus plancus
One over Ushuaia as we left the harbour.

Red-necked Spurfowl   Francolinus afer
Introduced species on Ascension Island.
Some were heard and one was seen here.

Common Pheasant   Phasianus colchicus
Introduced species on St. Helena.
Three on one of the grassy slopes here.

Blackish Oystercatcher   Haematopus ater
Two flew past as we sailed through the Beagle Channel.

St. Helena Plover   Charadrius sanctaehelenae 
We counted ±15 birds at Deadwood Plain and 2 more during a brief visit to the St. Helena golf course.

Snowy Sheathbill   Chionis alba 
Several at Penguin, Gourdin and especially Paulet Island (±80), 2 more at Coronation Island (S Orkney) and good numbers at South Georgia.

Southern Skua   Catharacta antarctica
One during the Drake Passage crossing resembled very much the Falkland form.
Only a few were seen at Tristan da Cunha (hamiltoni ).

Brown Skua   Catharacta lonnbergi 
Tens at Penguin, Gourdin and especially Paulet Island (±60), ±10 at Coronation Island, tens at various places on South Georgia.

Chilean Skua   Catharacta chilensis
Good numbers were seen during our passage through the Beagle Channel.

South Polar Skua   Catharacta maccormicki
A few at sea near Penguin Island, Gourdin Island and Brown Bluff. ±10 at Paulet island.

Parasitic Jaeger   Stercorarius parasiticus
Four in the Beagle Channel, 6 outside Jamestown, St. Helena.

Long-tailed Jaeger   Stercorarius longicaudus
One adult between South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, 2 × 2 between St. Helena and Ascension.

Dolphin Gull   Larus scoresbii
Several in the Beagle Channel.

Kelp Gull   Larus dominicanus 
Many in the Beagle Channel.
Low numbers on the Antarctic islands and the peninsula, except for Paulet Island, where ±100 were seen.
Common (10s) at South Georgia.

South American Tern   Sterna hirundinacea
Thousands in the Beagle Channel.

Arctic Tern   Sterna paradisaea
Three near Penguin Island.

Antarctic Tern   Sterna vittata 
Several were seen near the Antarctic islands and the peninsula, while higher numbers were observed at South Georgia.
Up to 40 birds were seen at Tristan da Cunha.

Sooty Tern   Sterna fuscata
Not more than ±10 were seen at Speery Island, St. Helena.
±900 at sea before reaching Ascension Island.

Brown Noddy   Anous stolidus 
On Speery and Aigg Island (St. Helena), ±400 were observed.
Four were seen at Boatswainbird Island, Ascension.

Black Noddy   Anous minutus 
On Speery and Aigg Island (St. Helena), ±200 were observed.
±1200 at Boatswainbird Island, Ascension.

White Tern   Gygis alba 
Hundreds were present in and around Jamestown and at Aigg Island, St. Helena.
Several were seen at Ascension Island, with ±250 at Boatswainbird Island.

Zebra Dove   Geopelia striata
Introduced species on St. Helena.
Several were seen here, especially in Jamestown.

Barn Swallow   Hirundo rustica
One was seen near the Devil's Ashpit at Ascension.

South Georgia Pipit   Anthus antarcticus 
One at Drygalski Fjord, one in Rookery Bay, one at Salisbury Plain and 4 at Albatross Island (all South Georgia).

Yellow Canary   Serinus flaviventris
Introduced species on St. Helena and Ascension Island.
Many were seen on both islands.

Common Waxbill   Estrilda astrild
Introduced species on St. Helena and Ascension Island.
Many were seen on both islands.

Java Sparrow   Padda oryzivora
Introduced species on St. Helena.
±20 were seen at various places here.

Madagascar Red Fody   Foudia madagascariensis
Introduced species on St. Helena.
Many were seen here (±100).

Common Myna   Acridotheres tristis
Introduced species on St. Helena and Ascension Island.
Many were seen on both islands.

Copyright ©Teus Luijendijk 2003