2 Black-footed Albatross (Diomedia nigripes) Number observed: 31 4 | 4 | - 8 | 10 | 3 9 | 2 | 6 Rump color (sample size 21) White Mottled Dark # 3 3 15 % 14 14 72 Quantitative distributions show little of significance. The concentration of 24 albatross in the Northwest section on Eastern Area Grid 18 did not reappear on this survey. Dark rumped birds (presumed immatures) still are predominant (72 percent) in the grid. 0 | 2 | - 0 | 0 | 0 2 | 0 | 1 Laysan Albatross (Diomedia immutabilis) The distribution of Laysan Albatross seems nearly random. 3 | 11 | - 1 | 2 | 2 1 | 0 | 3 Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) Number observed: 23 All were dark phase birds. Their distribution is more of the expected winter "normal" i.e., greatest number in northern third of the grid. They were abundant in the Santa Barbara Channel and can be assumed to have been present in large numbers in the northeast section (where we had no diurnal observations). One will expect, in the near future, a withdrawal of this species from the southern third of the grid, and further buildups in the north section. Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) The number of sooties dropped since Eastern Grid Survey 18. Although the birds seen on EGS 18 did not appear to be moving south (as they were on the previous survey) the species has now all but dispersed from the grid. 0 | 3 | - 0 | 0 | 2 0 | 0 | 0 Pterodroma sp. Number observed: 2 Two individual sightings were recorded in Sector X on 20 December. These birds were probably Cook Petrels. Fork-tailed Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) Number observed: 2 The numbers remain very low. These numbers should be increasing by now, and can be expected to do so in the near future. Leach-type Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) Number observed: 11 One of the (if not the) lowest number of storm petrels recorded on any survey. The winter breeding birds (from Isla Guadalupe) that were present during EGS - 17 are now probably incubating eggs. But where are the expected wintering populations? It is possible that the month of storms has 0 | 2 | - 6 | 0 | 0 0 | 1 | 2