According to the local fishermen in recent days a mass of very cold water entered the Pucusana Bay, bringing species not usually [...]]]> Yesterday, while I was leading a Field Guides/Manu Expeditions group around Pucusana fishing port in Lima, we found a Cape Petrel feeding in a frenzy that included Gray, Belcher’s and Kelp Gulls and fishermen.

According to the local fishermen in recent days a mass of very cold water entered the Pucusana Bay, bringing species not usually seen so close to the shore.

Cape Petrel | © Jean Paul Perret

The Cape Petrel is common and widespread in the southern hemisphere where is associated to areas of cold water upwelling. It is known to follow vessels over long distances feeding on fish waste, so it’s not really a surprise to see it anywhere, but still it was a nice and unexpected surprise for us.

Other Petrels, in the broad sense of the word, that we usually found very close to the shore in Pucusana includes Sooty Shearwater, White-chinned Petrel, some Storm-petrels and Peruvian Diving-petrel.