INTERVIEW WITH BOB FLOOD

22 may 2020

Topics:

Francesc Kirchner from ORYX interviews Bob Flood,
on the occasion of his new book.

MULTIMEDIA IDENTIFICATION GUIDE TO NORTH ATLANTIC SEABIRDS. SHEARWATERS. JOUANIN'S & WHITE-CHINNED PETRELS is the fourth of a very specialized series of books on identification of North Atlantic seabirds, always accompanied with a DVD and now a memory stick with lots of additional information in illustrations, photographs, videos and detailed text, which is not very usual when talking about books on birds. The first three titles are sold out in paper and available only as e-books. So, we can say that the formula has been successful. Back in 2013, when you prepared your first title, what were your expectations about sales and distribution of your Multimedia ID Guides?

Actually, the first edition of the first title Storm-petrels & Bulwer's Petrel was published in 2011 (the revised edition in 2013). You ask a very good question. Frankly, we had no idea what the reception would be for a specialist book focussing on storm-petrels. It was a shot in the dark from a commercial perspective. The motivating force, though, was the frustration that the guides that covered storm-petrel ID didn't describe the creatures that we were observing at-sea from our Scilly Pelagics. For example, guides described Wilson's Storm-petrel wing shape as paddle-shaped. OK, that's fine when they're foot-pattering, but it is misleading for flying birds that have a straight trailing edge! The 'structure' of storm-petrels depends on what they are doing - travelling, foraging, collecting prey. We wanted to share our knowledge about this and many other aspects of ID that were either incorrect or missing from the ID literature. We also wanted to illustrate our observations using moving footage because storm-petrel flight behaviour is so important to storm-petrel ID. I think that the success of the guide was that we opened up a whole new approach to storm-petrel ID that resonated with birders' own experiences. It is pleasing to see that new seabird ID guides have followed suit and, for example, describe structure in terms of behaviour.

The guide due out in just a few weeks, will cover almost double species and deals with shearwaters, probably the ones that most seabirders see most often and in greater quantity. Why have you delayed until the fourth volume that group of Atlantic seabirds?

Another interesting question Francesc. To be truthful, there was no logical reason for the order of the guides following storm-petrels. The guides rather followed my interests at the time. Like all seabirders, I love Pterodromas and I was fascinated by the feae-complex, a group of very rare seabirds that are quite tricky to ID. The challenge in getting to know these and the other elusive North Atlantic Pterodromas at sea was irresistible. Following that I became deeply interested in ID and ageing of albatrosses, involving a very complex sequence of age-related plumages, and I wanted to make sense of all the weird and wonderful plumages of the northern fulmars, and I took rather a liking to the 'beuatifully ugly' giant petrels. So, Albatrosses & Fulmarine Petrels became the third title. This left just the shearwaters, hence the fourth title Shearwaters, Jouanin's & White-chinned Petrels.

There is a species account devoted to the “Menorcan Shearwater” which is a bird who I think is of special interest for Spanish readers. Can you write us a few words about what has made you to consider it to be treated in his own species account?

The 'Menorcan Shearwater' is treated separately, after Yelkouan Shearwater and before Balearic Shearwater in the guide, not as a species but as a hybrid population. 'Menorcan Shearwater' warranted its own treatment from an ID perspective especially because many of them look like Yelkouan Shearwater. So, what are these Yelkouan-like birds that are occasionally seen in the Atlantic -- Yelkouan or 'Menorcan' or both? This is a big question for anyone seabirding in the northeast Atlantic. Also, the occurrence of a hybrid population is a fascinating occurrence in terms of the evolution of species.

What are your thoughts about the importance of Balearic Islands for conservation of seabirds?

Balearic Shearwater is critically endangered. Population models show time to extinction about 60 years unless action is taken now by the French and Spanish authorities. Conservation at the breeding grounds is an essential part of that. The future of the species is much dependant on the Spanish Government's attitude to conservation at the breeding grounds and at sea. What a tragedy if we were to loose this gem shearwater. Imagine having to explain the loss of the species to your grandchildren. I know that Spain has some extremely talented and dedicated seabird conservationists, some of the best in the world I'd say, if only they are adequately funded and supported.

And the same for Canary Islands?

Barolo Shearwater is also in trouble and the Canary Islands hold important populations of them. Great conservation work on Barolo is undertaken by the likes of Marcel Gil-Velasco and colleagues. They need funding and support. My personal experience of Barolo at sea is quite sobering because they are now absent from ferry runs in the Canary Islands where once you could depend on seeing them. For example, in the late 1980s I took the ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera twice a day every other day for 10 days. I averaged 7 Barolo Shearwaters a day. Now none are seen from that ferry.

I am sure that for preparing the book you have had many collaborators in different countries and places. Who have been those in contact with you from Spain for providing data or sharing their experience and knowledge for the new book?

The shearwater guide was only possible because of the collaboration of some very talented Spanish seabirders, conservationists, and researchers. All of the following people were hugely helpful and many of them are now good friends. I spent so much time in Spain that I feel like I am now partly Spanish! In no particular order: Ricard Gutiérrez contributed to understanding the status of Cory’s Shearwater in the western Mediterranean and the underwing patterns of Cory’s and Scopoli’s Shearwaters, arranged numerous boat trips off Catalonia, and a visit to Barcelona museum. Javier Quesada of Barcelona Museu de Ciències Naturals (BMCN) made our museum visit a great success. Marcel Gil-Velasco contributed to understanding the ID of Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters, variation in Scopoli's Shearwater, and many aspects of Barolo Shearwater. Jacob Gonzáles-Solís of Barcelona University contributed to understanding Boyd's Shearwater and many aspects of tubenoses that breed in the Macaronesian islands, concerning their breeding and at-sea range, among many other matters. Dani López-Velasco offered all sorts of advice and information and tested out some of our ID criteria in the field, such as ID of Boyd's Shearwater, providing some vital trustable feedback. Juan Sagardia led four Lanzarote Pelagics that I participated in where I gained valuable extra learning about shearwaters. There are other Spanish folk who participated in events in Spain who I so much appreciate and are friends. You know who you are!

With the new book on shearwaters you have covered all tubenoses of the North Atlantic, does this mean that the series is already finished, or you may enlarge it with other seabird orders of birds?

I am a tubenose addict. Future publications will be on tubenoses. I have teamed up with John Gale once again for our next guide. Watch this space.

And finally, is there any hope that the previous titles of the series will be reprinted or even reissued as second editions with updates and new information?

Once Shearwaters is published and orders met, I will make a social media survey to see if there is sufficient interest for a reprint of the earlier volumes of the North Atlantic Seabirds series.