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A bird for Tony U

Vagabond

By Vagabond
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Vagabond Member

Vagabond

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We have seen various birds settle on boats before, usually when on migration, but this one was very unusual (its usually pretty sedentary) - in fact it was the first time the boat's crew had ever seen or heard of one of these out at sea.

 

africanjacanaindianocea.jpg

 

It is an African Jacana Actophilornis africanus (aka "lily trotter") - usually found striding across dense lily pads in freshwater. Look at the huge feet !

 

It appeared when we were about 12 miles out of Watamu, Kenya on our way in after fishing all night (though we still had troll lines out in the hope of just one more fish) and flew round our boat several times before fatigue overcame its caution. Then it settled and stayed with us for over an hour and a half until we picked up our mooring. Then it just flew to shore.

 

Amusingly, the field guide refers to it as "a weak flyer" but it certainly had a fair turn of speed before it hitched a ride. It dropped astern several times, but caught us up with apparent ease (we were trolling at about 7 knots)

 

What was it doing 12 miles out at sea ?

 

We thought it might have followed a concentration of insects blown off shore by the nightly land breeze (which had been quite strong during the night), then found itself farther out than was comfortable when daylight broke. Anyway, it knew our boat was going the right way!

Edited by Vagabond

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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Tony U Member

Tony U

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AAAGH can't see the picture from work I will have to have look when I get home tonight. Rallidae while not very powerful fliers, their flight can be sustained for long periods of time, (many species undertake annual migrations). So it may be that it was blown of course and was trying to get back to land. Still very odd though.

 

 

Tony

Tony

 

After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.

 

 

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corydoras Member

corydoras

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AAAGH can't see the picture from work I will have to have look when I get home tonight. Rallidae while not very powerful fliers, their flight can be sustained for long periods of time, (many species undertake annual migrations). So it may be that it was blown of course and was trying to get back to land. Still very odd though.

 

 

Tony

Sorry Tony, I hate to be a pedant but jacanas are not rails. Jacanas are in the order Charadriiformes, suborder Jacanidae, whilst rails like waterhens and coots are of the order Gruiformes, suborder Ralli, family Rallidae. So you can see that they are not even close relatives to Rails despite being taxonomically similar.

 

I reckon it was blown off shore Vagabond, but I don't think it was following insects. The little chap was lucky you were around Vagabond, I don't think he would have lasted long 12 miles out at sea. Not his ideal environment.

Edited by corydoras

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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Tony U Member

Tony U

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"Jacanas are in the order Charadriiformes, suborder Jacanidae"

That puts them in the Wader family even more capable fliers and migatory birds.

 

Problem was my Birds of Cuba Book it list species thus: Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots • Jacanas • Oystercatchers • Stilts and Avocets and I put one and one together and made three.

It's the only book with me that lists Jacanas.

Edited by Tony U

Tony

 

After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.

 

 

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Vagabond Member

Vagabond

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they are not even close relatives to Rails despite being taxonomically similar.

Errr, if we are being pedantic, don't you mean "anatomically similar" ? (or perhaps "morphologically similar") :) ie. it looks like a rail due to convergent evolution an' all that.

 

"Taxonomically similar" would mean they ARE closely related :o

 

 

I reckon it was blown off shore Vagabond, but I don't think it was following insects.

They usually stay on their feet, or if they fly, keep very close to the (fresh) water. I figured there must have been a reason why it was airbourne enough to get blown out to sea. As they go for hatching aquatic insects I thought this a possibility.

An interesting point is that over the sea it kept about 10 to 12 feet above the water - in contrast to the low flight over fresh water. Obviously it didn't like the look of the Indian Ocean rollers !

Edited by Vagabond

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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corydoras Member

corydoras

Posted
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Errr, if we are being pedantic, don't you mean "anatomically similar" ? (or perhaps "morphologically similar") :) ie. it looks like a rail due to convergent evolution an' all that.

 

"Taxonomically similar" would mean they ARE closely related :o

 

 

 

They usually stay on their feet, or if they fly, keep very close to the (fresh) water. I figured there must have been a reason why it was airbourne enough to get blown out to sea. As they go for hatching aquatic insects I thought this a possibility.

An interesting point is that over the sea it kept about 10 to 12 feet above the water - in contrast to the low flight over fresh water. Obviously it didn't like the look of the Indian Ocean rollers !

I stand corrected, morphologically would have been a better choice of word.

 

Did you catch owt? That looks like a serious pair of derricks you've got hanging over the arse-end of the boat.

Edited by corydoras

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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corydoras Member

corydoras

Posted
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"Jacanas are in the order Charadriiformes, suborder Jacanidae"

That puts them in the Wader family even more capable fliers and migatory birds.

 

Problem was my Birds of Cuba Book it list species thus: Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots • Jacanas • Oystercatchers • Stilts and Avocets and I put one and one together and made three.

It's the only book with me that lists Jacanas.

Classic Linnean taxonomy is not an exact science Tony. That is why evolutionary biologists are busy at the moment reclassifying every species by a new system called 'cladistics', and I did say I was being pedantic ;)

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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Vagabond Member

Vagabond

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Did you catch owt? That looks like a serious pair of derricks you've got hanging over the arse-end of the boat.

 

Sailfish, Striped Marlin, Wahoo, Dorado, Great Barracuda, Narrow-barred King Mackerel and Yellowfin Tuna on the troll.

 

Plus a few odds and ends of snapper, grouper and triggerfish when we had an hour or so's bottom fishing. Will put a few pics up when I get round to it.

Edited by Vagabond

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Vagabond Member

Vagabond

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Did you catch owt? That looks like a serious pair of derricks you've got hanging over the arse-end of the boat.

 

 

As promised, the pics

 

http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/show...4903&page=4

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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