Dutch Birding volume 24 (2002) no 5

Black-browed Albatross off La Spezia, Italy, in July 2000

On 18 July 2000, I made the crossing by ferry from Bastia, Corsica, France, to La Spezia, Italy. At 18:50, c 4 km off La Spezia harbour, I observed an adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris. The weather conditions were excellent, with sunny skies, a weak wind and a temperature of 24-26°C; visibility was good and allowed observation of seabirds such as Balearic Shearwaters Puffinus mauretanicus and Scopoli's Shearwaters Calonectris diomedea as well as dolphins at great distance. The albatross was observed during c 2 min. The observation distance from the initial sighting until the bird crossed the waterway behind the ferry was difficult to estimate by lack of any reference points but was not closer than 100 m and not further than 150 m. The best observation was possible when the bird flew alongship.

The sighting off La Spezia has been accepted by the Italian rarities committee (CIR) and presumably represents the first record of Black-browed Albatross for Italy, and the second for the Mediterranean Sea after one off the Chafarinas Islands, Spain, close to the Moroccan coast in 1997.

Jan Kelchtermans, Lintsesteenweg 231, 2570 Duffel, Belgium
janenlieshotmail.com