During summer and autumn shearwaters - Cory's, Sooty, Greater and Manx - can be seen flying and feeding within a few hundred meters of the beach, particularly at the east and west tips of the island.  Sooty and Greater Shearwaters, which breed in the Southern Hemisphere, are the most numerous, with 100s of Sooty and 1000s of Greater observed on some days during August through October.  Although it is always more interesting to see live birds, examination of carcasses found on the beach can reveal details not always obvious in the field guides.  An example, shown in this photo, is the `robustness' of the bill of the Cory's Shearwater compared with that of the Greater.

Cory's Shearwater (top) and Greater Shearwater (bottom)

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